National
• 2 hours ago• Lim_Rothanaksambath
Cambodia Reaffirms Peaceful Border Resolution as Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration Turns One
Phnom Penh, October 26, 2026: Cambodia marked the first anniversary of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration with Thailand today, with Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet reiterating the Kingdom's commitment to settling all boundary disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law and existing bilateral agreements.
In a message posted on social media, PM Hun Manet said Cambodia still adheres to the spirit of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration — also called the KL Peace Accords — and reaffirmed its commitment to the settlement of border disputes and border demarcation through peaceful means and international law, refraining from the threat or use of force. He named the Regional Border Committee, the General Border Committee and the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) as the bilateral mechanisms for working through border-related issues peacefully.
PM Hun Manet also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for their active roles and encouragement in achieving the KL Peace Accords and for their continued support for a peaceful resolution of border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand, in order to achieve sustainable peace between the two countries.
The declaration was signed on Oct. 26, 2025, on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was endorsed by PM Hun Manet and then Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in the presence of President Trump and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Chair of the 2025 ASEAN Summits.
The agreement came after armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces from July 24 to 28, 2025, which caused tragic losses of military personnel and civilians on both sides. It was seen as an important diplomatic initiative to reduce tensions and create conditions conducive to ending the conflict and restoring relations between the two neighbours.
Ahead of the anniversary, the U.S. Department of State reaffirmed Washington's support for the agreement, calling it a landmark diplomatic achievement made possible by President Trump's leadership and commitment to peace. In a statement issued on Oct. 25, the department said the declaration demonstrated the power of American diplomacy to resolve conflicts and laid the foundation for peace between Cambodia and Thailand, adding that Washington would continue working with both countries to support its implementation.
However, renewed armed clashes erupted on Dec. 7, 2025, followed by a Joint Statement reached at the Third Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee. Cambodia has subsequently protested against Thai military activities in unlawfully occupied areas in Cambodian territory, including the deployment of shipping containers, the installation of barbed wire, the excavation of trenches and the construction of fortifications.
The Royal Government of Cambodia has stressed that it does not recognise any boundary line or territorial claim unilaterally asserted by Thailand, maintaining that activities on the ground do not prejudice Cambodia's legal rights or position concerning the international boundary. Cambodia has called on Thailand to honour its commitments to de-escalation, cease actions that could further heighten tensions, strengthen mutual trust and facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes along the border.
As the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration enters its second year, Cambodia has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving all boundary disputes with Thailand exclusively through peaceful means, stressing that international borders must not be changed by force.
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
In a message posted on social media, PM Hun Manet said Cambodia still adheres to the spirit of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration — also called the KL Peace Accords — and reaffirmed its commitment to the settlement of border disputes and border demarcation through peaceful means and international law, refraining from the threat or use of force. He named the Regional Border Committee, the General Border Committee and the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) as the bilateral mechanisms for working through border-related issues peacefully.
PM Hun Manet also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for their active roles and encouragement in achieving the KL Peace Accords and for their continued support for a peaceful resolution of border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand, in order to achieve sustainable peace between the two countries.
The declaration was signed on Oct. 26, 2025, on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was endorsed by PM Hun Manet and then Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in the presence of President Trump and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Chair of the 2025 ASEAN Summits.
The agreement came after armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces from July 24 to 28, 2025, which caused tragic losses of military personnel and civilians on both sides. It was seen as an important diplomatic initiative to reduce tensions and create conditions conducive to ending the conflict and restoring relations between the two neighbours.
Ahead of the anniversary, the U.S. Department of State reaffirmed Washington's support for the agreement, calling it a landmark diplomatic achievement made possible by President Trump's leadership and commitment to peace. In a statement issued on Oct. 25, the department said the declaration demonstrated the power of American diplomacy to resolve conflicts and laid the foundation for peace between Cambodia and Thailand, adding that Washington would continue working with both countries to support its implementation.
However, renewed armed clashes erupted on Dec. 7, 2025, followed by a Joint Statement reached at the Third Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee. Cambodia has subsequently protested against Thai military activities in unlawfully occupied areas in Cambodian territory, including the deployment of shipping containers, the installation of barbed wire, the excavation of trenches and the construction of fortifications.
The Royal Government of Cambodia has stressed that it does not recognise any boundary line or territorial claim unilaterally asserted by Thailand, maintaining that activities on the ground do not prejudice Cambodia's legal rights or position concerning the international boundary. Cambodia has called on Thailand to honour its commitments to de-escalation, cease actions that could further heighten tensions, strengthen mutual trust and facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes along the border.
As the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration enters its second year, Cambodia has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving all boundary disputes with Thailand exclusively through peaceful means, stressing that international borders must not be changed by force.
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
