Banteay meanchey: Banteay Meanchey Provincial Governor H.E. Oum Reatrey has called on the governor of Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province to remain patient and wait for the conclusion of the border demarcation work by the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, in his letter dated Oct. 8, H.E. Oum Reatrey urged his Thai counterpart to maintain cooperation in the spirit of friendship and good neighbourliness to avoid tension and negative impacts on both sides. The appeal was made in response to a letter from the Sa Kaeo provincial administration protesting the construction of temporary shelters, land clearing, and gatherings of Cambodian citizens in the claimed area at point TA 521230, located in Chork Chey village, O’ Beichoan commune, O’ Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.

The Cambodian Governor affirmed that the area in question lies within Cambodian territory-Chork Chey village, O’ Beichoan commune, O’ Chrov district-where Cambodian citizens have long lived, occupied, and benefited even before the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU 2000) came into effect. He clarified that the temporary shelters were built to maintain security and order in the area during past clashes and to serve as a means of self-defence to prevent incidents. The gatherings of Cambodian citizens, he added, were solely for the purpose of protecting their land, farms, and legal property.

H.E. Oum Reatrey stated that the people currently residing in these temporary shelters are those directly affected by the installation of barbed wire, black nets, barriers, and tires, which forced them to abandon their permanent homes and relocate to this site. He emphasized the complexity of border issues, which must be resolved through mutual respect for existing agreements and principles. He further reiterated that neither the Banteay Meanchey nor the Sa Kaeo provincial administrations have the authority to demarcate the border. According to the minutes of the Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting on Sept. 10, 2025, both sides agreed to maintain the status quo until the border demarcation work is completed.

H.E. Oum Reatrey reaffirmed Banteay Meanchey Provincial Administration’s firm commitment to uphold the agreements made between the two countries and to await the JBC’s outcome. He concluded by emphasizing that to ease tensions while awaiting the JBC’s resolution, both provincial administrations will continue to closely coordinate to peacefully manage the situation on the ground, including refraining from any activities that may escalate the dispute or heighten tensions.