Pursat provincial governor Khoy Rida has asserted that the situation in the Thmor Da area is not a routine border incident but a clear act of invasion and occupation, with Thai troops holding four locations inside Cambodian territory. Speaking to reporters on January 16, Rida explained that the occupied areas include Chey Chumneh Bridge, also known as the water-gate bridge where officials were speaking, the Phluk Damrei area, and Chey Chumneh checkpoint or Checkpoint 56, which is linked to a special economic zone. “These are the points that Thai forces have entered and occupied,” he said, stressing that the situation…
Author: Raksmey Hong
More than 3,000 of the Cambodian families displaced by the ongoing Cambodia–Thailand border clashes have begun receiving emergency cash assistance, underscoring the prolonged humanitarian crisis and the slow path toward recovery for affected communities. On January 15, financial assistance distribution started for 3,050 displaced families living in temporary camps across Preah Vihear, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey provinces. “This support is designed to help families meet urgent needs such as food, shelter and essential supplies, while restoring dignity and stability during times of crisis,” according to the Australian embassy to Cambodia. The distribution, at Chong Kal Thmey camp…
Tensions flared again between Chinese vendors and Thai forces in the Thmor Da area of Veal Veng district, Pursat province, this morning, January 16, as large numbers of Thai naval troops moved in to reinstall razor wire and re-encircle Chinese-owned businesses, a day after the barriers had been removed. Images and videos circulating on social media and recorded at the scene show that on January 15, Chinese shop owners in the area dismantled the razor wire and raised Chinese national flags in front of their shops in order to resume business operations. This morning, Thai forces returned re-laid razor wire…
Cambodia has issued a strong diplomatic protest against Thailand following the seizure of a Cambodian fishing boat and the arrest of four Cambodian fishermen by the Thai navy in what Phnom Penh says were Cambodian territorial waters off Koh Kong province earlier this month. In a formal diplomatic note sent to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated that the incident occurred at approximately 11.30am on January 6, at coordinates 11°33’30″N and 102°51’39″E — a location Cambodia asserts lies unequivocally within its maritime sovereignty and jurisdiction. The ministry condemned the action as…
Cambodia has reiterated its firm commitment to advancing peaceful, just and law-based solutions to border management and cooperation with Thailand. The statement came after a high-level meeting between the Cambodian and Thai military secretariats on January 15 at the Choam-Sa Ngam International Point of Entry in Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province. The meeting brought together the Secretariat of the Regional Border Committee (RBC) Cambodia–Thailand, with Cambodia represented by Brigadier General Nit Narong, deputy chief of staff of Military Region 4, and Thailand represented by Major General Kampanat Waphansu, chief of staff of Army Area 2. “Both sides discussed key…
Cambodia has moved to proceed with on-the-ground border demarcation work on the Thai boundary, despite Bangkok postponing the request for a special meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) for the second time, reinforcing Phnom Penh’s stance that technical cooperation must continue regardless of political delays. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the State Secretariat of Border Affairs (SSBA) said the Thai side had again asked to delay the special JBC meeting. Cambodia had proposed that the meeting be held in Siem Reap during the second or third week of January. Thailand cited the need to finalise “internal procedures to…
Angkor Silk Farm, operated by Artisans Angkor in Siem reap province, is welcoming both local and international visitors to witness firsthand the traditional Khmer silk-making process that has been preserved for generations. Pech Sopheap, Deputy Head of Silk Production at Artisans Angkor, explained that the silk farm is located in Proyut village, Puok commune, Puok district, and serves as a centre for producing traditional silk products using long-established techniques. She said the site currently employs 191 workers, including 11 men and 180 women, who are involved in various stages of silk production. “Silk products made at the farm include clothing,…
South Korea is deepening its long-term investment in Cambodia’s public sector by sending nine government officials to pursue Master’s degrees in key policy fields under the 2025-2 KOICA Scholarship Program, reinforcing Phnom Penh’s push to strengthen institutional capacity and modernise governance. The selected Cambodian officials, drawn from core ministries and state institutions, will begin their studies at leading Korean universities. They will pursue their interests in areas closely aligned with Cambodia’s development priorities, including economic development policy, health policy and financing, climate change management, and e-government and public administration. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Cambodia Office hosted a pre-departure…
For Thol Dalit, returning home is no longer an act of belonging. It is an act of fear and pain of losing. The 35-year-old truck driver from Chouk Chey village says he now enters his own house “like a thief” — quietly, cautiously, watched from the sky — ever since fighting erupted along the Cambodia–Thailand border late last year. His home, once a place of routine and pride, now sits beside barbed wire and shipping containers that the Thai military claims mark a “new border”. “This is my house, built with my bare hands,” Dalit said. “But every time I…
Cambodia has signalled continuity and growing ambition in its regional diplomacy as ambassador Noy Choumneanh formally began his tenure as Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Cambodia to ASEAN, underscoring Phnom Penh’s intent to play an active role in shaping the bloc’s long-term direction under ASEAN Vision 2045. According to an ASEAN social media post on January 13, ambassador Choumneanh presented his credentials to ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn at a ceremony held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, officially marking the commencement of his mission. “Secretary-general Kao expressed appreciation for Cambodia’s continued contributions to ASEAN Community-building,” according to the…