On December 31, 2025, the final day of a turbulent year, Cambodia experienced a moment of rare national unity and deep emotion. As the world prepared to welcome the New Year, thousands of Cambodians turned their attention to one place: the Prum Border Gate in Pailin, where 18 soldiers were finally returning home after more than five months of detention in Thailand.

For many, this was more than a political or military event. It was a homecoming long prayed for — a moment that closed a painful chapter marked by clashes, uncertainty and fear.

KPT English reporter Minea Son traveled nearly five hours from Phnom Penh to witness the historic return. Along National Road 5, traffic was unusually light, as if the country itself was holding its breath. Villages along the way seemed subdued, their residents waiting for news that would bring relief after months of tension.

Waiting With Flags and Tears

Before sunrise, thousands had already gathered near the border gate. Wrapped in Cambodian flags, they stood shoulder to shoulder under the morning sun. Some knelt in prayer. Others pressed their palms together. Many simply cried.

They had been waiting since July, when 20 Cambodian soldiers were captured during a border clash, only hours after a ceasefire had taken effect.

By mid‑morning, the crowd swelled. Applause broke out again and again. Smiles appeared through tears. “Today, nothing else matters,” said a woman from Pailin, clutching a flag. “We are here only for them.”

“They Are Home, Finally”

At 9:45 a.m., word spread quickly: the soldiers had arrived. As the bus crossed into Cambodian soil, cheers erupted. Inside, the 18 soldiers waved through the windows, their faces thin but smiling.

“Welcome home, heroes!” people shouted. Tears streamed freely. Some dropped to their knees as the bus passed. “Finally, our soldiers are home,” said one resident, her voice trembling. “This is the day I have been waiting for since July.”

Another woman said she canceled all her plans just to be there. “I have no words for this feeling. When I saw them smiling inside the bus, my heart was full.”

Shared Pain, Shared Relief

For many, joy was inseparable from months of anguish. “I cried when I saw them waving,” said a woman near the roadside. “I cried even more when I saw some of them crying too. They are strong, but they are human.”

She recalled the day she heard the news of their capture. “I was broken when I learned they were detained. We were even more hurt when two of them were released earlier with serious injuries. Today, seeing the remaining 18 come home, it is something I will never forget.”

A Road of Gratitude

By 10:30 a.m., the convoy moved toward Battambang Airport. Along the 100‑kilometer route, villagers lined the road. Children sat on shoulders. Elderly men removed their hats. Flags waved high. Despite the midday heat, people stood for hours, waiting for the bus to pass.

Some rode motorcycles alongside the convoy, holding flags aloft. Others knelt in silence. The atmosphere was one of reverence, gratitude and relief.

By noon, the soldiers boarded a helicopter bound for Phnom Penh.

Reunion in the Capital

At 1 p.m., families waited at Phnom Penh International Airport. When the soldiers appeared, sobs broke into embraces. Wives clung to husbands. Parents held sons. Children cried in joy.

Outside, crowds lined the roads once more, shouting in unison: “Welcome home, heroes!”

“I cannot stop crying,” said one Phnom Penh resident. “This is the day we have all been waiting for. Seeing them free and safe means everything.”

Another woman added, “We worried about them every day. We imagined what they were going through. Today, our hearts are finally at peace.”

A Diplomatic Outcome

Prime Minister Hun Manet formally welcomed the soldiers, saying, “Even if it took time, we never forgot one another. Our priority was always the safety of our soldiers and bringing them home.”

The release followed a 72‑hour ceasefire agreed Dec. 27, mediated with international support. Thailand’s decision to free the soldiers was welcomed by the U.S., EU, China and Malaysia.

Closing the Year With Hope

As night fell, Cambodia entered the New Year not only with fireworks but with relief. The return of the 18 soldiers did not erase the pain of 2025, but it restored hope.

For one day, politics faded. What remained was a nation united by gratitude, tears and the simple truth that homecoming matters.

And for the families who held their loved ones again, and for the citizens who waited by the roadside, this was not just the end of a year — it was the return of their heroes.

