Why Should We Care About the Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict? | with Ambassador Pou Sothirak

In Ep. 87, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso speak with Ambassador Pou Sothirak, a former Cambodian diplomat and current distinguished advisor to the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies, to unpack the complex issues facing Cambodia today. The discussion centers on the renewed border conflict with Thailand, the controversy surrounding the Ream Naval Base, and Cambodia's strategic navigation of its relationships with the United States and China.

Ambassador Sothirak provides historical context for the century-old border dispute, which has its origins in French colonial-era maps from 1907. He recounts the history of the conflict, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings in 1962 and 2013 that affirmed Cambodia's sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding territory. The most recent clashes, which began in late ...