Press Briefing -Update on the implementation of the immediate and unconditional ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand

Press Briefing -Update on the implementation of the immediate and unconditional ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand

7:00AM, August 12, 2025

Keynote Address by H.E. LTG. Maly Socheata, the Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson:

This morning I would like to provide some updates on the situation after the ceasefire between Cambodian and Thai militaries came into effect at midnight on July 28, 2025, and after the extraordinary meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC), as of August 12, 2025.

Starting from midnight on 12 August 2025 up to 6 AM this morning, the situation at the front line along the Preah Vihearand Oddar Meanchey provinces remained calm and steady. Cambodian military forces stand strong and fully vigilant in fulfilling their duty.

The positive outcome of the extraordinary meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) reflects the mutual determination of both sides to work together to promote lasting peace, stability, cooperation, and development for the mutual benefit of both countries. Therefore, the next most important step for both sides is to show their will, commitment, and respect and implement honestly, truly, and practically what has been agreed upon.

In this session, I would like to reiterate one point among the agreement reached at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee on 7 August 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. In this spirit, both sides agreed as stipulated in the points of the agreement of the extraordinary GBC meeting as follows:

Both sides agreed to comply with international humanitarian law in the treatment of the captured soldiers, including their living conditions, shelter, food, and medical care in case of injury. If one side wishes to bring in its own wounded soldiers or civilians who are not under the control of the other side for medical treatment, the receiving side may determine its response based on the capacity of the medical facility, including available equipment, personnel, or medical ethics, on a case-by-case basis.

Captured soldiers shall be immediately released and repatriated after the cessation of active hostility in accordance with Article 118 of the 3rd Geneva Convention of 1949 and Rule 128(A) of the Customary International Humanitarian Law.

Both sides agreed to exchange information and facilitate the dignified and timely return of the deceased individuals at an agreed location in full respect of humanitarian principles and jurisdiction without crossing the border and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to identify and manage the dead under sanitary and respectful conditions, thereby preventing the deceased from disappearing in death.

In this spirit, Cambodia continues to call on Thailand to implement the above agreement and to return the 18 Cambodian soldiers who were detained after the ceasefire, which has been for 14 days now, so that they can reunite with their families, who are honestly waiting for their return day and night. Additionally, I would also like to express my gratitude to the partner countries and the numerous international organizations that have repeatedly called for Thailand to release our soldiers as soon as possible. We are committed to ensuring that no military personnel are left behind or abandoned.

I also wish to inform you that the regional border committee (RBC) team is preparing for a meeting with the Thai side, which is scheduled to take place within the next two weeks. This meeting aligns with the spirit and agreement established during the extraordinary meeting GBC held on August 7, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur. Cambodia strongly hopes that this RBC meeting will contribute positively to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and will help restore peace, security, stability, and normalcy in the relationship between the two countries. I would also like to underscore that the borders cannot be changed through the use of force and that the border issue must be resolved through technical and international legal mechanisms.
Cambodia would like to reiterate its unwavering commitment to respecting and strictly implementing all the terms of the ceasefire agreement as well as the spirit and content reached at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee on 7 August 2025.

Cambodia’s commitment to work constructively in good faith and in close cooperation with Thailand, Malaysia, other ASEAN member countries and all relevant partners to ensure the effective and full implementation of the ceasefire and to resolve all disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and the ASEAN Charter.