Bangkok: Thailand has stepped up its military presence along the disputed border with Cambodia following increased troop deployment by Phnom Penh, Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed on Saturday. The escalation follows a deadly skirmish on May 28 that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier in an undemarcated section of the frontier.
While both governments have exchanged cautious statements emphasizing dialogue and restraint, Phumtham — who also serves as deputy prime minister — revealed that Cambodia had rejected proposals in bilateral talks held on Thursday aimed at de-escalating the situation.
“Furthermore, there has been a reinforcement of military presence, which has exacerbated tensions along the border,” Phumtham said. “Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it necessary to implement additional measures and to reinforce our military posture accordingly.”
The minister did not elaborate on the scale of troop movements by either side.
The Thai army, in a separate statement, accused Cambodian troops and civilians of repeatedly crossing into Thai territory, calling these actions deliberate provocations. “These provocations, and the build-up of military forces, indicate a clear intent to use force,” the army stated. It announced it would now take full control of all checkpoints along the border.
Though border crossings remain open for now, Thai army spokesperson Winthai Suvaree said some may face restricted hours or full closures depending on future security assessments. Thailand currently maintains 17 official crossings with Cambodia across seven provinces along their 817-km (508-mile) shared border.
Cambodia’s foreign ministry has yet to comment on Thailand’s statements. However, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet addressed the situation earlier on Saturday, emphasizing that Cambodia would not provoke violence.
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“This is our stance, not to initiate conflict, but to defend ourselves,” Hun Manet said. “Our guiding principles are … respect for international legal frameworks. These grounded strategies are key to safeguarding our nation’s sovereignty.”
Thailand, for its part, maintains it remains committed to resolving the matter through diplomatic means. “The Thai side reaffirms its readiness to engage through established bilateral mechanisms, particularly the upcoming meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), scheduled for June 14,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura. “We sincerely hope that the negotiations will proceed in good faith.”
Despite growing nationalist sentiment in Thailand, regional players, including ASEAN chair Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and China, have been working to ease tensions.
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Thailand and Cambodia have long disputed parts of their land border, first mapped by France in 1907 during its colonial rule over Cambodia. One of the most contentious flashpoints was the Preah Vihear temple, which ignited deadly clashes in 2008 and again in 2011.
While recent years have seen warm relations between the two nations, including familial ties between the current prime ministers — Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Thailand and Hun Manet of Cambodia — the border remains a source of nationalist fervor. Thailand’s military on Friday declared it was prepared to initiate a “high-level operation” to counter any perceived violations of its sovereignty.
Cambodia has announced it will refer four disputed border sections to the International Court of Justice and has called on Thailand to cooperate. However, Phumtham reiterated Thailand’s position that it does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction and insists all boundary matters be resolved through bilateral negotiations.
