Bangkok, June 5, 2025— Amid recent flare-ups at the Thai-Cambodian border, the Royal Thai Government has issued a formal press statement reiterating that Thailand does not recognize the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a position it has maintained since 1960. The statement follows a border clash that occurred on May 28, 2025, in the Chong Bok area, which heightened concerns in both countries and drew public attention to the possibility of international legal involvement. Cambodia has since expressed an intention to involve the ICJ in resolving the issue—an approach Thailand firmly opposes.

“Thailand has not recognized compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ since 1960,” the government declared in its official statement. “Thailand and Cambodia already have existing bilateral mechanisms to address these issues, which has been the agreement from the beginning.”

According to the release, both sides have already activated existing conflict resolution frameworks. Discussions between army commanders from the two countries took place on May 29, 2025, resulting in an agreement to utilize bilateral platforms, namely: The Joint Border Commission (JBC) The Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) The Regional Border Committee (RBC)

The Thai government emphasized the importance of de-escalation and maintaining diplomatic focus: “The most important issue at hand is that both sides must focus solely on addressing and resolving the said incident, and avoid expanding it further as it will add unnecessary complexity,” the statement read. Thailand underscored its preference for practical bilateral cooperation over international arbitration and highlighted successful past collaborations through these mechanisms. Specific examples cited include the construction of the Thailand-Cambodia Friendship Bridge (Ban Nong Ian–Stung Bot) and a new border bridge at Ban Pak Kard in Chanthaburi Province.

“Thailand stands ready to resume the JBC process on 14 June 2025 and hopes Cambodia will demonstrate a corresponding willingness to engage in a manner that reflects our shared commitment to peace, stability and mutual respect,” the statement concluded. As regional attention intensifies, the diplomatic tone of Thailand’s statement signals a desire to contain the issue within the framework of neighborly dialogue, despite rising nationalistic rhetoric on both sides of the border.

Credit: Royal Thai Government Press Release (5 June 2025) Photo by: Government Spokesperson Bureau, Thailand