Foreign diplomats and representatives of several UN agencies visited Banteay Meanchey province today, August 22, as part of a two-day field visit to the provinces affected by the recent Cambodia-Thailand armed clashes.
The delegation was led by Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and will continue on to Oddar Meanchey province tomorrow.
The group included ambassadors, chargés d’affaires and representatives from 42 countries and UN agencies, as well as international organisations, and aimed to give them a first-hand insight into issues along the border.
It included observers from Brunei, Singapore, Pakistan, Laos, Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Nicaragua, India, Timor-Leste, France, Ukraine, Hungary, Canada, South Korea, The US and Russia, according to a Ministry of Information statement.
The ministry explained that the programme includes visits to villages in O’Chrov district’s O’Bei Choan commune like Chok Chey and Prey Chan, where the Thai military has laid razor wire and installed tyre barricades that prevent villagers from accessing their homes and farmland, forcing them to live in tents.
“In Oddar Meanchey, the diplomats will also visit Tamone Sen Chey pagoda, where a Buddhist abbot was killed and two others injured by Thai airstrikes and bombardments during the five-day incursion. They will tour other areas that were hit, with briefings provided by local authorities and the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC),” it said.
“The mission aims to give international representatives a clearer perspective on Cambodia’s efforts to address border tensions and military confrontations,” it added.
