Chanthaburi: Eighteen Cambodian soldiers have been released at the Ban Phak Krad permanent border checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand, following a joint statement from the Cambodian National Security Council (JS) after a 72-hour ceasefire.
According to Thai News Agency, at 10:00 AM on December 31, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the repatriation of 18 Cambodian soldiers to Cambodia. The statement highlighted that Thailand repatriated the soldiers who were detained by Thai authorities, adhering to Article 11 of the Joint Statement between Thailand and Cambodia. This agreement, signed during the 3rd Special Session of the General Border Committee on December 27, 2025, stipulated their return after a continuous 72-hour ceasefire. This action aligns with the spirit of the Joint Declaration between the two nations signed on October 26, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur.
Since their detention, the Cambodian soldiers were treated in accordance with international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and were subject to the humanitarian guidelines and practices of the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC). Thai authorities allowed ICRC periodic visits and facilitated the delivery of letters from the soldiers to their families.
The repatriation process adhered to the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Thai authorities conducted health checks prior to their return and informed the soldiers of their rights under the Geneva Convention to ensure that their repatriation was voluntary, safe, and dignified. The ICRC also communicated with the families of the Cambodian soldiers about the repatriation. Observers from the ICRC and ASEAN (AOT) monitored the process.
This repatriation reflects Thailand's intention to strengthen trust with Cambodia and its commitment to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian principles. Thailand hopes that Cambodia will respond positively to this gesture and take concrete actions to promote lasting peace between the two countries.
The release occurred at the Ban Phak Kad permanent checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi Province.