Thailand began building a wall on the border after clashes with Cambodia

Thailand has started building a wall on the border after clashes with Cambodia

A reinforced concrete wall topped with barbed wire has been built along the border between Thailand and Cambodia. For now, its length is one kilometer. Between the wall sections, there are also boundary stones installed during the French colonial period.

This is the initial phase of the 8.4-kilometer wall being built by the Thai military in the east of the country. The structure is being constructed following the bloody clashes with the neighboring country in 2025.

The wall passes through agricultural fields in Chanthaburi province. Its height is 3.6 meters. The structure consists of reinforced concrete, galvanized steel mesh, and coils of barbed wire.

"We built the wall to prevent illegal activities, particularly the smuggling of people and goods," Captain Prachya Hantiem, commander of the Royal Thai Marine Task Force, told an AFP correspondent on September 10.

A dispute over the 800-kilometer border line between Thailand and Cambodia has been ongoing for decades. In July and December of 2025, bloody clashes occurred in the area. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement at the end of December.

Despite this, both sides have been accusing each other of violating the terms of the truce. The last time the militaries of the two countries reported a clash on the border was on February 24, 2026.

A small Thai village is located near the wall. Fewer than 200 residents live in it. They grow corn and various fruits, including durian and longan. Villagers say that part of their agricultural land was lost because of the wall. Nevertheless, landowners who spoke with AFP assessed this positively.

"We are willing to lose a little land to achieve safety," said grocery store owner Suvin Muangmeung.

He said he did not always know where the border actually ran.

"Our agricultural fields are located along the border. This wall gives us a sense of security. We don't know when Thailand and Cambodia will reconcile or when we will be able to communicate well. But this wall helps us," said village elder Itchira Aranchaiyasiri.

The elder said that the wall also causes some inconvenience. Previously, people crossed the border freely and easily visited each other. But he added: "We have to adapt."

This border was established during negotiations between France, which ruled Cambodia as its colony from 1863 to the mid-1950s, and Thailand, which was called Siam at the time.

Gates in the new wall are designed to preserve the multilingual stone markers remaining from that era. These stones bear the words "Siam" and the French "frontiere" (border).

Captain Prachya emphasized that this structure is located entirely within the territory of Thai sovereignty.

"Every step is being carried out in accordance with the law and can be verified. Even Cambodian forces are monitoring our work at every stage," he said.

Due to the war, half a million people had fled their homes. After that, Thailand closed its borders with Cambodia. Currently, most residents have returned to their homes, but 20,000 Cambodians are still displaced.