Cambodia Moves Offenders to Border Training Camps

Cambodia is transferring 790 juvenile and adult offenders jailed over gang-related crimes to detention and training centres along the Thai-Cambodian border to support frontline forces and strengthen border defences.

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According to Cambodia’s General Department of Prisons, 651 offenders are being moved to Correctional Centre No. 4 in Pursat province, opposite Thailand’s Trat province, while another 139 are being transferred to Oddar Meanchey provincial prison, opposite Buriram, Surin and Sisaket provinces.

Cambodian authorities said the programme is intended to “rehabilitate and modify behaviour” through vocational training in agriculture, vegetable farming, animal husbandry and construction work. Tasks include pouring concrete and building bomb shelters to support troops stationed along the border.

Agricultural experts and field engineers are participating in the scheme to supervise and train the offenders. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet had previously instructed the Ministry of Justice, the army and police to consider using juvenile offenders to assist forces at the frontlines.

On April 26, Hun Manet directed officials to deploy juvenile offenders who had caused unrest to carry out suitable duties along the border, including constructing bomb shelters and supporting army operations.

The development has drawn attention in Thailand, where military authorities said they are closely monitoring the situation. Col. Richa Suksuwanon, deputy spokesperson for the Thai army, said there has so far been no confirmed information that Cambodian offenders are operating along the Thai-Cambodian border.

He said reports currently only indicate that the offenders are being transferred to other prisons within Cambodia. However, he added that Thai military units stationed along the border are preparing for the possibility that such operations could expand in future within Cambodian territory.

Thai authorities also sought to reassure the public that border defence forces already have contingency measures in place to respond to any developments linked to the Cambodian programme.

The ThaiNewsRoom reported that the transfer scheme comes amid heightened attention on border security and military preparedness in the region. Cambodian authorities have not stated how long the offenders will remain at the training centres or whether further transfers are planned.

Pictures courtesy of TNR

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Thainewsroom 24 May 2026