The ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) conducted an inspection of the border at the occupied Banteay Meanchey village of Chouk Chey this morning, May 17.
The village, in O Chrouv district’s O Beichoan commune, has been occupied by the Thai military since the December 27 ceasefire.
Thai forces have laid razor wire barricades and placed shipping containers around the village, preventing numerous Cambodian families from returning to their homes.
This morning’s mission aimed to evaluate compliance with the measures outlined in the Joint Statement since the ceasefire came into effect, according to Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence.
“The AOT mission to this illegally occupied Cambodian sovereign territory underscores the absolute necessity for the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to commence border demarcation as soon as possible,” she said.
She added that action aligns strictly with existing frameworks, specifically the third point of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) dated December 27, 2025 “Immediate demarcation remains vital to ensuring that displaced civilians can return to their homes without obstruction, in safety and with dignity,” she said.The joint statement required both sides to begin border survey and demarcation immediately, through the existing Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).
Thailand has repeatedly delayed JBC work requests from Cambodia.
With the JBC stalled, Thailand appears to be attempting to shift attention from the border to maritime claims, by cancelling a 2001 MOU with Cambodia which aimed to resolve such claims.
Cambodia has since opted for a resolution through the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
AOT, ភូមិជប់គគីរ, កងទ័ពថៃ, ព្រំដែនកម្ពុជាថៃ, JBC, ការកាន់កាប់