As Thailand accused Cambodia of firing during the truce, China expressed hope that both sides would strictly adhere to a lasting ceasefire, rebuild trust and improve relations. “As a friend and close neighbour of both countries, China is heartened by the continued implementation of the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, and the safe return of 18 Cambodian soldiers to their country,” said Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin in a social media post on January 6, referring to the release of the soldiers by the Thai military on December 31, after 155 days in detention. “We hope that Cambodia and…
Author: Niem Chheng
The Ministry of Interior stated that Thai marines seized a cache of Cambodian weapons from a land border police post – where they had encroached into Cambodian territory – not at a casino as they have claimed. In a press statement issued on January 6, the ministry spokesperson said Thai media had quoted Thai naval experts who falsely alleged that the weapons were seized from the “Thma Da Casino compound”. The ministry added that the weapons were located at the Road 56 Land Border Police Post, subordinate to Land Border Police Battalion No. 825 of the Pursat Provincial Police Commissariat,…
An explosion in the Mom Bei area of Preah Vihear province on the morning of January 6 injured two Cambodian soldiers, but did not result from an armed clash with Thailand, according to Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Maly Socheata. In a press statement released shortly after the incident, Socheata said the explosion occurred at 7:27am while Cambodian forces were cleaning and organising their base, located within Cambodian sovereign territory. During the process, an explosive device hidden in a pile of rubbish detonated, injuring two personnel – one seriously and the other sustaining minor injuries. Both have been taken to hospital…
Cambodia has submitted formal complaints to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, detailing Thailand’s destruction of Cambodian citizens’ homes and calling for the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops from Cambodian territory. The complaints were lodged by the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) on January 5, under the direction of Prime Minister Hun Manet. They were submitted to OHCHR High Commissioner Volker Türk and UN Special Rapporteur Balakrishnan Rajagopal on the right to adequate housing, in Geneva, Switzerland. In both submissions, Cambodia urged the…
The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), in collaboration with the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, has launched an educational campaign to raise awareness among war refugees about the dangers of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The initiative also aimed to reassure the public that Cambodia seeks peace and does not support conflict or loss of life. The outreach event was held on January 5 at Banteay Srei Pagoda in Khnar Sanday commune, Banteay Srei district in Siem Reap province. It was presided over by Senior Minister Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the CMAA, and Chinese embassy chargé d’affaires Fan Manjiang.…
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) announced today, December 31, that to coincide with the New Year celebrations, subscribers of three mobile operators will be able to start using 5G services from midnight tonight. This will be rolled out at specific locations in Phnom Penh and select provincial areas. According to the Ministry’s announcement, the three major mobile network operators – Cellcard (CamGSM), Metfone (Viettel Cambodia), and Smart (Smart Axiata) – will launch 5G services in an initial phase covering Phnom Penh and key locations outside the capital. These will include areas in the provinces of Siem Reap, Kandal,…
Foreign diplomats in Cambodia on December 31 hailed the release of the 18 Cambodian soldiers from Thai army custody after 155 days as a positive step towards de-escalation and the long road to peace. “I welcome the release of the 18 soldiers. This is a progressive step towards a more resilient ceasefire. This development marks a positive shift and creates an opportunity to rebuild trust. “Germany remains fully committed to supporting peaceful dialogue and long-term stability,” said Stefan Messerer, the German Ambassador to Cambodia, via a statement. In a much-awaited return since their arrest on the July 29 initial ceasefire,…
The 18 captured Cambodian soldiers were released this morning, December 31, after 155 days of detention by the Thai Second Army Region that began on July 29. The move marks a significant step towards de-escalation of the conflict, following the Joint Statement signed by both countries on December 27. The released men came back through Pailin province at 10 this morning, through Prum International Point of Entry, Pailin Province. The release came a day after the 72-hour ultimatum set in the December 27 joint statement made during the special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting between Defence Minister of Cambodia Tea…
China has said it is attempting to mediate in the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand using what it called the “Asian way”. This, it said, is based on a non-competitive and non-hegemonic approach, and affirms that it is a responsible major power. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 30, following meetings hosted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand on December 28-29. The Facebook page of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that following the Shanghai meeting in July, the Anning Consensus in…
As of 8am today, December 30, the situation along the border remains calm following the December 27 joint statement between Cambodia and Thailand, in which both sides committed to an immediate ceasefire, according to Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Maly Socheata. During a morning press briefing, Socheata stated that on December 29, the Thai military accused Cambodia of flying 250 UAV drones along the border and entering Thai territory—an accusation Cambodia strongly denied. She clarified that the ministry and provincial administrations have already banned the use of drones during this period of tension. “We strongly ban all kinds of drones…