Afternoon Press Briefing:
Keynote Address by H.E. LTG. Maly Socheata, the Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson:
4:30PM, January 2, 2026
Greetings to the public and members of the press. This afternoon I would like to provide an update regarding the situation along the Cambodian-Thailand border following the ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, which took effect at 12pm (local time) on December 27, 2025. The situation in the 4th and 5th military regions remains calm, with no reports of armed conflicts or exchange of fire as of 4pm this afternoon.
Meanwhile, our armed forces stand strong and are performing their duty with full vigilance in defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. I would like to reaffirm that Cambodia continues to firmly uphold respect and implement the ceasefire. The joint declaration on the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand dated October 26, 2025, and the joint statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) between Cambodia and Thailand dated December 27, 2025, as well as other related documents.
The Ministry of National Defense has also been monitoring Thailand’s respect and implementation of the ceasefire and all the above agreements. I would also like to state that it is a shared responsibility that both parties need to respect and implement the ceasefire and all the above agreements strictly, in good faith, with sincerity. These sincerities must be demonstrated through concrete actions, not merely words. Therefore, if any action is taken in contradiction to the spirit of the above agreements, that action must be stopped immediately to ensure the strengthening and sustainability of the ceasefire.
As a highly responsible party, Cambodia will continue to work with Thailand, as well as other relevant partners, to peacefully settle in accordance with international laws, aiming to achieve a solution that is fair, impartial, and long-lasting. Cambodia firmly opposes the use of threats or force in any form and for any reason. The step forward Cambodia emphasizes the need to promote confidence-building measures to create a conducive environment to strengthen peace, stability, and safety, as well as for the eventual return to normalcy of relations in the future.
In this sense, Cambodia will continue to strengthen the role of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) in monitoring, verifying, and ensuring the effective implementation of the ceasefire as well as other agreed-upon measures and welcome friendly countries that wish to further contribute to this effort.
The Ministry of National Defense calls on the public, members of the press, and all citizens to follow the updated information from a certified, accurate, and reliable source, especially from the Royal Government of Cambodia’s official page of the National Leaders’ Relevant Ministries and Agencies.
For further updates regarding the situation along the Cambodia-Thailand border, please visit the official media channels of the Ministry of National Defense of Cambodia.
