Cambodia Welcomes UN Special Rapporteur's Statement on Thai Military Land Grabs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia has welcomed the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Thomas Andrews, following his visit to Cambodia. The ministry expressed its willingness to welcome independent verification regarding the report on Cambodian citizens who have lost their homes and land due to illegal actions by the Thai military. According to the ministry's statement, Cambodia fully supported Mr. Andrews' mission, which took place from July 20 to 31. Cambodia emphasized its adherence to international obligations and commitments under human rights treaties, facilitating the Special Rapporteur's free access to detention sites, refugee camps, and border areas, as well as arranging meetings with relevant officials and fostering an environment for independent communication with civil society and activists. Regarding the specific issue of the border situation, the ministry noted that the Special Rapporteur's figures, indicating that approximately 650,000 Cambodian civilians were displaced in border areas late last year, with over 20,000 still displaced, align with data compiled by UN agencies and humanitarian partners operating in the border region, including ongoing food and shelter programs. The ministry further observed that while recent public statements from the Special Rapporteur acknowledged that Thai authorities disputed these exact figures, it is true that many Cambodian civilians have been displaced and remain unable to return to their homes due to Thailand's illegal occupation of Cambodian territory. Cambodia welcomes continued independent verification of this situation by relevant agencies and diplomatic missions and is prepared to facilitate visits to the affected areas. In facilitating further visits and in upholding the right to return home, Cambodia reiterated its firm commitment to the Joint Declaration dated December 27, 2025. Point 4 of this declaration states that Cambodia and Thailand agreed to allow affected civilians in border areas to return to their homes and resume their normal livelihoods as soon as possible, without obstruction, safely, and with dignity. Cambodia calls for the immediate, full, and effective implementation of the entirety of this agreement through existing bilateral mechanisms established for this purpose, especially the soonest possible resumption of border demarcation and boundary marker work by the Joint Border Commission (JBC), so that every displaced person can return to their homes. Cambodia will continue to engage with the UN Human Rights Council on all issues raised by the Special Rapporteur and looks forward to a full and constructive discussion on this situation at the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council. Cambodia reaffirms its commitment to resolving all remaining issues arising from this border situation through peaceful means, dialogue, and respect for existing bilateral treaties and agreements, as well as international law, and in full implementation of the commitments made by both governments on December 27, 2025, for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.