Cambodian Minister: Plight of Displaced Families Reaching Global Audience

PHNOM PENH, Sept 9, 2026 (KPT) — The plight of thousands of Cambodians displaced by conflict along the Thai border is reaching an international audience, Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said Wednesday, as foreign media report on families unable to return home. Pheaktra highlighted an Agence France‑Presse report, “I miss my home: Cambodians displaced by conflict start over,” which has been republished by outlets in several countries. He said the coverage was giving a wider audience an account of the hardship faced by civilians who remain displaced. “This widespread international coverage is bringing the voices, hardship and suffering of Cambodia’s displaced people to the attention of the international community,” he said. AFP reported that more than 20,000 Cambodians remain unable to return, with Thai soldiers controlling areas where some previously lived. Access to Boeung Trakuon village was blocked by shipping containers and barbed wire. For families forced from their homes, the conflict is not simply a dispute over territory but a continuing struggle to return and rebuild. “Every day, I dream of going back home,” one displaced resident told AFP. Another said: “I still miss my home.” Pheaktra said such statements represented more than individual experiences. “They represent the voices of tens of thousands of Cambodians who continue to wait for the day when they can finally return,” he said. The issue has also drawn attention from the United Nations. Pheaktra cited UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, who said displaced people “have a right to return to their homes.” Cambodia insists the safe and voluntary return of displaced civilians must remain a priority as efforts continue to ease tensions along the border.