AKP Phnom Penh, December 23, 2025 --

Cambodia continues to urge Thailand to release the 18 Cambodian soldiers who have been unlawfully detained by the Thai side for 147 days.

H.E. Nong Sakal, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), stated that this issue was raised during the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Speaking at a press briefing this afternoon, H.E. Nong Sakal added that H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MFAIC, underscored the urgent humanitarian necessity for the immediate and unconditional release of the 18 soldiers.

Cambodia called on the Thai side to strictly and in good faith uphold the Joint Declaration on the Peace Deal between the two countries. Specifically, the Ministry pointed to Paragraph 5, which explicitly states that the Thai side must promptly release the detained personnel.

Furthermore, Cambodia urged Thailand to respect and fulfill all obligations under international law, particularly international humanitarian law, to allow the soldiers to safely reunite with their families.

It is worth noting that the 18 Cambodian soldiers were detained by the Thai forces just a few hours after the ceasefire agreement came into effect at midnight on July 28, 2025. 

By Heng Panha