Thai PM Paetongtarn visits tense border area with Cambodia offering support, but locals still fear conflict

CNA

11-06-2025

CHONG CHOM, Surin: Amid simmering tensions at the Thailand-Cambodia border, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Wednesday (June 11) visited the area to chair a security meeting in a high-profile show of moral support to local officials.
She is believed to be the first leader from both sides to visit the disputed area after the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish with the Thai army on May 28 heightened fears of an escalation in armed conflict as the two neighbours beefed up military forces in the area.
Accompanied by ministers and military personnel, Paetongtarn received a short briefing at the Chong Chom border crossing from ground forces before inspecting the border area. She then spent several minutes interacting with a group of locals and posing for photos with them before leaving without speaking to the media.
Despite her visit, fears of a possible conflict continued to linger among Thai locals when CNA visited the area and saw how the community was conducting evacuation drills and building bomb shelters.
Border operations have recently been severely reduced after Thai security authorities ordered officials to cut operating hours last week from 8am-3pm, a sharp drop from the previous 6am to 10pm.
Paetongtan's one-day trip to the Kap Choeng district in northeastern Surin province, which included stops at a hospital and chairing of a border security meeting, came just a day after it was reported that she had held direct talks with her Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet and his father, former premier Hun Sen.
'I personally spoke with the Cambodian prime minister, General Hun Manet, and Samdech Hun Sen, the president of the Privy Council and the Senate, to coordinate and negotiate to uphold national sovereignty and prioritise the interests of the people,' Paetongtarn told the media after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, as quoted by Thai local news outlet Khaosod.
For days, the two governments have exchanged statements, expressing commitment to finding a peaceful resolution.
'The result was that we managed to negotiate peacefully and avoid violent clashes,' Paetongtarn was quoted as saying by Khaosod.
During her trip on Wednesday, Paetongtarn, who is the youngest daughter of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was accompanied by Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who are both also deputy prime ministers.
On May 28, a Cambodian soldier was killed during an exchange of gunfire with the Thai army at the undemarcated border area which prompted both countries to reinforce their military presence and caused a flare-up in border tensions between the two countries.
'I DON'T WANT WAR'
When CNA visited the border area this week, checkpoints remained in place and military vehicles were common travelling on the roads around the area close to Chong Bok, where the deadly skirmish occurred on May 28.
Locals in the Thai district of Nam Yuen in Ubon Ratchathani province told CNA that they are scared about the ongoing tensions.
'I'm still afraid of bullets and bombs falling in this area,' said Yupin Pansena, a 54-year-old farmer.
'I don't want war. I want the government to negotiate and find a peaceful resolution. I want peace.'
Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the Second Army Region covering Thailand's northeastern provinces, told CNA that the border situation has 'improved', but upcoming talks scheduled by the Thailand–Cambodia Joint Boundary Committee on Jun 14 would be a crucial step to ensuring lasting security.
'We are concerned that no resolution may be reached at the upcoming (JBC) meeting next Saturday. However, we remain hopeful that the situation will improve,' he said.
'We will continue negotiations until a resolution is achieved. Resorting to force will be a last resort. We do not want any bloodshed on either side - neither Thais nor Cambodians.'
Paetongtarn confirmed on Tuesday that the Joint Border Committee (JBC) meeting scheduled for Saturday will proceed as planned, Bangkok Post reported.
During CNA's visit to the area, local residents and schools were seen building bomb shelters and trenches in the areas close to the border with Cambodia.
Evacuation drills were also being held for students in Nam Yuen.
'I'm worried. We have children and the community to take care of,' said Weerapong Pongloh, the director of Ban Non Yang School.
'Our community has been very tense over the past two weeks. If it escalates, we may have to evacuate students to a safer place,' he said.
On Tuesday, the Thai prime minister also said that security agencies and the military in the contested area had coordinated bilateral cooperation under international law and mutual frameworks, emphasising that there would be 'no war'.
'I am confident there will be no war. I assure you, there will be no war," she said, as quoted by Cambodia news outlet Phnom Penh Post.
On Tuesday, Cambodia's Minister of Interior issued a statement, calling for vigilance and comprehensive preparations to address the escalating tensions and safeguard the country's sovereignty.
'This incident has brought to light the increasing unpredictability of the situation along the border, with the potential for further escalation into an armed confrontation,' read the statement, as quoted by Phnom Penh Post.
Speaking about the direct talks with her Cambodian counterpart, Paetongtarn added that Hun Sen had played an active role by coordinating the deployment of senior Cambodian military officials including a former deputy prime minister to engage in joint efforts to resolve tensions, Bangkok Post reported.
According to Paetongtarn, these senior officials had visited the contested area in person to assess the situation and reported directly to former premier Hun Sen.
Thailand operates 17 official border crossings with Cambodia, spanning seven provinces along their shared 817km frontier, Thai government data shows.
Both countries have for more than a century contested sovereignty at undemarcated points along their shared border, which was mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.
Earlier this week, Hun Manet, Cambodia's prime minister, announced the creation of a high-level committee to bring the long-lasting border disputes to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), local media Khmer Times reported.
According to Khmer Times, the committee will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn and will act as the official representative for Cambodia at the ICJ, from the stage of submission until the conclusion of court procedures.
The decision to bring the border dispute, surrounding the Ta Muen Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple, Ta Krabei Temple, and the Mom Bei area to the ICJ was raised by Hun Manet during the Senate-National Assembly Joint Congress early this month, with the Foreign Ministry conveying the decision to the Thai officials on Jun 6.
The Thai government has earlier said it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction and proposed that all boundary-related issues be resolved through bilateral negotiations.