Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

The Royal Thai Army has opened the way for representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit 18 detained Cambodian soldiers, following allegations from Phnom Penh that the detainees had been mistreated.

 

Speaking at Army Headquarters in Bangkok on 2 August, Army Spokesman Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree said the claims from the Cambodian side were “expected” and “distorted,” intended to undermine the credibility of the Thai military.

 

The Cambodian troops were taken into custody by Thai forces after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the two sides. The Cambodian government later accused Thailand of physically abusing its soldiers prior to their repatriation.

 

Maj. Gen. Winthai refuted the claims, stating that under international law, specifically the Geneva Conventions, the temporary detention of enemy combatants following a ceasefire is legally permissible, particularly in cases where the situation on the ground remains unstable or where armed conflict has not fully ceased.

 

“The Royal Thai Army is following all protocols in strict accordance with the Geneva Conventions,” he said. “We had already planned to invite international organisations, including the ICRC, to monitor the welfare of the detained soldiers, in order to maintain transparency.”

 

He also noted that Thai authorities were well aware of Cambodia’s likely attempts to politicise the incident and damage the image of the Thai military. He affirmed that Thailand is conducting all procedures within the framework of international law and remains open to monitoring by appropriate international bodies.

 

Representatives from the UNHCR and ICRC may proceed with inspection visits through the appropriate legal and diplomatic channels, as outlined in international law. Thai officials have pledged full cooperation.

 

The situation remains sensitive, as tensions between the neighbouring countries have not fully subsided, despite the formal ceasefire. No further military confrontations have been reported, but the Thai side insists that a cautious approach remains necessary to ensure national security and regional stability.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-08-03

 

 

 

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