NEW YORK — Thailand has told a United Nations development forum that cross-border attacks from Cambodia in 2025 resulted in 19 civilian deaths, injured 51 people and forced more than 400,000 residents to flee their homes.
The statement was delivered on 22 April 2026 during the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up, where Thailand exercised its right of reply after remarks made by the Cambodian delegation.
According to a statement posted by the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Cherdchai Chaivaivid said Thailand had consistently supported Cambodia’s peacebuilding and development for decades, including during its civil war period and through post-conflict reintegration into ASEAN and the global economy.
He cited Thailand’s long-standing assistance to Cambodia, including hosting large numbers of refugees during the conflicts of the 1970s and 1980s, as well as providing more than US$17 million in development aid, technical assistance and scholarships since the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he said recent developments had strained bilateral relations.
Ambassador Cherdchai said Cambodia carried out “unprovoked and indiscriminate armed attacks” on Thai territory in July and December 2025, which resulted in civilian casualties and large-scale displacement.
“These attacks claimed 19 civilian lives, injured 51 others, displaced over 400,000 people, and affected more than 400 hospitals,” he said, adding that Thailand was compelled to act in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
He also raised concerns over landmine contamination in border areas, saying Cambodia—despite receiving international assistance for demining—had continued to plant new explosives, limiting economic activity and cross-border development.
The Thai envoy further alleged that Cambodia had become a hub for online scam operations generating billions of US dollars annually, contributing to global financial losses and human trafficking, though these claims were not independently verified in the statement.
The remarks formed part of a broader exchange between the two delegations at the UN forum, which focuses on global financing and development cooperation.
