Sam Rainsy urges Cambodia to sue Thailand

Exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy has called on Cambodia to take legal action against Thailand, demanding compensation for damage caused during recent border clashes.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Rainsy accused the Thai military of destroying temples, bridges, roads, homes and other property in Cambodia. He urged the government in Phnom Penh to file cases at both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, framing Thailand’s actions as aggression under international law.

Rainsy also warned against signing agreements similar to the one reached on 27 December, which he claimed had led to the unacceptable ceding of Cambodian territory.

His intervention comes as Prime Minister Hun Manet has celebrated the safe return of 18 Cambodian soldiers, released from Thai custody on 29 December after 155 days of detention.

The Thai military, however, has highlighted that Cambodia has yet to retrieve the bodies of its soldiers killed in the fighting. Thai troops say they have collected military badges from the battlefield in the hope they will eventually be claimed and families informed.

Meanwhile, Thai Army spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree rejected accusations from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre that Thailand had used cluster bombs or chemical weapons against civilian and military targets. He insisted operations were conducted under the principles of necessity and proportionality, denying the use of chemical weapons and stating no unexploded bomblets remained on Cambodian soil. Instead, he claimed Thai forces had discovered unexploded Cambodian munitions in civilian areas on their side of the border.

The dispute continues to draw wider concern. Cambodian voices, including citizens such as Tesh Chanthorn, argue that Thailand’s actions have damaged cultural heritage sites like Preah Vihear temple, protected under UNESCO. They warn that failure by the UN and international courts to act decisively would undermine global norms and embolden future violations.

For now, the release of prisoners offers a brief respite, but the calls for accountability — and the contested narratives from both sides — underline how fragile the ceasefire remains.

-2026-01-02