Latest news with #Cambodians
Sinar Daily
an hour ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Malaysian military's help sought to release 20 Cambodian soldiers held by Thai army
Cambodian military officials have been engaging with the Thai army for the release of the captured soldiers. 31 Jul 2025 05:18pm Military attaches and diplomats from 13 countries, including the United States (2nd L), Japan (C), and Australia (R) observe the implementation of the Cambodia–Thailand ceasefire agreement next to a destroyed building by the An Ses border checkpoint in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province on July 30, 2025. Thailand accused Cambodia on July 30 of a "flagrant violation" of a truce deal to end cross-border fighting, saying Cambodian troops launched an overnight attack on the frontier. (Photo by Chor Sokunthea / AFP) PHNOM PENH - Cambodia is seeking the assistance of the Malaysian armed forces, serving as the ceasefire coordinator and observer, to release 20 of their soldiers held by the Thai military. The state media Agence Kampuchea Presse reported today, quoting Prime Minister Hun Manet, that Cambodian military officials have been engaging with the Thai army for the release of the captured soldiers. Military attaches and diplomats from 13 countries observe the implementation of the Cambodia–Thailand ceasefire agreement next to a destroyed building by the An Ses border checkpoint in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province on July 30, 2025. Thailand accused Cambodia on July 30 of a "flagrant violation" of a truce deal to end cross-border fighting, saying Cambodian troops launched an overnight attack on the frontier. (Photo by Chor Sokunthea / AFP) Besides, the government has also sought the help of the Malaysian Armed Forces Chief of Defence Forces General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, who is heading the monitoring team. "I sincerely hope that the Thai Army will return all our soldiers currently in their custody to Cambodia as soon as possible,' said Manet, according to the state media. It also mentioned that the Cambodian Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Vong Pisen, has formally requested assistance from the Malaysian side. The Ministry of National Defence spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, told the media today that the Thai military has returned the dead body of one Cambodian soldier, while 20 soldiers are still under Thai custody. "Of the 21 Cambodian troops currently under Thai control, we have thus far received one body. We are now working to ensure the other 20 are safely returned,' said Maly. The two neighbouring countries had been in conflict over territories along their 817-kilometre shared border in northern Cambodia. The dispute flared up on the morning of July 24 when troops from both sides exchanged fire. The armed confrontation between Cambodia and Thailand came to an end at midnight on July 28, following an agreement reached during a special meeting organised by Malaysia in Putrajaya. The turmoil has displaced more than 165,000 Cambodians in the northern region. - BERNAMA More Like This
Nikkei Asia
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Thai, Cambodian netizens take border conflict online
The online conflict between Thais and Cambodians has escalated significantly since the two countries' armies started shelling each other on July 24. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by AP) DANIELLE KEETON-OLSEN PHNOM PENH -- The shelling between Cambodia and Thailand has, for the most part, ended after a ceasefire was agreed in Malaysia on Monday. What might prove harder to silence are the cross-border online attacks that have stirred deep hatred between the two countries' netizens. Social media has become an additional front in the dispute, where people debate border, cultural and historical claims long predating this year's skirmishes -- and lob intense vitriol at each other.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Cambodia seeks Malaysian military help to free 20 soldiers held by Thailand
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has formally sought the intervention of the Malaysian military, acting as ceasefire coordinator, to facilitate the release of 20 Cambodian soldiers held by the Thai army. Prime Minister Hun Manet confirmed the diplomatic efforts through state media Agence Kampuchea Presse. Cambodian military officials have been negotiating with Thai counterparts, while General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, Chief of Defence Forces of the Malaysian Armed Forces, has been approached to assist. 'I sincerely hope the Thai Army will return all our soldiers soon,' Manet stated. Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Vong Pisen formally requested Malaysia's support. Defence Ministry spokesperson Lieutenant General Maly Socheata disclosed that Thailand repatriated one deceased soldier, while 20 remain in custody. 'We are working to ensure their safe return,' Maly added. The border clash erupted on July 24 along the 817-kilometre shared frontier, escalating into armed exchanges until a ceasefire brokered by Malaysia took effect on July 28. The conflict has displaced over 165,000 Cambodians in northern regions. - Bernama
