Eight days after the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement was signed in Malaysia on October 26, Thailand has yet to release 18 Cambodian soldiers that were captured near the border, despite expectations which were made public by US President Donald Trump and senior officials from the US Department of State.
During the signing ceremony, Trump declared that the historic agreement “would lead to the release of all 18 Cambodian soldiers”, a sentiment echoed by a senior state department official quoted by Reuters, who said the release was expected to be “immediate”.
However, Thai authorities have maintained that the soldiers’ release is conditional on Cambodia’s full withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the border.
While Phnom Penh has begun complying, the process appears to be insufficient in the eyes of Bangkok.
On the night of October 26, the same day as the agreement was signed, Cambodia began the first phase of its withdrawal, with main battle tanks being transported from the border region back to their base in Siem Reap.
The withdrawal was monitored by the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT), which has been tasked with overseeing the disengagement.
As of today, Thailand has not provided a clear timeline for the soldiers’ release, raising concerns of a potential diplomatic setback amid fragile regional peace efforts.
