Thai army asserts Baan Nong Chan is within Thai territory
Thai-Cambodian tensions rise amid conflicting territorial claims
The Royal Thai Army asserts that Baan Nong Chan, situated near the Thai-Cambodia border in Sa Kaeo province, is within Thai territory, countering claims by Cambodian officials and residents.
In response to Cambodian complaints regarding the army’s installation of barbed-wire fences near Ban Nong Chan in Khok Sung district, Royal Thai Army spokesman, Major General Winthai Suvaree, clarified yesterday, August 18, that the area falls entirely under Thai jurisdiction, citing its position relative to boundary markers 46 and 47.
According to the army spokesman, the fences are not intended to define national borders but serve as temporary security measures for Thai personnel, aimed at preventing incursions and potential landmine threats.
Maj. Gen. Winthai explained that the dispute arises from unresolved agreements between Thailand and Cambodia concerning the boundary markers. While Thailand accepts the current position of these markers as the border, Cambodia claims they have been moved into its territory. He suggested that this issue should be resolved through bilateral mechanisms like the Joint Boundary Commission.
He noted that some areas along the border are inhabited by Cambodians because, in the 1970s, the government allowed Cambodians fleeing the civil war to temporarily settle there. Many did not return after the war ended and conditions improved.
Maj. Gen. Winthai accused Cambodian officials of breaching past agreements by encouraging citizens to establish permanent settlements in disputed areas and beyond on Thai soil. The military, particularly the Burapha Task Force, has filed formal protests at both local and ministry levels since 2014, yet Cambodia has not provided any substantive response.
Cambodia border
He stated, “Cambodia appears to be using civilians to encroach upon Thai territory to avoid direct military confrontation,” suggesting a coordinated strategy to misrepresent the situation and undermine Thailand’s international credibility.
The spokesman warned that recent Cambodian actions indicate a deliberate attempt to provoke and manipulate the situation.
On August 17, a large group of Cambodians gathered near the border fence at Baan Nong Chan, a site of a former refugee camp during the Cambodian civil war. The group approached the fences, shouting insults at Thai paramilitary troops, but the demonstration’s purpose remains unclear, reported Bangkok Post.
When questioned about the potential eviction of Cambodian citizens from settlements within Thai jurisdiction, acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated that there are currently no plans for such action. The issue is set to be discussed in the upcoming General Border Committee meeting on September 7 to September 8 in Siem Reap.
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