Cambodia asks World Court to settle border disputes with Thailand

FILE PHOTO: A general view of a building of United Nations' top court International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, December 2 2024. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo
BANGKOK (Reuters) -Cambodia said on Sunday it has asked the International Court of Justice to resolve its border disputes with Thailand, after a flare-up in the long-running row led the Southeast Asian neighbours to mobilise troops on both sides of the border.
A Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief skirmish on May 28 in a confrontation over the 820-km (510-mile) frontier, parts of which are undemarcated and claimed by both nations.
"Cambodia chooses a peaceful resolution based on international law through the ICJ mechanism for solving the border dispute," Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on his Facebook page.
The post shows a picture of Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn holding an envelope that Hun Manet said contained a formal letter to the ICJ in The Hague, often called the World Court.
The Thai Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Cambodia's move. Bangkok has previously said it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers to settle the disputes through bilateral mechanisms.
Officials from both countries were meeting in Phnom Penh through the weekend in an attempt to ease tensions amid fears of more military clashes.
Hun Manet said the disputes at the four border areas, including the one where the fatal clash took place, are "complicated and have high risks of armed clashes and where bilateral mechanisms cannot solve".
He did not disclose the contents of the letter, which were not visible in the picture.
Cambodia has twice successfully sought ICJ resolutions, in 1962 on the ownership of the disputed Preah Vihear temple and in 2013, after it sought clarification of jurisdiction of the land around the temple.
Although both governments have pledged to handle the issue through dialogue and to calm nationalist fervour, Bangkok has threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to its neighbour.
Phnom Penh announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce. It has also ordered local television stations not to screen Thai films.
(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by William Mallard)

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Sun

21 minutes ago

• The Sun

North Korea condemns US strikes on Iran

SEOUL: North Korea condemned on Monday US strikes on Iran, calling it a violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the 'reckless valor of Israel'. It marks nuclear-armed North Korea's first commentary on the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. 'The Democratic People's Republic of Korea strongly denounces the attack on Iran by the US which severely violated the UN Charter with respect for sovereignty,' said a spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry, according to a statement carried by the state news agency. The ongoing regional tension was an 'inevitable product brought by the reckless valor of Israel', the unnamed spokesperson added, claiming the Jewish state 'has promoted its unilateral interests through ceaseless war moves and territorial expansion'. Washington said Sunday its strikes 'devastated' Iran's nuclear programme, but has insisted it is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic. 'Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!' US President Donald Trump wrote on social media, without sharing the images he was referencing. North Korea is believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads and various delivery systems as it faces off against South Korea and its key ally, the United States, which maintains around 30,000 troops on the peninsula. The two Koreas remain technically at war, with the 1950-53 Korean War ending in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Malay Mail

an hour ago

• Malay Mail

Cambodia halts fuel imports from Thailand amid border row

PHNOM PENH, June 23 — Cambodia's prime minister said Sunday the country would halt all fuel imports from neighbour Thailand, as tensions escalate over an ongoing border dispute. The nations have been at loggerheads since a Cambodian soldier was killed last month as troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet. 'Starting from midnight tonight, all fuel and gas imports from Thailand will be halted,' Cambodian leader Hun Manet wrote on social media. He said energy companies would be able to 'import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands' in the country. Thailand has placed restrictions on several border checkpoints citing 'national security', and on Sunday Cambodia closed two crossings in retaliation. In statements issued on Sunday, Cambodia's foreign ministry urged citizens not to travel to Thailand unnecessarily, while Thailand's consular affairs department warned Thais in Cambodia to avoid 'protest areas'. The border spat has triggered political turmoil in Thailand after a phone call between leaders was leaked, prompting domestic criticism of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's conduct. The ruling Thai party's biggest coalition partner withdrew earlier this week as calls grew louder for her to step down and she was forced to apologise over her phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Thailand was Cambodia's third-biggest trading partner in 2022, according to the World Bank, with imports reaching US$3.8 billion (RM16.3 billion), of which fuels accounted for 27 per cent. Earlier on Sunday, Cambodia's defence ministry accused the Thai army of violating an agreement by escorting some 150 cyclists to visit a disputed temple near the border. The Thai army denied any violation, saying there had been a 'misunderstanding'. — AFP

Malaysian Reserve

an hour ago

• Malaysian Reserve

Lee, Anwar discuss FTA, expanding South Korea-Malaysia cooperation

SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) agreed Monday to work together to expand bilateral cooperation in a 'mutually beneficial and substantive' manner, including efforts to conclude a free trade pact, the presidential office said. According to Yonhap news agency both leaders reached the understanding during their first phone talks earlier in the day, expressing hopes to further advance the strategic partnership between South Korea and the Southeast Asian nation, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters. 'The two leaders agreed to work together to further expand mutually beneficial and substantive cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, infrastructure, digital transformation, green growth and defence, especially with the expected conclusion of the South Korea-Malaysia free trade agreement this year,' Kang said. 'The president also emphasised his commitment to bolstering the bilateral friendship and cooperation based on decades of mutual trust and goodwill,' she said. The two countries mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. They also shared the view that the two countries can make meaningful contributions to strengthening cooperation in the international community, as South Korea and Malaysia are due to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) -related meetings later this year, respectively. During the phone talks, Anwar congratulated Lee on his inauguration and Lee expressed his gratitude in return, Kang added. — BERNAMA-YONHAP