August 1, 2025 | 08:37 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spokesperson of the Royal Thai Army, Major General Winthai Suvaree, stated that Cambodian soldiers who entered Thailand illegally are currently undergoing legal processes under national and international laws.
As reported by Nation Thailand, during a press conference at the Thai Army Headquarters on Thursday, July 31, 2025, Winthai conveyed that the Cambodian soldiers cannot be immediately repatriated as they must undergo legal processes in Thailand first.
He also responded to Hun Manet's statement in which he claimed that his soldiers were detained by Thailand following coordination between the Cambodian military, the Thai army, the Ministry of Defense, and the Malaysian military. He said the credibility of the information coming from the Cambodian side must be assessed.
Detention Following Military Ethics
Winthai emphasized that the soldiers are being handled with respect, in accordance with military ethics and international conventions. "We do not consider an enemy soldier a criminal simply because they are armed," he said.
He also rejected the use of the term "prisoners of war" for the 18 Cambodian soldiers. "This terminology may have implications in international discussions, so we refer to them as being 'detained,'" he stated.
He added that Thailand does not rule out the possibility of additional charges against the soldiers, for example, for carrying weapons and violating territorial sovereignty. However, the decision depends on the ongoing investigation.
Thailand's Explanation to Malaysia
Winthai also conveyed that Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, Commander of the Second Military Region of Thailand, had explained the situation to the Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces, General Dato' Mohammad Nizam Jaafar, in a meeting on July 29. He confirmed that the Cambodian soldiers would be repatriated once all legal processes were complete and in accordance with international provisions.
Thailand, Winthai said, remains committed to transparency at both the military and government levels. "We believe the international community trusts Thailand's honesty and straightforwardness," he added.
Cambodia Urges Immediate Repatriation
Previously, according to a report by Al Jazeera, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense urged Thailand to immediately repatriate their 20 soldiers who were detained on Tuesday morning, around 07:50 local time, or approximately eight hours after a ceasefire was implemented in the disputed border area.
"We will do our best to continue negotiations with the Thai side in order to bring all our soldiers back home safely and as soon as possible," said Cambodia's Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Maly Socheata, during a press conference on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
She also made a direct request, "We call on the Thai side to send all 20 military personnel back to Cambodia as soon as possible." However, Thailand insisted that the number of detained soldiers is 18 and they will continue to undergo legal processes before a decision on repatriation is made.
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