Background
The Cambodian Liaison Group coordinated a field visit by the ASEAN Observer Team in Cambodia (AOT-KH) on 27 August 2026 at 10:30 a.m., led by the Head of Mission from the Republic of the Philippines. The observers reported deployment of shipping containers, installation of barbed wire, excavation of trenches, construction of bunkers and roads on Cambodian territory and recorded presence of Thai military forces at the O’Smach International Point of Entry in Oddar Meanchey Province.
The Ministry of National Defence cited Point Four of the Joint Statement from the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee dated 27 December 2025 and urged the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Boundary Commission to begin survey and demarcation work promptly to enable civilian returns. The Ministry also reported that December 2025 airstrikes and artillery shelling in the O’Smach area damaged civilian homes, property, and infrastructure.
Key Developments
The Ministry’s press release states that the AOT-KH visit inspected a construction workers’ camp and surrounding civilian areas in O’Smach Village, O’Smach district, Samraong Municipality. The statement documents that many Cambodian families have been unable to return to their homes following the late-2025 hostilities.
Institutional Role
The Cambodian Liaison Group functions to coordinate foreign observer access for on-the-ground verification within Cambodia’s border areas. The ASEAN Observer Team operates as an external verification mechanism, while the Joint Boundary Commission is the bilateral instrument responsible for conducting survey and demarcation work between Cambodia and Thailand under existing GBC agreements.
Operational Implications
By linking the observers’ findings to the JBC process, the Ministry framed survey and demarcation work as a concrete mechanism for restoring safe civilian access and resolving physical occupation issues at the border. The press release does not specify a timeline for JBC action; it records the Ministry’s call for the JBC to commence work “as soon as possible” in line with the referenced GBC joint statement.
