AKP Phnom Penh, August 6, 2026 --

Over seven months after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a joint statement following an extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting on Dec. 27, 2025, more than 20,000 Cambodian civilians remain unable to return to their homes, according to Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra.

Writing on his official social media account on Aug.6, 2026, H.E. Neth Pheaktra stated that the joint statement bound both nations to facilitate the safe and dignified return of civilians to affected border areas. However, thousands of displaced Cambodians continue to reside in temporary shelters, highlighting that the December commitments remain unfulfilled.

According to the Minister, Thai forces maintain an illegal presence on Cambodian territory following an armed aggression against Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He noted that Thai forces rely on a unilateral 1:50,000 scale map, which holds no legal standing against internationally recognised boundaries defined by the 1904 Convention, the 1907 Treaty, and official 1:200,000 maps.

"On the ground, Thai troops have deployed barbed wire, placed shipping containers to block roads, and prevented Cambodian villagers from returning home," H.E. Neth Pheaktra stated, adding that Thai forces have demolished residential homes and civilian infrastructure in an effort to alter conditions on the ground (fait accompli), violating terms requiring unobstructed, safe returns.

The Minister stressed that the joint statement guarantees all agreements remain without prejudice to boundary demarcation, delegating border resolution solely to the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) under existing international law.

Cambodia urges Thailand to abide fully by the Dec. 27 agreement, end its illegal presence, stop obstructing civilian returns, and cooperate with the JBC to restore normalcy.

Endorsing calls by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia, the Minister concluded that genuine peace is defined not merely by stopping gunfire, but by ensuring the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of all displaced citizens.

By K. Rithy Reak