June 16, 2025
BANGKOK – The Cambodian Secretariat of Border Affairs issued an official press release on Sunday afternoon (June 15, 2025), announcing the outcomes of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on land boundary demarcation and border marker placement. The two-day meeting was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from June 14 to 15.
Cambodian local media reported that both sides continued their discussions during the full session of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and agreed to approve four key agenda items as follows:
- Approval of the minutes from the 4th meeting of the Joint Technical Sub-Commission (JTSC), held in Siem Reap on July 14, 2024.
- Revision of the 2003 Terms of Reference (TOR) related to the creation of orthophotomaps (aerial photography-based maps).
- Approval of the deployment of a joint survey team to conduct field inspections and demarcate the boundary.
- Discussion on the surveying methodology in Sector 6.
During the JBC meeting, Cambodian Co-Chair Lam Chea —Minister in charge of Border Affairs and head of the National Authority for Border Affairs—informed the Thai delegation of Cambodia’s proposal to resolve the border dispute through legal means. Specifically, the Cambodian side proposed that Thailand join Cambodia in bringing the border disputes concerning the Emerald Triangle, Ta Muen Thom, Ta Muen Toch, and Ta Kwai temples before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in order to reach a fair, impartial, and lasting resolution acceptable to both countries.
The Cambodian side proposed that Thailand join Cambodia in bringing the border disputes concerning the Emerald Triangle, Ta Muen Thom, Ta Muen Toch, and Ta Kwai temples before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Cambodia reiterated its intention to unilaterally and independently initiate legal proceedings with the ICJ, despite Thailand’s rejection of the Court’s jurisdiction in this matter.
Furthermore, Cambodia declared that, from this point forward, the four disputed areas mentioned above would no longer be subject to discussion or negotiation within the JBC framework.
However, Lam Chea also affirmed Cambodia’s continued goodwill and commitment to cooperate with Thailand through the JBC mechanism in other areas. This includes advancing joint efforts in land surveying, border demarcation, and boundary marker placement outside of the four contested zones.
He also reaffirmed the Cambodian government’s policy of pursuing peaceful solutions and expressed the desire for a border defined by peace, friendship, and constructive cooperation. This, he said, should be grounded in agreed legal documents and maps, as outlined in the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which commits both parties to using 1:200,000 scale maps in accordance with the 1904 Franco-Siamese Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty as the basis for boundary demarcation and marker placement.
In this context, Cambodia categorically rejected any unilateral maps produced by Thailand and used as evidence in the border dispute, which it considers the root cause of ongoing tensions, past, present, and potentially future.
The meeting, held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, concluded with both sides reaching consensus on the agreed agenda items. The official minutes were signed on Sunday, June 15, 2025, and both delegations agreed to schedule the next JBC meeting for September 2025.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on June 15, 2025, Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai, Chair of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) for Thailand, and Lam Chea, Minister in charge of Border Affairs and Head of Cambodia’s National Authority for Border Affairs, co-chaired the closing ceremony of the 6th JBC meeting in Phnom Penh. The two sides jointly signed the official minutes of the meeting.
The discussions were described as smooth and conducted in a friendly atmosphere. Both parties expressed appreciation for the successful outcome of the meeting, underscoring the importance and effectiveness of the JBC as the key bilateral mechanism for negotiating and managing border issues between the two countries.
This round of talks marked another significant step in the ongoing process of boundary demarcation along the approximately 800-kilometre Thai-Cambodian border. The discussions were also viewed as contributing to the reduction of tensions in border areas.
Both sides acknowledged the need for continued joint discussions and follow-up work. Thailand will host the next special session of the JBC, scheduled for September 2025.
Currently, Thailand and Cambodia maintain three key levels of cooperation on border matters:
- Joint Boundary Commission (JBC): The primary bilateral mechanism for technical and legal discussions on boundary issues.
- General Border Committee (GBC): A high-level bilateral security mechanism co-chaired by the defence ministers of both countries. The GBC addresses policy direction and measures to promote cooperation and maintain peace and order along the border.
- Regional Border Committee (RBC): A bilateral military mechanism for regional-level discussions. It focuses on border management, development, and the resolution of issues that may arise along the shared border. The RBC is co-chaired by regional army commanders or their equivalents.