The Deputy Spokesperson of the Thai Navy, Mr. Parat Rattanachaiphan, stated on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, that three houses of Cambodian citizens, which he claimed had “encroached” into Thai territory, had already been destroyed, calling it a “successful first step.” He further asserted that several other locations continued to violate the border line as defined by Thailand. Among these locations, he claimed, was a casino building located in Mueang district, Trat province.
Mr. Parat added that the Navy is determined to complete the clearance of all 17 locations, assuring that the operations would be conducted within a framework “acceptable to Cambodia.” He further mentioned that the casino might be the final target, potentially requiring cooperation from multiple agencies due to its large size. This statement was reported by The Nation on September 30, 2025.
However, these are unilateral claims by the Thai side, based on maps drawn by Thailand itself. Reports claiming that the Thai military had razed houses in Cambodia’s Pailin province are not true. This was confirmed by the Cambodian Military Border Guard on September 29, 2025. The 5th Military Region of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, which patrols along the border, reaffirmed its firm stance on protecting Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Recently, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed concerns over reports published on Thai official websites, including the Thai Navy Spokesperson’s Office and the Chanburi-Trat Border Command, as well as in The Nation, suggesting that Cambodian citizens were “invading” Thai territory at 17 locations stretching from Pailin to Koh Kong provinces, including Veal Veng district in Pailin, opposite Mueang district in Trat province.
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs further emphasized the importance of acknowledging that, while the two countries (Cambodia and Thailand) have not yet fully demarcated certain areas of the shared border, residents on both sides have lived and cultivated land there for many decades. This situation has occasionally led to disputes or misunderstandings, which both sides have resolved amicably through the Joint Border Commission (JBC) and referred to the Mixed Commission on Land Boundary Demarcation for resolution, in accordance with the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on border demarcation.
During a special meeting of the Joint Border Commission on September 10, 2025, both parties reaffirmed their commitment from previous meetings to avoid actions that could escalate tensions or expand disputed areas. Cambodia has remained patient and strictly adheres to the terms of the ceasefire agreements, as both sides agreed, emphasizing that this is a time to jointly foster a constructive atmosphere, reduce tensions, and build mutual trust toward normalization.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs further clarified that this is not an official territorial issue as publicly claimed by the Thai Navy. The matter was resolved through mutual coordination and communication on February 1, 2022. Cambodia called on Thailand to address any concerns through the Mixed Commission on Land Boundary Demarcation, which is scheduled to meet next month.
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