Thai soldiers stand next to barbed wire cordoning off an area at Thma Da on February 7, 2026. (AKP/AFP)
On March 27, a Thai marine commander has accused Cambodian forces of repeatedly provoking Thai troops along the frontier in Trat province, saying gunfire heard over the past week could amount to breaches of the December ceasefire and warning that Thailand would respond if the incidents continue.
Thammanoon Wanna, commander of the Trat Marine Task Force, made the remarks during an inspection of military positions at Ban Tha Sen–Thmor Da and Ban Nong Ri, also known as Ban Sam Lang or “Three Houses”. He believed the recent disturbances may be linked to reports of a change in the Cambodian unit commander stationed in the area. He also noted that the Thmor Da casino building, previously described by Thai authorities as encroaching on Thai territory is now under Thai control and will remain intact unless new orders are issued by higher command. He added that Thai forces have established defensive positions and installed barbed wire near Ban Sam Lang, about 900 metres from Cambodian troops.
The commander said MOU 43 remains a working mechanism for border demarcation but added he would not oppose its removal if another framework were introduced to replace it. Thai officials describe the 2000 memorandum as an agreement governing land boundary surveys and demarcation under the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), which oversees joint mapping and mine-clearance operations. The agreement also bars either side from altering the frontier in ways that could obstruct the demarcation process.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed sovereignty at several undemarcated points along their 817 kilometres land border for more than a century. Major clashes in July and December 2025 left at least 101 people dead and displaced more than half a million people on both sides.
About The Author
