PHNOM PENH – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has accused Thailand of preventing more than 20 families from returning to their homes along the disputed border, intensifying tensions just months after deadly clashes between the two neighbours. In a letter dated September 17 to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Hun Manet alleged that Thai forces have “widened the conflict zone by erecting barbed wire and barricades,” forcibly evicting Cambodian civilians from long-settled lands in Banteay Meanchey province since August.
“Twenty-five families have already been blocked from their homes and fields,” Hun Manet wrote, warning that a Thai military spokesperson threatened further evictions that could displace hundreds of households, affecting around a thousand inhabitants. The accusations come after Thai forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at several hundred Cambodian protesters on September 17 during a stand-off in one of the disputed border villages, reportedly injuring nearly 30 people including a soldier and a Buddhist monk.
Thailand’s military spokesperson Winthai Suvaree denied the claims, asserting that the Cambodian residents had “deliberately and illegally occupied Thai territory for an extended period.” He accused Cambodian villagers of showing hostile intent by wielding long wooden sticks at Thai officials and attempting to breach Thai barriers, corroborated by video footage of clashes involving tear gas and projectiles.
The ongoing dispute follows a deadly five-day conflict in late July 2025, which killed at least 43 people on both sides and displaced approximately 300,000 civilians. Despite a truce brokered in late July, both nations have continued to accuse each other of ceasefire violations. Hun Manet urged the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), led by Malaysia this year, to press Thailand to halt further use of force and to stop planned forced evictions.
The border conflict centers around longstanding territorial disputes over historical temples and lands stretching along the 800km frontier, rooted in colonial-era boundary ambiguities. The recent flare-ups have raised fears of a broader escalation with significant humanitarian implications for border communities.