Synopsis: Acting Head of State backs the administration’s strategy of deploying international legal tools over military force, declaring that setting up permanent homes for families affected by Thai actions does not mean conceding disputed territory.
Acting Head of State Hun Sen has designated the shelters for the displaced in Sla Kram commune as the “Waiting Village,” saying the name reflects the residents’ expectation of returning home while reinforcing Cambodia’s stand that it will not relinquish its claims to territory under illegal Thai occupation.
His remarks were made yesterday during a meeting with more than 3,000 displaced families staying in temporary housing in Svay Chek district.
Mr Hun Sen said building housing and infrastructure for the displaced does not mean accepting the border status quo.
“We have built this village, but we are not giving up our claim to the land. The land must be reclaimed,” he said.
He said the shelters are named “Waiting Village” because the residents are staying there provisionally while the government pursues a peaceful solution to recover the disputed territory. Because the shelters span multiple sites, he instructed authorities to divide them into “Waiting Village 1, 2, 3, and 4” to streamline administration and public service delivery.
He said he supports Prime Minister Hun Manet’s position that border friction must be resolved via peaceful diplomacy and international legal mechanisms rather than armed conflict. The state has never recognised the unlawful deployment of Thai soldiers across the line, he added, saying that military force cannot serve as a valid basis for border demarcation under international law.
Mr Hun Sen said the government will not reclaim the housing serving as shelters even after the residents are eventually cleared to return to their homes at the border. He said the Prime Minister has agreed to hand over the newly built structures to the residents as permanent private property.
He said the displaced communities should organise their local administrations and continue improving their living conditions while waiting for a resolution to the border dispute.
Chhot Bunthang, an academic philosopher at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the “Waiting Village” moniker carries deep political and historical weight, simultaneously signalling a temporary humanitarian pause and a stubborn assertion of national sovereignty.
“The government has not abandoned its claims but is choosing to exhaust peaceful channels through diplomacy and international courts rather than opting for war,” he said.
Bunthang said the designation is an intentional political message to domestic and international observers that keeps the unresolved border standoff in the spotlight.
He added that the establishment of these managed sites ensures that displaced families can maintain a dignified lifestyle, with health services, economic opportunities, and uninterrupted schooling for children, without having to depend entirely on humanitarian aid.
