Defence officials say explosion in Preah Vihear province injures two soldiers

Synopsis: Military tensions between Cambodia and Thailand resurface just 10 days after a ceasefire, following a border explosion that injured troops on both sides.

Preah Vihear province — Military tensions reignited 10 days after a ceasefire agreement that halted three weeks of Thai military aggression against Cambodia, following a border explosion that injured soldiers from both sides yesterday. Public outrage has been mounting over the Thai military illegally occupying Cambodian villages and mass looting of civilian property.

Media outlets in Thailand yesterday reported that Thai residents along the border are preparing for a possible third evacuation amid fears of renewed fighting along the 800-kilometre border.

Cambodia and Thailand fought twice last year, first in July and again in December, forcing more than half million people to flee their homes, mostly on the Cambodian side, due to cross-border incursions and the occupation of border villages.

Cambodian defence officials yesterday said two soldiers were injured following an explosion in Preah Vihear province while forces were carrying out routine duties within Cambodia’s sovereign territory.

According to the Ministry of National Defence, the incident occurred at 7.27am yesterday, in the Mum Bei area. Cambodian forces were conducting organisation and orderliness arrangements at their stationed position when an explosion from a pile of garbage injured two personnel, one of them seriously.

The injured soldiers were immediately transported to hospital.

The Ministry said the Cambodia-Thailand Border Coordination Working Team is jointly addressing the incident, with working teams from both countries consulting, exchanging information and handling the matter through established mechanisms.

Reaffirming Cambodia’s commitment to peace, the Ministry stressed that the Cambodian government and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces continue to fully respect and implement existing bilateral agreements, including the ceasefire and subsequent joint statements, with the aim of restoring stability and security along the border.

“This incident does not alter Cambodia’s principled position of resolving all border-related issues peacefully and responsibly through dialogue and mutual understanding,” said Ministry of National Defence spokeswoman Lieutenant General Maly Socheata.

Thai media also reported yesterday that the Second Army Region of Thailand has instructed its personnel to exercise heightened caution while operating along the Thai-Cambodian border following an incident in which a Thai soldier was injured by an explosion on the Thai side of the border.

According to Thai authorities, the incident occurred at around 7.25am yesterday in the Chong Bok area near Hill 469 in Ubon Ratchathani province. A soldier was wounded by shrapnel on his right arm and was assessed by medical staff as being in stable condition, with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

Military units in the area provided immediate first aid and evacuated the injured soldier from the operational zone. He was initially taken to a local health centre before being transferred to Nam Yuen Hospital for further treatment, where he remains under medical supervision.

The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation by authorities. Thai military officials said the incident has prompted renewed emphasis on vigilance and safety measures to protect both personnel and civilians operating near the border.

Cambodian refugees who remain stranded in camps along the border have expressed concern about prolonged displacement, citing economic hardship and children missing school.

Bun Nachhy, a 30-year-old widow staying at a refugee camp with her seven-year-old daughter, said her family life is in limbo after​her home in Prey Chan village was destroyed and her land illegally occupied by the Thai army.

She called for justice and demanded accountability from Thailand for the invasion.

“I trust the government for seeking a resolution for our displaced civilians,” she said.

From 6 pm on January 4 to 6 pm on January 5, an additional 37,423 displaced people returned to their homes. As a result, out of a total of more than 640,000 displaced persons, 204,844 people remain in camps, according to the Ministry of Interior.

According to the Cambodian government, Thailand is currently illegally occupying Cambodian territory in four border provinces: Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Pursat. In Banteay Meanchey province alone, Thai military forces have illegally occupied six villages, installing barbed wire and containers to block road access and prevent Cambodian residents from returning.

Most homes were heavily damaged by airstrikes and bombardment, and some were reportedly demolished by Thai forces after the ceasefire agreement.

The Cambodian public has expressed outrage over continued looting of civilian property by Thai military forces in occupied territories. Numerous video clips filmed by Thai soldiers themselves show the looting of vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, household items and even pets.

“The unlawful occupation of Cambodian sovereign territory by Thai forces, accompanied by the destruction and looting of civilian property and the obstruction of civilians’ return to their homes, constitutes violations of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the Cambodian government said in a statement, accompanied by photos of looting activities allegedly carried out by Thai soldiers.

According to the Ministry of Interior, from 6pm on January 4 to 6pm on January 5, five schools and one hospital or health centre remained temporarily closed, while public service institutions at the provincial, municipal, district and commune levels resumed operations in Banteay Meanchey province.

