Cambodia Marks One Year Since Thai Troop Detention, Recalling 'Most Dangerous Handshake'

One year after the incident where Thai troops detained Cambodian soldiers, Cambodia's Minister of Information, Net Pheaktra, has recalled the event, describing it as the 'most dangerous handshake.' On July 28, he posted on social media that a handshake, which should symbolize peace and trust, was instead used by the Thai military as a starting point for arresting Cambodian soldiers after a ceasefire had taken effect. According to the minister's account, after the ceasefire agreed upon by both Cambodian and Thai sides came into effect at 00:00 on July 28, 2025, Cambodian citizens and frontline forces hoped that bloodshed would end and peace would return. However, on the morning of the same day, reports emerged that Thai soldiers approached Cambodian soldiers to shake hands, creating an atmosphere of reconciliation and an end to confrontation. Following this, the Thai side surrounded and arrested Cambodian soldiers. Out of 20 Cambodian soldiers, 18 were arrested, one died, and one managed to escape. The 18 detained soldiers were held as Prisoners of War (PoWs) until December 31, 2025, when they were released through the efforts of the Cambodian government and the international community. The incident raises the question: if a ceasefire was already in effect and fighting had stopped, can the arrest of soldiers in an area considered Cambodian territory be considered the capture of prisoners of war? For Cambodia, this event is viewed not as an arrest during combat, but as the exploitation of trust under the ceasefire environment to lead to the capture of Cambodian soldiers. The detention, lasting over five months, left psychological scars on the soldiers, their families, and Cambodian society as a whole. Minister Net Pheaktra emphasized that a 'handshake' should be a symbol of peace and trust. However, if it is used as a means to lead to arrest, it becomes a symbol of lost confidence, which can severely impact future peacebuilding and trust between parties. He concluded that this incident remains a topic that requires transparent clarification, independent review, and accountability to ensure that the implementation of ceasefires and the protection of soldiers are respected in accordance with international humanitarian law, and to prevent such events from recurring.