(Tboung Khmum): Cambodian Minister of National Defence Tea Seiha asserted that Thailand has violated Cambodia’s sovereignty and breached the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a total of 695 instances, including unauthorised road construction and border patrol activities.

The minister spoke on Friday (Jun. 20) during the 48th anniversary of the Remembrance Day of “Journey to Overthrow the Pol Pot Genocidal Regime” held in Tboung Khmum.

“We have compiled and documented all the evidence demonstrating that Thailand has encroached upon or violated the 2000 MoU. To date, we have provisionally recorded 695 cases of such infringements, which include road construction and patrol operations conducted without notifying the Cambodian side,” the minister underscored.

On the occasion, Minister Tea Seiha further noted the irony of Thailand’s accusations during the recent Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) meeting, where the Thai delegation alleged that Cambodia had breached the MoU by engaging in activities such as farming beyond the demarcated border and installing loudspeakers at the Ta Moan temple. In contrast, he maintained that Thailand has been the party engaging in clear and repeated violations.

The minister added that although Thailand continues to claim a desire for peace and avoidance of conflict, it simultaneously justifies the deployment of troops to the border under the guise of defence. In response, Cambodia has also stationed forces to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
=FRESH NEWS