Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet gave a special interview to Reuters, stating that the Thailand-Cambodia border situation remains fragile after Thai troops continued advancing by placing containers and barbed wire in overlapping areas. He called on the "Anutin" government to send the Joint Border Commission (JBC) to the area to help resolve the conflict.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet told Reuters on Tuesday, 17 Feb 2024 GMT+7, that the Thai military still occupies parts of Cambodian territory despite a peace agreement mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump late last year.
In his first special interview with foreign media since succeeding his father in 2023, Hun Manet, who was visiting Washington, D.C. to attend Trump's "Board of Peace" meeting, said the 817-kilometer border remains in a fragile state.
He accused Thai soldiers of placing containers and barbed wire in areas Thailand previously acknowledged as Cambodian territory, preventing local residents from returning home. "This is not defamation but a fact occurring on the ground, and we cannot accept violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
Hun Manet urged the Thai government to promptly advance the work of the Joint Border Commission (JBC) to use existing technical mechanisms and treaties to verify facts. He noted Thailand previously cited the 8 February elections as a reason for delays.
Speaking of the government led by Anutin Charnvirakul, elected amid nationalist sentiment due to the border dispute, he said, "The elections are now over. We hope Thailand will begin surveying and demarcating contested border areas so that people can resume normal lives."
Beyond the border issue, the Cambodian Prime Minister addressed other key topics, affirming that Cambodia does not need to choose between the U.S. and China and assuring transparency regarding the Ream Naval Base supported by China, saying nothing is being concealed.
Regarding scam gangs, Hun Manet acknowledged the existence of online fraud networks in Cambodia but said the government is working hard to eradicate them and draft new laws to address the problem, noting it is a regional issue, not just a Cambodian one.
On human rights, despite criticism over media freedom (ranked 161 out of 180 countries), he views democracy as encompassing not only political expression but also quality of life, education, and public health.
This interview reflects Cambodia's efforts under new leadership to rebalance relations with the West, while the conflict with Thailand remains a challenging issue that will require diplomatic and technical solutions.