Cambodia asks UN Security Council for immediate intervention against Thai attacks

New York/Phnom Penh, December 10, 2025 – Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Keo Chhea has submitted an urgent complaint to the UN Security Council calling for immediate action against Thailand’s ongoing armed attacks on Cambodian territory.

Thailand’s attacks since December 7

The unprovoked, unjustified and unlawful aggression by Thai armed forces began on December 7, 2025 and continues unabated.

7. December 2025:

• 14:15 to 14:32: Thai forces open fire on Cambodian positions with heavy weapons
• 20:02 to 20:50: Numerous mortar shells are fired at several Cambodian locations

8. December 2025:

• From 05:04: Thailand massively escalates its attack, using mortars, tanks, heavy artillery, drones, fighter jets and toxic smoke against Cambodian positions in several areas along the border in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces.

The use of warplanes is brutal and indiscriminate, with complete disregard for civilian lives and total disrespect for the norms of international humanitarian law.

Expansion into civilian areas: The Thai armed forces have now extended their attacks to non-combatant civilian areas in Banteay Meanchey province – in violation of the agreements and terms of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement to settle disputes by peaceful means and to refrain from the threat or use of force. Two other Cambodian provinces without hostilities, including Battambang, are also affected.

Devastating consequences

The attacks have had devastating consequences:

• Numerous deaths and injuries, including innocent civilians
• Extensive destruction of residential buildings
• Destroyed public infrastructure
• Damage to protected national cultural monuments, including the temple of Preah Vihear

Thailand’s deliberate and indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law, in particular the obligation to distinguish at all times between civilian and military targets and the prohibition of attacks on civilians.

Cambodia’s restraint despite serious provocations

Despite these serious provocations and ongoing attacks, which have placed Cambodia in an increasingly precarious and dangerous situation, the country remains committed to its obligations under the UN Charter:

• Cambodia remains fully committed to its obligations under Article 2(3) on the peaceful settlement of disputes and Article 2(4) on the prohibition of the use of force
• Cambodia will not be forced to consider means other than diplomacy and dialog to defend its people and maintain its territorial integrity
• The Cambodian armed forces have exercised maximum restraint and refrained from retaliation for 24 hours

However, Cambodia reserves its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Violation of peace agreements

Thailand’s actions constitute a continuous violation of existing agreements:

• Ceasefire Agreement of July 28, 2025: Thailand completely ignores it
• Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement of October 26, 2025: Thailand has unilaterally suspended it and is undermining it through cross-border military operations

Thailand is conducting its offensive based on unilaterally drawn maps that contradict the mutually agreed 1:200,000 scale maps. These agreed maps are the result of the border demarcation work of the Indochina-Siam Delimitation Commission established by the 1904 Agreement and the 1907 Treaty between France and Siam. These boundaries were recognized by the International Court of Justice and reaffirmed by Cambodia and Thailand in the Agreement on Survey and Demarcation of 14 June 2000, which was published in the UN Treaty Collection.

Five demands to the UN Security Council

In view of the gravity of the situation, Cambodia calls on the UN Security Council:

1. To unequivocally condemn Thailand’s unprovoked armed aggression against Cambodia as a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law
2. Demand the immediate cessation of all attacks by Thai forces, including artillery shelling and fighter aircraft operations, that violate Cambodia’s sovereignty and territory
3. To demand that Thai armed forces immediately cease their illegal armed aggression against Cambodia, end all attempts to violate or attack Cambodia’s sovereignty and territory through unilaterally drawn maps, and fully respect internationally recognized borders and legally binding agreements
4. Demand that Thailand cease all violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on civilian areas and civilian targets, and fully abide by the principles of humanity, distinction and proportionality, and fully respect Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
5. Send an independent UN fact-finding mission to establish the facts on the ground, investigate Thailand’s violations of international law and determine its responsibility for civilian casualties and material destruction

“We cannot endure this aggression indefinitely”

Ambassador Keo Chhea reiterated in his urgent appeal to the UN Security Council: “Cambodia remains firmly committed to peaceful dialog, diplomacy and respect for international law… to the full implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement and the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement.”

However, his warning was clear: “Cambodia cannot – and should not – expect to endure this unrelenting and unlawful aggression indefinitely.”