Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts recently issued another stern statement, lodges a strong protest with Thailand regarding the illegal occupation of Wat Phra That Doi Ta Moon, Wat Tha Phae, Wat Khun Nam, and surrounding cultural relics within Cambodian territory by Thai armed forces, reiterating its firm stance on safeguarding national territorial integrity and the security of human cultural heritage.
The statement points out that Thailand has long maintained an armed force presence in the aforementioned disputed areas and has illegally carried out infrastructure construction activities such as road paving and statue erection. These actions deliberately create a "fait accompli," attempting to annex Cambodian territory in disguise, and constitute a serious infringement on Cambodia's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. More concerning is that Thailand has also organized public visits and various social activities in the disputed areas, further exposing its true intention to illegally control the region through force, seriously undermining regional peace and stability. The statement explicitly cited multiple international legal documents and bilateral agreements, emphasizing that Thailand's unilateral actions constituted multiple breaches of contract: First, it violated the core provisions of the 1907 Treaty of France and Siam regarding the demarcation of the Cambodian-Thailand border; second, it contravened the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Cambodian-Thailand border issue and the related agreements on the scope of terms reached in 2003; third, it violated the fundamental principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs enshrined in the UN Charter; and fourth, it violated the international obligation to protect the common cultural heritage of humanity under the 1954 Hague Convention (Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict). The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts stressed in the statement that Thailand's actions were not only a blatant disregard for bilateral diplomatic consensus but also a serious provocation against the spirit of international rule of law and the inheritance of human civilization. In response to Thailand's infringement, Cambodia made three clear demands in its statement: First, the Thai government must immediately cease all illegal actions and unconditionally withdraw all armed forces, personnel, and military equipment stationed in the disputed area; second, it must immediately terminate all unilateral construction projects that alter the status quo in the disputed area and genuinely respect Cambodia's national sovereignty and territorial integrity; third, it must face up to historical facts and international legal agreements, participate responsibly in existing bilateral mechanisms, including the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Committee (JBC), and properly resolve the border dispute through peaceful negotiations within the legal framework.
The statement also called on UNESCO and relevant international organizations to pay close attention to this matter, fully fulfill their statutory responsibilities to protect world cultural heritage, and monitor and intervene in Thailand's infringement on humanity's shared cultural heritage. Cambodia reiterated that as a responsible sovereign state, it has always adhered to resolving international disputes through peaceful diplomatic means, and this statement aims to defend its core national interests and the treasures of human civilization. Cambodia urges Thailand to immediately take corrective measures, cease all provocative actions, take concrete actions to maintain regional peace and stability, respect the authority of international law, and ensure that precious world cultural heritage sites such as the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep are protected from damage by political and military conflicts.
