Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been in detention since July, following a ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries over the weekend after weeks of deadly border clashes.
The handover, which took place on Wednesday, had been delayed by a day amid Thai concerns over alleged ceasefire violations by Cambodia. However, sustained diplomatic engagement—particularly from China—helped ensure the deal moved forward.
Tensions along the Thailand–Cambodia border escalated earlier this month, erupting into prolonged clashes that displaced nearly one million civilians on both sides of the frontier.
Under the ceasefire agreement signed on Saturday, both countries committed to freezing troop positions at current front lines, halting reinforcements, and allowing civilians in affected border communities to return home as quickly as possible.
The released Cambodian soldiers, dressed in civilian clothing, were escorted across a border checkpoint and formally handed over to Cambodian authorities, where they were warmly received by well-wishers.
Their detention since July—following an earlier round of violent clashes—had fueled nationalist sentiment in Cambodia, making their release a key demand during ceasefire negotiations with Thailand.
In a statement on Wednesday, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the release as a “demonstration of goodwill,” expressing hope that Cambodia would “reciprocate this goodwill through concrete actions.”
Cambodia confirmed the return of its troops, with the Ministry of Defence saying it “remains hopeful” that the move will help strengthen mutual trust and confidence between the two neighbours.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the soldiers were to be released within 72 hours—by noon local time on Tuesday. The delay followed Thai accusations that Cambodia breached the truce by flying more than 250 unmanned aerial vehicles into Thai territory on Sunday.
Despite these complaints, the ceasefire appears to be holding so far.
The border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, but tensions escalated earlier this year after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs at a contested temple site.
Violence intensified in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash, and again in July, when five days of fierce fighting left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Although the two countries agreed to a fragile ceasefire in July—later formalised in an October agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump—the truce collapsed earlier this month amid renewed tensions, with both sides trading blame for the breakdown.
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