Overview

• Cambodia formally submitted a letter to the International Court of Justice on June 15 requesting adjudication of disputes across four contested areas including the Emerald Triangle and three ancient temples.
• The move follows a deadly exchange on May 28 that left one Cambodian soldier dead as troops clashed along the undemarcated 820-kilometre frontier.
• Bangkok has not recognised the court’s authority and has maintained its preference for bilateral talks despite weekend meetings in Phnom Penh that yielded “mutual understanding.”
• Both militaries remain deployed on the border, with Thailand reducing crossing hours and Phnom Penh banning Thai dramas while halting imports of power, internet bandwidth and produce.
• The dispute dates back to early 20th-century colonial boundary drawings and echoes previous ICJ rulings in Cambodia’s favour on the Preah Vihear temple.