Governors and military authorities evaluate safety conditions before permitting citizen return
The ongoing Thailand-Cambodia border conflict, which erupted in mid-2025, has displaced over 300,000 civilians from four Thai border provinces. Despite a ceasefire agreement reached on July 28, large-scale returns of residents have not yet been authorized due to the fragile security situation.
Deputy Defense Minister Gen Natthaphon Narkphanit, who is the director of the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation, has been at the forefront of addressing this crisis.
At a recent meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) in Malaysia, Natthaphon raised two key issues that Thailand has been pressing Cambodia to address: joint efforts to remove landmines and combating transnational crime. These issues, he noted, remain unaddressed by Cambodia.
Natthaphon also expressed concern about unexploded weapons in the border area, potentially causing harm to civilians. He has invited governors of the affected border provinces to discuss safe return areas for residents and plans to bring up these issues again in the next GBC meeting.
The GBC reached a consensus on 13 points in this meeting, including agreements by various government agencies and Cambodia. Natthaphon praised the efforts of the GBC secretariat for achieving this consensus.
The agreement will be monitored by two mechanisms: the Regional Border Committee (RBC) and a GBC meeting to be held in one month. The implementation phase will involve the temporary observer team, including ASEAN military attaches in Thailand.
Natthaphon also requested time for the military to assess the situation and check the areas, and has planned to propose concluding the mission once the appropriate time comes. He assured the public that efforts will continue to resolve the situation in a timely manner.
The government is concerned about the situation and has instructed the National Security Council (NSC) to lead follow-up discussions. No foreign forces will be entering Thailand, according to Natthaphon.
In light of the complex nature of the situation, a team of eight experts in various fields will be appointed as advisors. Natthaphon encourages citizens to remain in evacuation centres if they have concerns.
As the situation remains dynamic, authorities are cautious about repatriation until stability is assured following ceasefire adherence and conflict resolution progress. Natthaphon expressed gratitude to the public for their patience and resilience.
- The delicate security situation at the Thailand-Cambodia border has not only sparked concerns about war-and-conflicts, but also highlighted the need for cooperation in combating transnational crime, as Deputy Defense Minister Gen Natthaphon Narkphanit emphasized during a meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC).
- In the midst of political discourse surrounding the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict, Natthaphon emphasized the urgency of joint efforts to remove landmines and address transnational crime, citing these issues as critical and yet unaddressed by Cambodia.
