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• 47 minutes ago• Lim_Rothanaksambath
Minister Neth Pheaktra: Ceasefire Does Not Redraw Borders, Joint Statement Not a Boundary Treaty
PHNOM PENH, September 1, 2026 – Information Minister Neth Pheaktra has rejected claims by Thai officials that the December 27, 2025 Joint Statement allows Thai forces to remain in positions on Cambodian territory, emphasizing that the ceasefire agreement is not a boundary treaty and cannot be used to legitimize occupation.
The Minister's statement came in response to remarks by Lieutenant General Prapas Sonjaidee, Director of Thailand's Joint Information Centre, as reported by The Nation Thailand on August 31, 2026, suggesting that troops should remain in positions agreed upon under the Joint Statement.
Neth Pheaktra stressed that the Joint Statement is a temporary ceasefire and de-escalation arrangement, not a legal instrument capable of superseding the 1:200,000 maps and Franco-Siamese treaties that form the basis of the Cambodia-Thailand boundary. He emphasized that Thailand cannot invoke the Joint Statement to justify the installation of barbed wire, deployment of shipping containers, construction of bunkers, or other unilateral activities on Cambodian territory.
Photo: H.E Neth Pheaktra
The Minister also noted that while the 1962 and 2013 ICJ Judgments concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear are significant, they do not delimit the entire Cambodia-Thailand border. He called for the acceleration of Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) work to resolve outstanding demarcation issues and facilitate the safe return of displaced Cambodian civilians.
"A ceasefire stops the shooting. It does not draw a new map," Neth Pheaktra concluded.
— Source: Ministry of Information
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
The Minister's statement came in response to remarks by Lieutenant General Prapas Sonjaidee, Director of Thailand's Joint Information Centre, as reported by The Nation Thailand on August 31, 2026, suggesting that troops should remain in positions agreed upon under the Joint Statement.
Neth Pheaktra stressed that the Joint Statement is a temporary ceasefire and de-escalation arrangement, not a legal instrument capable of superseding the 1:200,000 maps and Franco-Siamese treaties that form the basis of the Cambodia-Thailand boundary. He emphasized that Thailand cannot invoke the Joint Statement to justify the installation of barbed wire, deployment of shipping containers, construction of bunkers, or other unilateral activities on Cambodian territory.
Photo: H.E Neth PheaktraThe Minister also noted that while the 1962 and 2013 ICJ Judgments concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear are significant, they do not delimit the entire Cambodia-Thailand border. He called for the acceleration of Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) work to resolve outstanding demarcation issues and facilitate the safe return of displaced Cambodian civilians.
"A ceasefire stops the shooting. It does not draw a new map," Neth Pheaktra concluded.
— Source: Ministry of Information
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
