Thailand warns Cambodia against raising border dispute at Francophonie Summit

BANGKOK – Thailand has expressed concern that Cambodia could use the upcoming Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh to present a one-sided account of the Thai-Cambodian border dispute, warning that such a move could undermine efforts to rebuild trust between the two countries.

Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said on Wednesday (11 November) that Thailand supported Cambodia’s hosting of the 20th Francophonie Summit, scheduled for 14–16 November, but was concerned that the bilateral dispute could be brought into the multilateral forum.

Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sihasak said Thailand, which participates in the Francophonie as an observer, supported the organisation’s objectives of promoting economic cooperation, cultural exchanges and international peace.

He stressed that Thailand had no objection to Cambodia hosting the summit or to the organisation itself.

However, he said Bangkok was concerned that Cambodia might use the meeting to present information favouring its own position while making what Thailand considered false accusations against the Thai side.

Sihasak also raised concerns about the summit’s proposed final document, saying Thailand had learned that several paragraphs referred to the Thai-Cambodian conflict, including Thailand’s positions and actions, in a manner that reflected only one side of the dispute.

He warned that such references would not help restore mutual trust or advance efforts to overcome tensions between the neighbouring countries.

The foreign minister said Thailand had sought to separate bilateral disputes from multilateral cooperation and had been working with Cambodia to prevent their disagreements from being brought onto international platforms.

He said both sides had previously agreed to make efforts to rebuild mutual trust, making the possible inclusion of the dispute in the summit’s final document particularly troubling.

Thailand has conveyed its concerns to the Francophonie Secretariat, while an assistant foreign minister invited representatives from 11 embassies to a briefing on the matter.

Sihasak said he also expected to discuss Thailand’s concerns with France’s newly appointed ambassador.

Thai army backs Foreign Ministry’s position

On Thursday (12 November), the Royal Thai Army expressed support for the Foreign Ministry’s position, calling on Cambodia to keep the Francophonie Summit focused on its stated objectives rather than bilateral disagreements.

Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree, the army spokesman, said the Thai-Cambodian border remained calm, with no major incidents reported, although military units continued to monitor the situation closely.

He said the army supported international cooperation and peace initiatives but expected Cambodia, as the summit’s host, to avoid presenting one-sided or inaccurate information concerning Thailand.

Winthai said that if such allegations were raised during the summit, Thailand would be prepared to respond with evidence.

He added that the international community could be expected to assess the information presented by both sides independently.

The army would closely monitor the summit and maintain coordination with the Foreign Ministry, he said.

Army also monitoring US-Cambodia military cooperation

Separately, Winthai addressed public concerns over expanding defence cooperation between Cambodia and the United States.

The two countries signed Terms of Reference (ToR) for military cooperation on 4 November, covering maritime security, special forces and joint military exercises.

Winthai acknowledged that the agreement could raise concerns among Thais following recent tensions along the Cambodian border.

However, he noted that the United States maintained similar military cooperation arrangements with several countries in the region.

He also emphasised Thailand’s longstanding defence relationship with Washington, including annual joint exercises such as Cobra Gold and Hanuman Guardian.

Military leaders from Thailand and the United States had continued to hold discussions throughout the year, he added.

The 20th Francophonie Summit is scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 14 to 16 November 2026, with Thailand participating as an observer.