Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence, has responded to claims by the Thai navy that Cambodian citizens have encroached on Thai territory, explaining that the sovereignty of the area in question, in Pursat province, was in fact resolved in 2022. She suggested that any remaining issues should be addressed through the Joint Border Committee (JBC). Her statement, made on the evening of September 16, concerned allegations made by the Thai Navy and the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Command regarding the presence of a Cambodian settlement at Ekapheap village, in Veal Veng district’s Thma Da commune, which borders…
Author: Niem Chheng
The Cambodian Mine Authority has informed the EU that mine clearance along the Thai border continues, prioritising clearly demarcated areas, populated regions and other locations which are vital for socio-economic development. Senior Minister Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), discussed clearance operations with Igor Driesmans, head of the European Union Delegation to Cambodia during a September 16 meeting. “There are no primary issues regarding humanitarian mine clearance along the Cambodia-Thailand border. The main challenge is that some areas along the border have not yet been mutually agreed upon or clearly demarcated between…
The Cambodian National Police met with their Thai counterparts to discuss strengthening cooperation in preventing and suppressing cross-border crimes, particularly online scams, today, September 16, in Sa Kaeo province, Thailand. The meeting was held in line with the spirit of the 1st Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) in Koh Kong Province on September 10, where both sides agreed that the Ministries of Interior and National Police of both countries would meet within a week to establish a joint task force responsible for developing action plans to prevent and suppress cross-border crimes, according to the AKP news agency.…
A September 15 raid on the Hana Apartment building In Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district saw almost 50 individuals arrested for their parts in a suspected online scam operation. The majority of those detained were South Korean nationals. The 1pm bust was conducted by a joint task force from the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration, specialised police, district authorities, and representatives from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s Prosecutor’s Office. The operation, in Sen Sok’s Kouk Khleang commune, saw 48 suspects from four nationalities taken into custody. They included 33 South Koreans (5 females), one Nepalese (male), one Bangladeshi (male), and 13…
Senate president Hun Sen has stated that former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra does not own any assets in Cambodia and has never discussed business dealings with him. He noted that he was aware of Thai media reports which claimed Thaksin owns assets in Cambodia and that Cambodian authorities were preparing to freeze them. Despite recently cutting personal ties with Thaksin, Hun Sen emphasised the need to uphold Thaksin’s integrity. “His Excellency Thaksin or Madame Yingluck do not have any assets or business operations in Cambodia. When Thaksin or Yingluck visited Cambodia, they used my vehicles, which shows that Thaksin has…
UNICEF and IOM Cambodia have begun delivering part of the $1.8 million in grant assistance provided by the government of Japan to displaced people from the recent border clashes, beginning today, September 15, with people at a safe shelter in Preah Vihear province. According to a joint press release, a total of over 70 tonnes of emergency supplies, including shelter, non-food items (NFIs), hygiene kits, clean water and early learning materials, will be delivered to children and families sheltering in overcrowded pagodas and other temporary sites in the coming weeks. “We are deeply grateful to the government and people of…
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence has categorically denied “baseless and unsubstantiated” Thai claims that Cambodia has repeatedly deployed drones and overflown Thai territory in the border regions. In a press release issued on the morning of September 15, ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata described these accusations as “distortions of the truth”, stating that they not only heighten tensions but also severely undermine mutual trust. The statement followed a September 14 claim by Thailand’s Second Army Region that approximately 80 drone flights have flown over Thai territory near the Cambodian border. “Cambodia has not deployed drones into Thailand’s sovereign territory as…
Preah Sihanouk provincial police officers have arrested 47 individuals, both foreign and Cambodian, and confiscated a total of 13 firearms following a shooting incident in O’Chheuteal, Sihanoukville, on the night of September 11. Both handguns and long guns were reportedly seized. According to the Sihanoukville Provincial Police Commissariat, at 10pm on September 11, residents reported a shooting at a restaurant in Prey Mol, O’Chheuteal, located in Village 4, district No. 4, Sihanoukville. The incident reportedly involved two large groups of Chinese nationals. Major General Nop Panha, deputy commissioner in charge of criminal affairs, led officers to the scene, where they…
Numerous foreign diplomats have congratulated positive developments in the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict, including the implementation of the current ceasefire, but the goal of reopening land borders for trade remains a hotly contested argument. The September 10 General Border Committee (GBC) meeting, hosted by Cambodia in Koh Kong province, resulted in several positive signs of progress, including an agreement to withdraw heavy weapons and military equipment and cooperation on demining, combating transnational crimes, online scams and resolving the contested area of Nong Chan through the bilateral Joint Boundary Committee (JBC). “The British embassy welcomes the positive progress made at the 10…
Habitat for Humanity Cambodia, a housing intervention NGO, has launched the “Home Equals Project”, described as a groundbreaking initiative to provide affordable and resilient housing for low-income families in Cambodia’s rapidly growing urban areas. The project aims to tackle the escalating housing crisis by improving access to safe, secure homes for those living in informal settlements, in their fiscal year for 2026-2028. It is being implemented from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027, according to a September 11 press release. With Cambodia’s urban population projected to surpass 18 million by 2030, the demand for housing is outpacing supply, leaving…