Cambodia on Friday (July 31, 2025) welcomed the return of two wounded soldiers who had been captured by the Thai Army after the two sides had already implemented a ceasefire to end five days of combat over competing territorial claims.
Their repatriation comes amid accusations and bickering over whether either side had targeted civilians and breached the laws of war, and sharp nationalist feuding on social media.
The rest of a 20-member group of Cambodian soldiers captured on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) in one of the disputed pockets of land over which the two sides were fighting remain in Thai hands and Cambodian officials are demanding their release.
Nationalist agendas fuelled the border fight between Thailand and Cambodia
The two countries have given differing accounts of the circumstances of the capture. Cambodian officials say their soldiers approached the Thai position with friendly intentions to offer post-fighting greetings, while Thai officials said the Cambodians appeared to have hostile intent and entered what Thailand considers its territory, so they were taken prisoner.
