A senior Cambodian government figure says November 17 remains one of the most painful dates in the nation’s history, marking a period when Battambang and Siem Reap fell under Thai control before eventually being returned to Cambodia after international intervention.
Khieu Kanharith, former minister of information and now a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation, wrote on Facebook that all Cambodians should remember the difficult history with Thailand. He referred specifically to the Franco-Siam Treaty of 1907 and the Franco-Thai Settlement Agreement of 1946, which restored the two provinces to Cambodian administration with support from the United States.
He explained that the Second World War reshaped the region. Japan had seized large parts of Southeast Asia while France, the colonial power in Cambodia, was weakened by war in Europe. Thailand aligned itself with Japan in 1941, seeking assistance to reclaim territories it had controlled before 1907. Under Japanese pressure, France signed the Tokyo Convention in 1941, handing Battambang and Siem Reap to Thailand.
After Japan’s defeat, Thailand refused to return the provinces to France and offered various arguments to delay any handover. France responded by blocking Thailand’s bid to join the United Nations, using its position as a permanent member of the Security Council.
Khieu Kanharith said the United States eventually stepped in to broker a solution. Washington initiated a new agreement between France and Siam that annulled the Tokyo Convention and addressed the consequences of the 1940 to 1941 conflict. The Franco-Thai Settlement Agreement was signed in Washington on November 17, 1946. As part of that deal, Siam agreed to return the Cambodian provinces in exchange for joining the United Nations.
Commentators note that aside from the United States, few countries intervened to assist Cambodia during moments of crisis, especially during conflicts with neighboring states. They point to more recent developments as well. On July 28, 2025, United States President Donald Trump called for a ceasefire during renewed border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand. On October 26, he witnessed the signing of a bilateral peace agreement.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio also underscored the long relationship between the two countries. Speaking during Cambodia’s seventy-second Independence Day celebrations on October 29, he said the partnership has endured for more than seven decades, grounded in trust, mutual respect, and shared interests.
