Phnom Penh asserts that international law enforcement cooperation must respect national borders and warns against the legitimization of unauthorized military presence.
Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 07:22 AM GMT+7
PHNOM PENH —The Royal Government of Cambodia has issued a firm diplomatic clarification regarding the situation at the O’Smach border, emphasizing that the fight against transnational cybercrime must not be utilized as a justification for violating national sovereignty. While Cambodia remains committed to investigating and suppressing online scams, officials maintain that a ‘red line’ exists where law enforcement actions cannot bypass the territorial integrity of a sovereign state.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously lodged a formal protest on February 2, 2026, following the unauthorized entry of foreign military attaches and law enforcement officials into the O’Smach area. The disputed sites, located approximately 397 meters from the O’Smach International Gateway near border marker 15, were reportedly occupied by Thai forces during a military confrontation in December 2025. Cambodia has since documented the illegal installation of containers, barbed wire, and earthworks, as well as the unauthorized hoisting of foreign flags on its soil.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Information clarified on June 30 that facilitating media tours for international journalists into these zones does not grant legal authority or sovereignty to the occupying party. Phnom Penh urges the international community and the press to verify the legal status of the territory they visit, asserting that ‘forceful occupation cannot redraw border lines’ and that the presence of criminal activity does not provide a post-facto excuse for illegal territorial control.