Over 21,000 Displaced by Border Dispute Remain Unable to Return Home: Cambodian Ministry

PHNOM PENH, June 29, 2026 (KPT) – More than 21,000 people displaced by the Cambodia–Thailand border dispute remain unable to return to their homes due to what Phnom Penh says is the continued presence of Thai military forces in contested areas, the Ministry of Interior said Monday. In a statement covering the 24-hour period from 6:00 am on June 27 to 6:00 am on June 28, the ministry reported that 57 displaced people had managed to return home. However, it said 21,425 people — including 11,002 women and 6,143 children — remain blocked from returning, alleging Thai troops continue to restrict access to villages despite a ceasefire. Thailand has previously rejected Cambodian accusations of violations along the frontier. The ministry noted that schools and health facilities in several provinces remain closed. In Oddar Meanchey, eight schools and five hospitals or health centres have yet to reopen; in Banteay Meanchey, five schools and one hospital remain shut; and in Preah Vihear, seven schools and two hospitals are still closed. It added that no new damage to public or private property had been reported beyond earlier assessments. The ministry expressed support for the Cambodian government’s formal protest against what it described as Thailand’s “continued violations” of sovereignty and territorial integrity in areas Phnom Penh claims remain under Thai occupation. It urged Cambodians at home and abroad to back Prime Minister Hun Manet’s efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully, through diplomacy and international law, with the aim of restoring sovereignty, ensuring stability along the border, and allowing communities on both sides to resume normal life.