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Six Decades of Tension: Cambodia-Thailand Border Dispute Might Head to International Court

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Cambodia is escalating a decades-old border dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), following the death of a Cambodian soldier in a late-May clash near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple. The move marks the most serious flare-up between the two neighbors since the deadly confrontations of 2008–2011.

Tensions reignited on 28 May when gunfire broke out around 5:45 AM in the disputed Emerald Triangle area, where Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani Province meets Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Province. One Cambodian soldier was killed, the first fatality in over a decade, according to Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence.

Each side blamed the other. Cambodia claimed its troops were ambushed, while Thai forces said they responded to gunfire. The clash triggered a rapid military build-up on both sides and raised fears of a wider confrontation.

Despite the incident, both governments moved quickly to prevent further escalation. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet held direct talks hours after the incident, vowing to prevent further escalation. 

Both leaders emphasized that neither country wanted the conflict to continue.

On 29 May, military leaders from both nations convened in Kap Choeng District, Surin Province, Thailand. The session concluded with joint agreements aimed at de-escalating tensions, including commitments to resolve the issue through the JBC and to maintain non-confrontational positions along the disputed border.

Cambodia’s Hun Manet, then on an official trip to Tokyo, assured the public that armed conflict served no one’s interest, especially the troops on the front lines. 

Cambodia’s Strategic Escalation to International Law

Despite diplomatic progress and apparent de-escalation, Cambodia announced on 2 June its intention to move forward with its initial plan to pursue international legal action before the ICJ.

Prime Minister Hun Manet’s declaration that Cambodia would pursue ICJ arbitration regardless of Thailand’s agreement represented a fundamental shift from bilateral to multilateral dispute resolution.

The move marked a strategic shift from bilateral to international arbitration, echoing Cambodia’s past legal wins at the ICJ in 1962 and 2013, both favoring its claim to Preah Vihear Temple.

By 4 June, Cambodia had formally filed its ICJ case, citing recent tensions and prior provocations, such as a February incident involving Cambodian women singing near the Thai border, which sparked diplomatic protests from Bangkok.

Thailand’s Firm Rejection of International Arbitration

Thailand’s response came swiftly and decisively following a cabinet meeting specifically convened to address the border crisis. 

Thai Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap announced on 4 June that Thailand would not refer the dispute to the ICJ, instead emphasizing a commitment to peaceful resolution exclusively through diplomatic dialogue and existing bilateral mechanisms.

Thai officials clarified that discussions should be grounded in existing legal agreements, satellite imagery analysis, and historical documentation, suggesting confidence in their evidence base for bilateral negotiations. At the same time, they emphasized the importance of accurate public communication to prevent misunderstandings that could inflame nationalist tensions in both countries, recognizing the domestic political risks of appearing to concede to international pressure.

Meanwhile, Thailand bolstered its border defenses. On 5 June, the Ministry of Interior ordered heightened security and emergency planning in seven provinces, including Trat, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, and Buriram. Surveillance, public awareness campaigns, and rapid-response systems were put in place, especially in high-risk zones like Chong Bok, near the recent clash site.

Cambodia, for its part, maintained that its troop movements were defensive, not aggressive, and within sovereign territory.

On 7 June, Thailand adjusted border crossing hours without prior notice. A day later, Cambodia responded by slashing visa stays for Thai nationals from 60 to 7 days. Thailand immediately imposed reciprocal limits on Cambodian visitors. Thai officials have said the restrictions will remain “until the situation improves.”

Military commanders from both countries reached a de-escalation agreement on 8 June, committing to pull back forces to their respective positions as of early 2024. As part of the deal, Cambodia agreed to fill in defensive trenches and restore damaged terrain. Joint border surveys began immediately.

On 9 June, Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense clarified that its troop repositioning was a tactical adjustment within its own territory, not a territorial withdrawal.

Sophisticated Dual-Track Diplomacy

Despite diverging on ICJ arbitration, both countries agreed to proceed with a Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on 14 June in Phnom Penh. However, Cambodia clarified that the four contested sites under ICJ review would be excluded from the JBC agenda.

This dual-track diplomacy, legal arbitration on specific flashpoints and bilateral dialogue on broader border management, reflects an effort to contain tensions without abandoning Cambodia’s push for legal clarity. 

Decades of Dispute

The roots of the conflict stretch back to colonial-era boundary maps. In 1962, the ICJ ruled Preah Vihear Temple belonged to Cambodia, but ambiguity over surrounding territory persisted. Tensions simmered until 2008, when UNESCO named the temple a World Heritage Site, a move that inflamed nationalist sentiment in Thailand and sparked armed clashes.

Between 2008 and 2011, over two dozen people were killed and thousands displaced. A second ICJ ruling in 2013 reaffirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty over the temple’s vicinity, but Thailand rejected the court’s jurisdiction over adjacent land, insisting on bilateral solutions.

From 2011 to 2024, the border remained relatively calm, aided by regular JBC meetings and direct military communications. The 28 May incident shattered that fragile peace and revealed how unresolved issues can quickly reignite.

As the 14 June JBC meeting approaches, the two neighbors face parallel but divergent paths: Cambodia pursues a legal ruling on select sites, while Thailand sticks to diplomacy. What remains uncertain is whether these strategies will converge, or collide.

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