Cambodia asks UN General Assembly to resolve border dispute with Thailand

Cambodia has sought the intervention of the United Nations in resolving the border dispute with Thailand, claiming that the conflict may escalate and pose a threat to not only the two countries, but to the peace and stability of the region.

The Cambodian permanent representative to the United Nations submitted a letter, addressed to the UN secretary-general, dated June 16th, about Cambodia’s decision to refer the border dispute with Thailand, over Mom Bei, Tamone Thom, Tamone Touch and Ta Krabey temples, to the International Court of Justice.

In the letter, Cambodia also refers to the brief clash on May 28th, between Cambodian and Thai troops in the Mom Bei area, accusing Thai troops of firing at Cambodian soldiers first.

Cambodia claims that it has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to the disputes, through dialogue and in accordance with international law, and that its repeated attempts at bilateral negotiations have failed due to a lack of political will, on behalf of Thai authorities, and a persistent reliance on unilaterally-drafted maps.

The Cambodian representative asked that its letter to the UN secretary-general, and its annex, be circulated as a document for the 79th session of the General Assembly.

Cambodia has previously appealed to the UN Security Council for help in resolving the border dispute.