Amb. Pou Sothirak, Distinguished Senior Advisor to CCRS recently gave an interview to Cambodianess regarding the ongoing situations related to Cambodia-Thailand MOU2000:
Ambassador Pou Sothirak, distinguished senior advisor at the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies (CCRS), said the move aligns with what he described as a long or medium-term objective of the Thai military: to assert control over “grey zone” border areas and Khmer temples using unilaterally drawn maps.
“The majority of Thai senators favor the military’s strong-hand approach in dealing with border disputes with Cambodia,” Sothirak said. “Once the civilian government sets aside the 2000 MOU, Thailand will no longer be bound by maps recognized by Cambodia.”…
Sothirak said Cambodia must treat the situation seriously and explore all available diplomatic and legal avenues to safeguard its territorial integrity.
“These efforts aim to minimize risks of losing land, maritime zones, or cultural heritage sites that legally belong to Cambodia,” he said.
He noted that the 1904 and 1907 Franco-Siamese treaties carry greater legal weight than the 2000 MOU, providing a basis for potential ICJ adjudication.
However, he cautioned that pursuing a case at the ICJ would require Cambodia to internationalize the dispute and demonstrate evidence of territorial encroachment.
“This route is arduous, costly and time-consuming,”