Information Minister Recalls “Most Dangerous Handshake” Incident Following Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire

Cambodia’s Minister of Information, H.E. Neth Pheaktra, has highlighted the gravity of the "most dangerous handshake" incident, which involved the arrest of soldiers shortly after the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement took effect at midnight on July 28, 2025. According to a post on his personal Facebook page on the morning of July 28, H.E. Neth Pheaktra, Minister of Information, said that after the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire took effect at midnight on July 28, 2025, Cambodian people and frontline forces had hoped that the bloodshed would end and peace would begin to return. However, that same morning, Thai soldiers reportedly approached Cambodian soldiers and proposed shaking hands, creating an atmosphere that appeared to signal reconciliation and an end to the confrontation. The Thai side subsequently surrounded and arrested the Cambodian soldiers. Of the 20 Cambodian soldiers involved, 18 were arrested, one was killed, and another managed to escape. The 18 soldiers were subsequently detained as prisoners of war (PoWs) until Dec. 31, 2025, when they were released following efforts by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the international community. The incident has raised serious questions, H.E. Neth Pheaktra said, asking whether, after the ceasefire had already taken effect and fighting had stopped, the capture of soldiers stationed in an area regarded by Cambodia as its territory could legitimately be considered the capture of prisoners of war. From Cambodia’s perspective, he said, the incident was viewed not as an arrest during active combat, but as an exploitation of trust created by the ceasefire to facilitate the capture of Cambodian soldiers. Their detention for more than five months left lasting psychological wounds on the soldiers, their families and Cambodian society as a whole. According to the Minister, a “handshake” should symbolise peace and trust. However, if a handshake is used as a means of facilitating an arrest, it becomes a symbol of lost trust that could seriously undermine future efforts to build peace and confidence between the two sides. He stressed that the incident remains an issue requiring transparent clarification, independent examination and accountability to ensure that ceasefire arrangements and the protection of soldiers are respected in accordance with international humanitarian law and to prevent similar incidents from happening again. By C. Nika Source: AKP Cambodia