Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen on Friday, June 14, called on the international community to press Thailand into resolving a long-standing border dispute with Cambodia by taking the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The call comes as tensions persist over contested areas along the two nations’ shared frontier.
In a renewed push for international arbitration, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen on June 14 appealed to global stakeholders to support Cambodia’s bid to bring its border conflict with Thailand before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). His remarks were made just hours ahead of a scheduled meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) in Phnom Penh.
The dispute focuses on four key areas along the border: Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch, Ta Krabey, and Mom Tei. These locations have been points of contention for years, rooted in differing interpretations of colonial-era maps and demarcations.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, echoing Hun Sen’s position, confirmed that Cambodia intends to unilaterally submit a case to the ICJ, regardless of Thailand’s consent. “Even if the Thai side declines or does not respond, Cambodia would unilaterally submit a complaint to the ICJ,” Hun Manet stated. He added that the formal request to the ICJ would be submitted by Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
Thailand, however, has maintained its opposition to international arbitration. It prefers to handle the dispute through bilateral talks under the framework of the JBC, which is tasked with managing border demarcation. The Thai delegation to the JBC, headed by former ambassador to Cambodia Prasart Prasartwinitchai, arrived in Phnom Penh ahead of the meeting.
Hun Sen expressed skepticism over the effectiveness of current bilateral channels, writing on Facebook that the existing mechanisms would likely leave the issue unresolved for generations. “The areas of dispute spanning over the significant part of the over 800-kilometre border between the two kingdoms will clearly remain unresolved through existing bilateral mechanisms even in the next century,” he said.
The ongoing dispute highlights broader tensions in Thai-Cambodian relations, especially over how historical claims and national sovereignty are interpreted in the post-colonial context.