In response to strong condemnation over alleged looting, the Royal Thai Navy announced that property belonging to Cambodian soldiers or civilians in the operational area had been collected, inspected and safeguarded. It said Cambodian owners could present documents or other evidence and contact Thai authorities to reclaim their property.

Prominent Thai journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk publicly said that if motorcycles or other belongings were “seized” from disputed areas, the Thai government should return them to their Cambodian owners, adding that overlapping land claims should be resolved peacefully.

“Thailand must not be a nation of thieves. As for the disputed territories and overlapping claims, they should be resolved peacefully,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

The Ministry of Interior yesterday rejected a report by Khaosod English that claimed Thai Marines had seized a large cache of Cambodian weapons hidden in a casino, calling the report false and misleading.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Interior Ministry’s spokesman said the images and location cited as evidence in the report were not within the Thmar Da Casino compound, as alleged. Instead, the location shown was identified as Gate 56 of the Border Patrol Police, under Border Protection Police Battalion 825 of the Pursat Provincial Police, situated entirely within Cambodia’s sovereign territory.

The ministry said the dissemination of what it described as false information demonstrated malicious intent and ran counter to commitments made by both countries under the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting held on December 27, 2025, which aimed to reduce tensions and promote dialogue along the border.

“Both sides agree to refrain from disseminating false information or fake news in order to de-escalate tensions, mitigate negative public sentiment, and foster an environment conducive to peaceful dialogue.”

The statement added that any seizure of weapons from a police station located within Cambodian territory would constitute an act of plunder and a violation of international law, for which responsibility could not be avoided.

The Ministry of Interior urged the Thai side to cease hostile actions and adhere strictly to the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special General Border Committee, stressing the need for a peaceful resolution based on mutual trust, goodwill, justice and respect.

Many refugees living outside occupied villages are still unable to return to their homes, as authorities have designated their areas as “red zones” due to heavy contamination by unexploded ordnance and cluster munitions following three weeks of indiscriminate airstrikes and bombardment.

However, Cambodian Mine Action Centre Director-General Heng Ratana said nearly 80 CMAC platoons have been deployed to address the urgent needs of villagers along the Cambodian–Thai border.

He said CMAC platoons are operating across affected provinces, from Koh Kong to Preah Vihear, to help protect citizens returning to villages and towns damaged during the conflict.

From December 7 to 27, 2025, Thailand intensified military aggression outside disputed areas, using infantry, artillery, armoured vehicles, airstrikes and naval attacks along the 800-kilometre shared border.

The fighting damaged infrastructure, including bridges and schools, devastated residential areas and displaced more than half a million Cambodian people. Areas heavily affected included Poipet and Serei Saophoan cities in Banteay Meanchey province, Preah Vihear province, Samraong City in Oddar Meanchey province and Khemarak Phoumint city in Koh Kong province.

Cambodian civil society organisations have also raised an alarm over a severe humanitarian and environmental crisis caused by recent border clashes with Thailand, reporting that toxic smoke, chemical pollution, and unexploded ordnance have sickened hundreds, killed livestock, contaminated water sources, and forced mass displacement.

The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has accused Thailand of continuing military attacks and the destruction of civilian homes and property inside Cambodian territory despite a ceasefire agreement signed at the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee on December 27, 2025.

In a press release issued yesterday, the CHRC said Thai forces have allegedly carried out demolitions of civilian houses, dismantled civil and cultural infrastructure, and confiscated private property, including motorcycles and agricultural equipment, in areas within Cambodia’s sovereignty. The locations cited include Prey Chan and Chork Chey villages and the Boeng Trakuon area in Banteay Meanchey province, as well as parts of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey and Pursat provinces.

The committee said the escalation has displaced thousands of Cambodian families, leaving many homeless and unable to return safely to their residences. It said these actions amount to forced evictions and violations of housing and property rights under international law.

According to the CHRC, the continued presence of Thai armed forces in these areas and the destruction of civilian homes prevent displaced residents from returning, constituting serious breaches of multiple international legal instruments protecting the right to housing and private property.

The committee said that, under the guidance of Prime Minister Hun Manet, it submitted an urgent appeal on January 5 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing.

In the appeal, the CHRC called for international mechanisms to examine the alleged violations, press for an immediate halt to forced evictions and demolitions, urge the withdrawal of Thai forces from Cambodian territory, and seek reparations for affected civilians.

“The CHRC reiterates that the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right, not a military target.”

The committee also urged the international community to take swift and effective action, warning that delays in addressing the situation could worsen humanitarian suffering and undermine respect for international law and regional stability.

-Khmer Times-