The UN body maintaining international peace and security supports the role of ASEAN to advance consultations in accordance with the ASEAN Charter, said Thai FM Maris Sangiampongsa
Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa has updated the outcomes of a closed meeting held by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last night, at around 2 am, after returning from his participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), also held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from July 14-23.
He said during the press conference upon his arrival that he had already received the report from Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York, Cherdchai Chaivaivid, who presented Thailand in the meeting on behalf of the country, that the meeting was attended by UNSC Members, Thailand and Cambodia, and all countries presented delivered statements.
The meeting, which was a consultation session that did not require the adoption of any resolutions, followed Cambodia’s submission of a letter to the UNSC on July 24, shortly after the morning clashes between Thai troops and Cambodian forces along the border areas in the far Northeast.
According to Cambodia’s PM Hun Manet, Cambodia requested the body to impose an intervention and hold an urgent meeting to stop “Thailand’s aggression against Cambodia’s sovereignty”. Its main accusation centred around the points that Thailand launched “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks” on Cambodian positions along the border areas, including Tamone Thom Temple, Ta Krabey Temple and Mom Bei, in the provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey.
No explanations have yet been made by the Cambodian PM or Cambodia since; whether Cambodian soldiers had approached the temple first and started opening fire at the Thai soldiers.
The minister said the Ambassador had delivered Thailand’s position, stressing the point that Cambodia initiated the attacks, and continuously attacked non-military targets, resulting in large numbers of Thai fatalities and injuries, the acts that constitute a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian principles.
The Ambassador had also called on the Permanent Representative of Pakistan, as the President for July 2025, to hand over a letter presenting the evidence and facts of the use of force initiated by Cambodia, and the relevant violations of international obligations, and requested that the letter be officially circulated to all members of the UNSC for their information.
The minister further said the UNSC member countries did not express concern on any particular issue in their statements, but rather highlighted broad principles.
They called on Cambodia and Thailand to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, cease armed attacks, and resolve the issue peacefully, including through diplomacy and bilateral negotiations on the basis of good neighbourliness. Secondly, they support the role of ASEAN to advance consultations in accordance with the ASEAN Charter.
And last but not least, they underline that the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border does not constitute a threat to international peace and security, the minister noted. The issue was first placed as the agenda for the meeting.
Two days before the meeting, on July 24, the UN’s top official, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, also addressed the issue through his statement delivered by Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq, urging both sides to “exercise maximum restraint and address any issues through dialogue and in a spirit of good neighbourliness, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the dispute”, according to Security Council Report.
Similar messages have been conveyed by other representatives — such as China, the UK, the US, and the European Union (EU), the organisation said.
Malaysia, which is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has engaged with Cambodia and Thailand with the aim of de-escalating tensions. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has presented a ceasefire proposal to the sides, which has reportedly been accepted by Cambodia. Thailand, which continues to express a preference for direct bilateral talks without third-party mediation, initially agreed to the proposal in principle but then changed its position, the organisation noted.
With regard to the involvement of the ASEAN Chair, the foreign affairs minister said he thanked Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for this role and proposals towards a ceasefire, which Thailand strongly agrees with in principle, but Cambodia must first cease the hostilities and show sincerity.
Thailand attaches importance to the ASEAN Chair, and stands ready to engage constructively with Malaysia towards a conclusion on this matter, he said.
At present, Thailand still adheres to bilateral mechanisms it has long been consistent with, including the Joint Border Commission. Cambodia, however, has bypassed the JBC for the border dispute over four critically disputed locations, including the prime Ta Muen Thom temple. It has instead submitted the case to the International Court of Justice almost simultaneously when the JBC was convened in Phnom Penh during June 14-15, while taking several attempts to reach the UN, including the UNSC.
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