AKP Phnom Penh, February 19, 2025 --

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has sent a strong message to the so-called nationalist opposition politicians who had tried to assimilate politics into Cambodia-Thailand border issue.

Addressing the graduation ceremony for some 2,550 students of Asia Euro University at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh this morning, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said everyone is nationalist, not only the self-exiled opposition group, and the border issue is not an easy matter that can be solved in a day.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet reaffirmed the Royal Government of Cambodia’s commitment and efforts in border affairs, especially with Thailand since 1998, while some parts of the common border have been demarcated and others are under negotiation.

“I would like to take this opportunity to send a message to all politicians in Cambodia and Thailand, please do not bring politics into technical matters because politicians do not know geography well like the (border) experts. Let them continue their work based on international laws, recognised maps, and technology,” he said.

Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister also called on the opposition politicians, both Cambodian and Thai, not to use the border issue to promote their political gains.

“Cambodia wants to solve it [border issue] peacefully, but Cambodia also reserves the right to defend herself by all means, including the use of armed forces if any country uses its armed forces to invade Cambodia,” he underlined.

The Cambodian Premier recalled the 2008-2011 border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand because some extreme nationalists brought politics into the disputes. 

“Bringing countries into fights, resulting in deaths; making their peoples hate each other are not an act of neither patriotism nor nationalism,” he stressed.

The border issues are not an easy matter, those between big countries such as Japan-Russia, China-India, Thailand -Malaysia, … have not finished yet.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also reacted to self-exiled politicians who always pretend to be patriots. “Let me ask where you were when we faced border dispute with Thailand between 2008 and 2011 ... and during our fight against the COVID-19 spread,” said Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet.

By Heng Panha