AKP Phnom Penh, October 14, 2026 --

Cambodia’s Ambassador to France, H.E. Luy David, has firmly rejected claims by a Thai delegation that Cambodian civilians living along the border are violating Thailand's national sovereignty.

Addressing the 134th session of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie (CPF) on Oct. 13Ambassador H.E. Luy David intervened to clarify statements made by the Thai representative regarding Cambodian displaced persons near the border.

The Thai delegate had alleged that these residents are located on Thai territory originally designated for temporary refugee shelters in the 1970s, arguing that their ongoing presence constitutes an infringement on Thai sovereignty.

Writing on his official Facebook page, Ambassador H.E. Luy David stated that he rejected the claims as inaccurate and a distortion of historical facts.

To support his stance, the diplomat cited official reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which confirm that Cambodian refugee camps inside Thailand ceased operations in March 1999 following the repatriation of the final group of 705 refugees to Cambodia.

By K. Rithy Reak