BANGKOK, Thailand – Cambodia has formally protested Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s recent visit to a border area in Ubon Ratchathani province, describing it as an unauthorised entry into Cambodian territory and a serious violation of its sovereignty. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the visit on August 23 was a deliberate attempt to assert a territorial claim over what it considers illegally occupied land.

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Anutin visited Thai troops stationed at Hill 500, near the An Mah Pass in Nam Yuen district, where he was briefed on the security situation and offered moral support. During the visit, he also met a soldier who lost his right ankle after stepping on an anti-personnel mine on August 17.

Cambodia maintains that the area has been unlawfully occupied by Thai armed forces since 2025, and that the visit cannot legitimise what it terms an illegal occupation. The ministry stated that no legal rights can be derived from the act, reiterating that it does not recognise Thailand’s unilaterally declared border line.

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul visited the Chong An Ma border area in Ubon Ratchathani province on August 23, 2026, to assess the situation, inspect field operations, and support personnel stationed along the border.

At Hill 500 in Nam Yuen… pic.twitter.com/RJ1f0oNN3q

— NBT WORLD (@NBTWORLDNews) August 23, 2026

In its statement, Cambodia cited a 1:200,000-scale map produced by the Indochina-Siam Boundary Demarcation Commission and a joint declaration adopted during a General Boundary Committee meeting on December 27, 2025. The declaration prohibits provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the border. The ministry argued that the prime minister’s visit was inconsistent with efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote stability.

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Cambodia called on Thailand to cease such actions in the area and in any other areas considered unlawfully occupied. It reiterated its commitment to resolving border disputes peacefully in accordance with international law and bilateral agreements, emphasising that the border must not be altered by force and that outstanding disputes should be addressed through established legal mechanisms.

-Thailand News (TN)