By Micah Jonah, February 18, 2026
Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Manet, has accused Thailand of continuing to occupy parts of Cambodian territory despite multiple ceasefire agreements that ended months of deadly border clashes late last year.
Hun Manet made the allegation during an interview with Reuters on Tuesday while en route to Washington, DC, where he is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Board of Peace convened by United States President, Donald Trump.
According to the Cambodian leader, Thai forces remain stationed “deep into Cambodian territory in many areas,” beyond what he described as Thailand’s own unilateral territorial claims.
“This is not an accusation, but it’s a statement of the facts on the ground,” Hun Manet stated, in what marks his first major international media engagement since assuming office from his father in 2023.
Thai authorities are yet to officially respond to the latest claims. However, military officials in Bangkok have previously maintained that their operations were limited to reclaiming areas within Thai borders.
The Cambodian Prime Minister further alleged that Thai troops installed shipping containers and barbed wire in areas previously recognised as Cambodian territory, a situation he said has prevented about 80,000 displaced persons from returning to their homes.
The border tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours escalated last year, resulting in dozens of fatalities, mass displacement of residents and destruction of historic temple sites. The conflict also heightened nationalist sentiments on both sides.
Independent mapping reports and investigations by international media organisations indicate the presence of Thai-installed barriers in several Cambodian provinces, including Pursat and Banteay Meanchey.
Hun Manet called on Thailand to resume border demarcation talks under the Joint Boundary Commission framework, which had stalled ahead of Thailand’s national elections that produced a decisive victory for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Bhumjaithai Party.
He expressed optimism that with the elections concluded, technical-level discussions could resume, particularly in disputed “hot zones,” to enable displaced communities to return to normal life.
The United States previously brokered a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand in October 2025, but hostilities resumed shortly after. A subsequent agreement facilitated by China earlier this year appears to have stabilised the fragile peace.
Hun Manet also described Trump’s Board of Peace as a “valuable addition” to existing international peace mechanisms, expressing hope that it could contribute to de-escalation and long-term stability in the region.
On Cambodia’s international relations, the Prime Minister stated that ties with the United States and China are “not mutually exclusive,” insisting that the country continues to maintain cooperation with Washington, particularly in security matters.
Addressing criticisms over Cambodia’s human rights and press freedom record, Hun Manet argued that democracy should not be narrowly defined by political party activities alone, but also by progress in health, education and media freedom.
Cambodia ranked 161st out of 180 countries in the 2025 global press freedom index released by Reporters Without Borders.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged the existence of cyber-scamming operations, popularly referred to as “pig-butchering” schemes, within Cambodia, but denied any government endorsement of such activities, insisting that authorities are taking steps to address the issue.
The situation continues to draw international attention as regional and global powers monitor developments along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
