BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Army on Sunday rejected allegations from Cambodia that Thai forces have occupied Cambodian territory, countering that it is Phnom Penh that has systematically encroached on Thai land for decades.
Major General Winthai Suvaree, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, issued the clarification following a formal protest from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Cambodian protest alleged that Thailand had seized areas within four provinces located in Cambodian territory.
“We confirm that Thailand has not occupied any Cambodian territory,” Winthai said. “Every area where the Thai side has entered to organize or regulate the space is entirely within Thai sovereign borders.”
The spokesperson suggested that Cambodia’s claims may stem from a long-standing “misunderstanding” of the border markers. He stated that Cambodia has frequently moved troops and established military bases inside Thai territory. In some instances, Winthai added, the Cambodian government has encouraged the construction of buildings and civilian settlements on the Thai side of the border.
Winthai emphasized that Thailand has not been silent regarding these incursions, noting that Bangkok has filed hundreds of formal protest letters to Phnom Penh over the years through mechanisms established under the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU 43).
“We believe the Cambodian side has encroached on certain Thai areas for so long that they have become accustomed to it, leading to the false impression that these areas belong to them,” Winthai said.
The Army spokesperson concluded by asserting that Thailand’s current operations are a legitimate exercise of sovereignty and that the disputed areas are legally Thai territory, despite Cambodia’s previous assertions.
The border between the two neighbors has remained a point of periodic tension, with both nations relying on different maps and historical treaties to define their shared frontier.
