Thailand repatriated two Cambodian soldiers on Friday from a group of 20 detained last week, just days before crucial talks in Malaysia aimed at upholding a fragile ceasefire along the disputed Thai-Cambodian border.
Tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations erupted into the worst fighting in over a decade, with artillery exchanges and airstrikes claiming at least 43 lives and displacing more than 300,000 people.
A ceasefire was reached on Monday, following intervention from Malaysia and pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that tariff negotiations would be suspended unless hostilities ceased. The White House later confirmed that both countries’ U.S. tariff rates would be lowered from 36% to 19% after further negotiations.
On Friday, Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said the two Cambodian soldiers had been sent home while the remaining 18 were being processed under immigration law for illegally entering Thai territory.
“They crossed into Thailand and were taken into custody. The army handled them with humanitarian consideration,” he stated.
Cambodia’s defence ministry called for the release of all detained soldiers, citing international humanitarian law and ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure their freedom.
Originally planned for Phnom Penh, the upcoming talks between defence ministers and military commanders will now be hosted in Malaysia at Thailand’s request for a neutral venue. The discussions, scheduled for 4-7 August, will be held under the General Border Committee- a joint mechanism focused on border security, ceasefire enforcement, and troop coordination.
Malaysia, which currently chairs ASEAN, said defence attachés from ASEAN member states, as well as representatives from the U.S. and China, will attend.
Border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have simmered for decades, particularly over several ancient temples and undemarcated stretches along their 817-km shared border. A deadly incident in May that killed a Cambodian soldier escalated into a troop build-up and ultimately the five-day conflict in late July.
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