Two Cambodian Soldiers Freed from Thai Custody — One Injured, One Mentally Scarred. But What of the Others Left Behind?

Thailand has guaranteed the release of 20 Cambodian soldiers who were held in Thai custody since the morning of 29th July 2025, following a ceasefire agreement between the two nations as mediated by the United States and Malaysia with the support of the People’s Republic of China. 

The release was scheduled for 10:00 AM on August 1, 2025, but was pushed back to 11:00 AM due to ongoing investigation procedures by the Thai military. After a series of delays, only two of the 20 soldiers were released, and in what conditions? — one is physically injured and, in a wheelchair, while the other is visibly and mentally disturbed, with both soldiers void of any footwear. These scenes run contrary to the initial pronouncement from the Thai side of fair treatment in accordance with international conventions and norms.

The two men, once full of pride and strength, were received by tearful families and fellow military comrades, but joy was overshadowed by the undeniable truth — these are not the same men who were taken. What did they do to these Cambodian soldiers to result in such visible physical and mental scars? Was it truly an investigation or an outright interrogation and torture?

Thus, a more pressing and painful question now lingers: What about the others? What about the soldiers who remain illegally detained, having been captured even after the ceasefire had already been issued?

At least 16 Cambodian soldiers are still believed to be in Thai custody — their names unspoken in public statements, their faces missing from headlines, their families left in unbearable limbo. The Thai Military has stated that “The soldiers would be repatriated after the completion of the legal procedures”, but many fear time is running out with the condition of the returned soldiers as testament.

These men are not just soldiers defending Cambodia’s sovereignty. They are sons. They are fathers. They are brothers. And now, they are symbols of a quiet suffering that Cambodia has been subjected to since the invasion and disproportionate force inflicted by the Thai military in the past week.

The return of two of our defenders is not the end of this story; it is only the beginning of a plea for truth, justice, and the safe return of all who are still waiting in silence, illegally detained during this difficult and volatile time.