Thai Ambassador to UNSC condemns Cambodia’s violations, calls for immediate ceasefire and peace talks
Thailand calls for immediate ceasefire and peace talks at the UNSC, condemning Cambodia’s violations of international treaties, including the Ottawa Convention.
In a closed session at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Thailand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Cherdchai Chaivaivid, called for Cambodia to immediately cease all hostilities and return to peaceful negotiations. His remarks followed a series of clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces that began on the morning of July 24, 2025, when Cambodian forces initiated the attacks, targeting Thai civilians, homes, hospitals, and petrol stations.
Cherdchai condemned Cambodia’s actions as inhumane and outlined the country's violations of multiple international agreements, including:
1. The Paris Peace Agreements (1991): Thailand considers Cambodia a close neighbour and a longstanding member of the ASEAN family. Since Cambodia’s independence in 1953, Thailand has consistently supported Cambodia’s peace process, nation-building, and development through international agreements, notably the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.
The Paris Peace Agreements are legally binding international treaties, recognised by 195 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris in December 2015, and entered into force on 4 November 2016. The core aim of this agreement is to limit the global average temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to restrict the rise to 1.5°C.
2. The Ottawa Convention (Mine Ban Treaty): Thailand condemned Cambodia’s blatant violation of the Ottawa Convention, a treaty that both countries are signatories to, prohibiting the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. This violation directly contradicts the Siem Reap-Angkor Declaration signed in November 2024, which seeks a world free from landmines.
The Ottawa Convention, which came into force on 1 March 1999, aims to eliminate anti-personnel landmines (APLs) globally, whether during conflicts or after their conclusion. The treaty mandates that signatory countries cease the use, production, and transfer of APLs, destroy any existing mines within four years of ratification, and clear contaminated areas within ten years. As of now, 164 countries are party to the Ottawa Convention.
3. The Siem Reap-Angkor Declaration, which aims for a world free of anti-personnel landmines by 2024.
4. Geneva Conventions of 1949: The Geneva Conventions are key international treaties designed to protect those affected by armed conflict, particularly those not involved in the fighting, such as civilians, medical personnel, and humanitarian workers, as well as those who can no longer participate in hostilities, such as wounded or sick soldiers.
Article 19 of the First Geneva Convention mandates that all parties involved in conflict must provide equal protection and care to the wounded and sick from the opposing side, without discrimination based on nationality, religion, or belief. This article also stresses the importance of respecting the dignity and honour of those injured or ill.
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention stipulates that all parties in a conflict must protect and care for civilians under their control, especially vulnerable groups such as children, women, and the elderly. It also requires that parties facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected civilians.
In summary, Articles 19 and 18 of the Geneva Conventions are crucial for the protection of vulnerable individuals affected by armed conflict. Compliance with these conventions is the responsibility of all parties involved to ensure that conflicts do not lead to violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
Response to the Attacks
The Thai statement also addressed the right to self-defence, noting that despite showing utmost restraint, Thailand was forced to act in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The response was strictly limited to neutralising the immediate threat posed by Cambodian forces, with all actions focused on legitimate military targets and efforts made to avoid civilian harm.
Article 51 of the UN Charter affirms the inherent right of self-defence in the event of an armed attack against a member state of the UN, until the UN Security Council takes the necessary measures to maintain international peace and security. Any actions taken in self-defence must be reported to the Security Council immediately, and they should not undermine the Council’s powers and responsibilities in taking necessary actions to restore or maintain international peace.
Thailand’s military actions, therefore, align with international law, as they are in response to an immediate military threat, focusing on military targets while prioritising the protection of civilians.
