The Thailand-Cambodia border dispute

[Gaybutton]

Cambodia breaks promise on border issues: Thai foreign ministry

July 6, 2025

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday blamed Cambodia for breaking its own promise to resolve border issues through a bilateral boundary committee.

The ministry's statement on Sunday followed a reported attempt by Cambodia to bring disputed areas to the United Nations after its approach to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a memorandum of understanding that both countries signed in 2000 clearly stipulates that both sides must discuss border issues through their Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

The MoU does not let them use any other mechanisms – including the ICJ – and Thailand has always followed the MOU strictly as compliance was in accordance with the principles of international laws and treaties, the ministry said.

“Therefore, it is not Thailand that is in violation of the obligations made to one another under international law by using mechanisms outside of what was previously agreed upon,” the ministry said.

Thailand had successfully used the JBC and equivalents to resolve border issues with other neighbouring countries, the ministry said. Its land border negotiations with Laos and Malaysia were 90% completed through their JBC.

“Such mechanisms can be used effectively to produce results if there is a true intention and sincerity in implementing them, without having to rely on external mechanisms such as the ICJ," the Thai ministry said. "In addition to Thailand, this bilateral negotiation method is the same method that, in fact, other neighboring countries of Cambodia use to resolve border issues with Cambodia.”

Therefore, the Thai government called on Cambodia to use the JBC to resolve all border issues including those concerning four contested areas that Cambodia refused to discuss in the JBC meeting, the ministry said.

Cambodia’s refusal to discuss the four areas in the JBC “is considered a violation of the agreement under the MOU of 2000, which clearly states that all border surveys and demarcations must be carried out jointly under the JBC mechanism, without referring the border issue to other mechanisms that have not been agreed upon,” the ministry said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that Thailand had waited and called for Cambodia’s turn to host a JBC meeting for 12 years before the meeting happened on June 14 and 15.

“Thailand would like to categorically deny the false accusation that Thailand caused the JBC process to stall. In fact, Thailand has never withdrawn from the process and has always called for it to convene and proceed," the Thai foreign ministry said.

"Therefore, Thailand would like to urge Cambodia to respect the mutual obligation to negotiate peacefully before resorting to other mechanisms beyond the agreed-upon methods in order to resolve the Thai-Cambodian border issue sustainably and to prevent such tensions from recurring in the future and impacting relations between the countries and the people on both sides, especially the people living along the border areas on both sides,”

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... n-ministry

[Montree]

I was very interested in Nom’s reaction to the dispute. He’s rarely shown any interest in politics with his mother being more vocal about such things as she’s a great supporter of Thaksin and even has his photo on her wall. When I told Nom about the raids on Boyztown and the exodus of Cambodian boys he said “Cambodia no good”. We’ve visited Cambodia together twice and even then some years ago he was suspicious of the locals who, he said, if they discovered he was Thai “might throw bombs at him”.

Now he got very animated with his thoughts and gestures outpacing his ability to phrase them in English. I was really surprised at how angry he got and if he’s typical of Thais in general then it doesn’t bode well for some sort of compromise.

[Gaybutton]

[Dodger]

When I told Nom about the raids on Boyztown and the exodus of Cambodian boys he said “Cambodia no good”.

Interesting...because this is exactly the same type of response I get from Jai whenever the topic of "Cambodia" comes up.

There's definitely some deep-seated resentments (jealousies?) which is hard to understand seeing as they are both primarily Buddhist countries with similar cultural lineages.

Lots of animosity...don't really know why.

[Gaybutton]

don't really know why.

Maybe this explains it:

[Jun]

Is the number of Cambodian boys in Pattaya actually thinning out now ?

I know some had expressed concern that it would not be economic now they only get stamped in for 6 nights.

[Montree]

Is the number of Cambodian boys in Pattaya actually thinning out now ?

I know some had expressed concern that it would not be economic now they only get stamped in for 6 nights.

I know of two who have gone home and both said they wouldn't be back. I don't know if that will alter if the original visa arrangement is restored at some point. One said he would try and get a job in one of the Cambodian Casinos but from what I've read they are suffering from the border closure.

[Dodger]

It makes sense that the number of Cambodian boys working the scene will continue to thin-out until this border dispute is resolved...which could stretch into the next epoch.

The Laotian boys are about to become very popular...

[Jun]

I know of two who have gone home and both said they wouldn't be back. I don't know if that will alter if the original visa arrangement is restored at some point. One said he would try and get a job in one of the Cambodian Casinos but from what I've read they are suffering from the border closure.

As I understand it, Cambodians aren't allowed into their casinos. So the ones in places like Poipet will really suffer. He might need a better plan.

The Cambodian I talk to the most is in Pattaya illegally, so nothing really changes for him.
One of his friends had a passport stamp expiring near the end of June & he came back to Pattaya at least once.

One of my occasional lads made at least one visit to Pattaya after the limit was cut to 6 days.
Another said he was going to stay in Cambodia when his stamp expired.

The obvious short term move is to offer services elsewhere. It takes longer to find a nice available Cambodian boy in Cambodia than Pattaya.
Also, there's not a great deal of choice in Vietnam. If they can get into Singapore, the tips would be lucrative.

[Montree]

As I understand it, Cambodians aren't allowed into their casinos. So the ones in places like Poipet will really suffer. He might need a better plan.

He told me he'd already worked in a Casino in Cambodia.