Cambodia's Information Minister Demands Thai Troop Withdrawal, Return of Occupied Territory

Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra issued a formal statement calling on Thailand to withdraw its forces and military assets from Cambodian territory, remove obstacles preventing displaced Cambodian civilians from returning home, cease actions creating a 'fait accompli' on the ground, and leave border survey and demarcation work to the Joint Boundary Commission. He said 'claims of non-aggression must be demonstrated through actions rather than statements,' and that 'shipping containers are not boundary pillars. Barbed wire is not an international boundary.' The statement cited roughly 650,000 Cambodians displaced at the peak of the 2025 fighting, with about 20,000 still unable to safely return despite the December 27, 2025 Joint Statement.