Their Village Is Just Beyond the Fence—But They Cannot Go Home
PHNOM PENH, September 3, 2026 – Their houses are visible. The roofs, the fields, the paths their children once walked. But between them and their lives stands a wall of shipping containers—placed there by Thai soldiers.
Eight months after a ceasefire, more than 18,700 Cambodian civilians—including over 6,000 children—remain stranded. Their villages are occupied by Thai forces, their homes sit empty behind barbed wire and shipping containers. In Banteay Meanchey province, Thai forces have converted a local primary school into a military bunker—a classroom now a fortified position.
German broadcaster DW News has confirmed that Thai forces have blocked roads and prevented displaced civilians from returning. Correspondent Georg Matthes noted that while a ceasefire is in place, the situation remains fragile—with Thai forces now illegally occupying Cambodian territory.
One Cambodian soldier, Sra Ti, 24, called his mother on December 29 to say the war was over. Minutes later, a Thai sniper's bullet struck his head. He is now barely conscious. French photojournalist Jean-Luc Moreau Deleris said: "There had been atrocities committed by the Thai army—atrocities that could be war crimes."
The ASEAN Observer Team and UN Special Rapporteur have documented the destruction. Yet Thailand continues building bunkers and extending power lines into Cambodian territory.
The Cambodian government has built nearly 3,000 shelters for the displaced and continues to call for the full implementation of the December ceasefire, the immediate withdrawal of Thai forces, and the safe return of all displaced civilians through dialogue and international law. Prime Minister Hun Manet has pledged that Cambodia will never recognise any border change imposed by force.
The ceasefire was supposed to bring peace. Instead, it has become a slow-motion occupation—and every day, more than 18,000 Cambodians pay the price.
Reported by Emily, The Khmer Today