Thailand Hands Over 18 Cambodian Prisoners of War Amid Peace Efforts

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Bangkok: Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war for 155 days, three days after the two countries agreed to a renewed ceasefire to halt deadly border clashes.

The soldiers arrived in Cambodia on Wednesday at 10:00 local time (03:00 GMT), according to the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the repatriation, calling it a “demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building.”

The handover was coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which praised both sides for reaching the truce. “Today’s release and repatriation of prisoners of war allows families to be reunited and marks an important step in translating the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement into action,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.

The border clashes reignited earlier this month after a previous ceasefire brokered in July by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim broke down. The fighting, which lasted 20 days, killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million across both sides. The clashes included fighter jet sorties, rocket fire, and artillery exchanges.

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to the renewed ceasefire over the weekend, which took effect at noon on Saturday (05:00 GMT). While the soldiers were initially scheduled to return on Tuesday, Thailand delayed the handover over alleged ceasefire breaches, which Cambodia denied.

As part of the peace efforts, both countries have agreed to freeze troop movements and cooperate on demining the 800-kilometre disputed border.

The border dispute, which dates back to the early 1900s during French colonial rule in Cambodia, has been the source of previous clashes between 2008 and 2011. The frontier is home to three 1,000-year-old Khmer temples, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Preah Vihear, which was the subject of International Court of Justice rulings in 1962 and 2013 favouring Cambodia.