Bangkok Post
13 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Tourism sector braces for impact of border spat
The tourism sector will start to feel the impact of the Cambodia border conflict if both sides do not completely end fighting within two weeks, and if the cross-border committee in Cambodia does not convene as scheduled on Aug 4, say analysts. After a week of deadly clashes and a ceasefire agreement by the two countries on Sunday, the Royal Thai Army reported continued attacks in disputed areas with Cambodia on Wednesday. A statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry also indicated Thai military positions at Phu Makua in the northeastern frontier area came under attack from small arms fire and grenade assaults by Cambodian forces from late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The apparent border skirmishes more than 24 hours after the ceasefire went into effect highlight the difficulty civilian authorities face in enforcing the truce on the ground. Teerasak Tanavarakul, head of research at CGS International Securities (Thailand), said when the truce was announced two days ago, it raised hopes and eased concerns about the disputed areas. "If Thailand cannot completely cease hostilities at the border with Cambodia in a week or two, foreign tourists will question the effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement and their own safety," he said. Mr Teerasak said he doubted whether the General Border Committee meeting scheduled for Aug 4 in Cambodia would occur. "If that meeting is not convened to ease tensions, tourist confidence would undoubtedly be hurt," he said. Kuala Lumpur-based Maybank Securities said after an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire on July 28, the border situation reflects "an uneasy peace". According to Maybank, Cambodia is dependent on Thailand for trade, fuel and tourists, while Thailand is dependent on Cambodian workers. Officially half a million Cambodians work in Thailand, although informal estimates put the number closer to 2 million, almost 5% of Thailand's labour force. "If the ceasefire holds, the impact of the conflict on economic growth should fade in the next two months. Sectors related to tourism and domestic consumer spending, including hotels, retail and air transport, will be more affected," the brokerage said in a research note on Wednesday. In a worst-case scenario where the ceasefire fails to hold for the rest of the year, the conflict may shrink Thai GDP growth by 0.7 percentage points and Cambodian GDP by 2 percentage points for the second half of 2025, noted Maybank.
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Cambodia migrant workers count costs of conflict after fleeing Thailand, Asia News
SAMROANG, Cambodia — In a makeshift refugee camp in the northwestern Cambodian province of Oddar Meanchey, a father and his extended family are now counting the costs of a five-day border conflict with Thailand that ended in an uneasy ceasefire on Monday (July 28). Yen Luot, 59, together with his four children and their spouses, abandoned their jobs in Thailand and headed back to their Cambodian homeland last week amid fears that vicious border fighting between the two countries would spill over into violence against Cambodian citizens. "They all worked in Thailand before the fighting broke out," he said from a campsite consisting of several rows of tents hitched up in a field. "I asked them that we all go back home because of the fighting between the two countries to avoid an attack on us there (in Thailand)." He said he saw social media videos depicting attacks on Cambodian citizens by Thai nationalists and feared that the situation could escalate. Luot, who spent 15 years as a construction worker in Thailand, said he is now worried about his family's prospects, since they now have no jobs or homes, and still owe money to the bank. "If the situation improves, they could return to work in Thailand or find jobs in Phnom Penh," he said. "But right now, we don't even have the money to travel to Phnom Penh to look for work." Luot and his family were among thousands of Cambodian migrant workers to return home from Thailand as a result of the fighting. Before the conflict began, over 520,000 Cambodians worked in Thailand, accounting for 12 per cent of the country's foreign workforce, according to official data. A decades-long border dispute between the two southeast Asian neighbours had been escalating since late May and boiled over into a military conflict on July 24, with both sides blaming the other for starting the fighting. A ceasefire was reached on Monday, effective from midnight, following talks in Malaysia. Luot's daughter Chharn Sarou, who worked in a Thai factory before fleeing across the border last week, said her manager wanted her to stay in Thailand but she was afraid the hostilities between the two countries could have put her in danger. She said she didn't know what she would do next. "If I had the opportunity to find work in the country (Cambodia), I would stay, rather than returning to Thailand." [[nid:720781]]
