Thailand-Cambodia Conflict and Defense Diplomacy (2025–2026): Actors, Processes, and Conflict Management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61194/ijss.v7i4.2774Keywords:
defense diplomacy, thailand, cambodia, border conflict, asean, conflict managementAbstract
The Thailand-Cambodia conflict is a longstanding interstate conflict in Southeast Asia rooted in border disputes and competing territorial claims, particularly surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple. Although diplomatic mechanisms have been employed to manage the dispute, military tensions and the risk of renewed escalation have persisted, including the resurgence of armed clashes 2025. Against this background, defense diplomacy provides a non-coercive mechanism for managing military interactions and reducing escalation risks. This study examines how defense diplomacy operates as a conflict-management mechanism in the Thailand-Cambodia conflict by focusing on the actors involved, the security issues addressed, and the processes through which defense diplomacy contributes to de-escalation. The study employs a qualitative single-case study design. Data were collected through documentary analysis of official ASEAN, Thai, Cambodian, United Nations, and International Court of Justice documents, supported by peer-reviewed academic literature and credible media reports. Data were analyzed using an integrated analytical framework combining Neorealism and the security dilemma, Defense Diplomacy, Conflict Management, and Conflict Resolution. The findings indicate that defense diplomacy primarily functions as an instrument of conflict management rather than conflict resolution. Its contribution is reflected in maintaining military communication, supporting ceasefire implementation, regulating military activities, facilitating bilateral defense coordination, and supporting monitoring mechanisms. ASEAN provides a complementary regional role through diplomatic facilitation and ceasefire-related monitoring, while the underlying territorial dispute remains subject to longer-term political and diplomatic processes. The study demonstrates how defense-diplomatic practices help manage security-dilemma pressures and regulate military interaction and tensions across successive stages of the 2025–2026 conflict.
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