Following the recent escalation in border tensions, Cambodia has gone back to the ICJ, asking them to rule on jurisdiction over Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch and Ta Krabei temples, as well as an area near to where the May 28 shootout occurred.
Bangkok has expressed their firm opposition to settling the issue through the IJC and is unlikely to recognise any ruling on behalf of Cambodia.
Instead, Thailand insists on using bilateral mechanisms like the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Border Commission (JBC) to resolve the dispute. The JBC has struggled to make any meaningful progress since it was established in 2000 and likewise failed to de-escalate the conflict when it met 10 days ago.
NATIONALIST UNDERTONES
The nationalist undertones of the conflict likewise indicate that the border row won’t be easy to resolve.
In Thailand, the conservative opposition and military have capitalised on perceptions that Ms Paetongtarn, like her father before her, is too friendly with Cambodian strong-man Hun Sen and his son Hun Manet, the current prime minister.
On Jun 18, a 17-minute phone call between Ms Paetongtarn and Mr Hun Sen was leaked in which she called him “uncle” and appeared to criticise many of the Thai army’s actions at the border. In response, the Bhumjaithai Party announced that it would withdraw from the alliance with Ms Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party, leaving her with a slim and fracturing majority in parliament.
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