Rattanakiri: Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has affirmed that Cambodia's decision to bring the ongoing border issue with Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is not intended to incite conflict, but rather to peacefully resolve it and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the goal is not to escalate tensions but to prevent conflict. Samdech Thipadei stated during an inauguration ceremony for school buildings and other educational achievements in Banlung city that if there is fighting, both sides will suffer losses. He reiterated Cambodia's three mechanisms to resolving border disputes: bilateral mechanisms, international legal channels, and, only if necessary, military defence.
The Prime Minister urged the Cambodian people to place their trust in the Royal Government and national defence forces to manage the situation. He cautioned against turning the border issue into a racially charged conflict between Cambodians and Thais. He expressed appreciation to the Cambodian public for exercising restraint, particularly in response to a protest by over 200 Thai nationals outside the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok on June 6.
Samdech Thipadei advised against inflaming the situation or inciting racial hatred, noting that tensions are stirred up by a minority of ultra-nationalists in both countries. He warned that if the broader public acts on those sentiments, the conflict could expand from military confrontation to societal and economic tensions between the two nations.
He also conveyed Cambodia's official stance to H.E. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and the current Chair of ASEAN. During a phone conversation, Samdech Thipadei emphasised the Kingdom's dedication to maintaining peace, friendship, and constructive cooperation with Thailand. He explained that bringing the border issues to the ICJ reflects a desire for a timely and peaceful resolution, as leaving these issues unresolved could risk renewed armed conflict.
Samdech Thipadei underlined Cambodia's intention to continue working with Thailand to advance the measurement, demarcation, and placement of border markers through the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Commission on the Survey and Demarcation of Land Boundary (JBC). He stressed Cambodia's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations for the supreme interest of the two peoples.
The Cambodia-Thailand border tension intensified when Thai military forces opened fire on a Cambodian army post in Techo Morokot village, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier on May 28, 2025.