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Jan. 2, 2026) — Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has expressed gratitude to regional and international partners following the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been detained in Thailand for 155 days.

The soldiers were repatriated Dec. 31 through the Prum International Point of Entry in Pailin Province, in an operation coordinated under agreements reached at the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee meeting on Dec. 27, the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration of Oct. 26, and a trilateral meeting with China in Yunnan Province on Dec. 29.

The ministry said the repatriation was closely monitored by the ASEAN Observer Team and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which it praised for ensuring safe coordination. Officials said the release would help rebuild trust, restore normal relations and promote lasting peace along the border.

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric welcomed the release, calling it a critical step in confidence building. “Respect for international humanitarian law, including the repatriation of prisoners of war at the end of hostilities, is essential for building trust and supporting peace,” she said.

World leaders including France, Britain, Japan, the United States, Malaysia and Germany also issued messages welcoming the soldiers’ return.

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In a press release covering the period from 1 to 6 p.m. Jan. 1, authorities reported that 100,177 displaced people resumed residence in their villages, reducing the remaining number of displaced civilians to 409,186, including 214,525 women and 131,413 children. More than 230,000 displaced civilians have returned home since the ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.

The ministry said the calm resulted from the ceasefire agreed under the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special General Border Committee, signed at the Prum International Border Crossing in Pailin province on Dec. 27, 2025. Officials highlighted the dignified return of all 18 Cambodian soldiers, calling it a concrete outcome of Cambodia’s “quiet but not silent” strategy, which they said safeguarded national dignity while achieving humanitarian results.

Public services have gradually resumed in border provinces affected by the fighting, though hundreds of schools and health centers remain closed. In Banteay Meanchey province, 321 schools and seven health facilities remain closed, while nine schools and 15 health centers have reopened.

In Preah Vihear province, 61 schools and 14 health centers remain closed, while district and commune administrations have begun resuming operations. In Oddar Meanchey province, 48 schools, eight health centers, four district administrations, and dozens of commune offices and police stations have resumed operations, though more than 200 schools and several administrative units remain closed. In Koh Kong province, 62 of 66 temporarily closed schools have reopened.

Authorities confirmed no new damage to civilian infrastructure during the reporting period. Since Dec. 7, however, assessments have recorded the destruction of 277 civilian houses and public facilities including 12 schools, two health centers, 17 government office buildings, five pagodas, four ancient temples, five bridges, a market, and several road sections.

The ministry said more than 168,000 civilians across Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces have returned home, with resettlement preparations completed in 172 villages. Eighty-four villages in Oddar Meanchey remain inaccessible due to safety concerns, including unexploded ordnance.

The government said it continues to prioritize clearance of unexploded munitions, repairs to damaged homes and villages, and restoration of essential services. A nationwide ban on unmanned aerial vehicles remains in effect until further notice.

The ministry reiterated Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet’s position that the ceasefire does not constitute surrender or territorial concession, stressing that Cambodia’s international borders remain governed by existing treaties and conventions and that Cambodia retains full rights to pursue border issues under international law.

Officials also urged citizens to maintain national unity, trust in the government’s leadership, and reject disinformation and extremist incitement that could undermine peace and stability.

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In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh said the release would help rebuild trust and urged both sides to continue honoring commitments made at the Dec. 27 Special General Border Committee meeting.

“Today’s release of 18 detained Cambodian soldiers is a positive step that will help to rebuild confidence and trust between Cambodia and Thailand,” the embassy said. “Australia urges both sides to continue to uphold commitments made at the Dec. 27 Special GBC meeting. Peace and stability in our region is in all our interests.”

Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, spokeswoman for Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, said the soldiers were freed at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Prum International Border Crossing in Pailin province after 155 days in Thai custody.

She said the release was carried out under Point 11 of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special GBC Meeting, which required compliance with a 72 hour ceasefire. The handover was observed by the ASEAN Observer Team and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Socheata added the move also reflected the spirit of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration signed Oct. 26 by Prime Minister Hun Manet and his Thai counterpart, witnessed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Cambodia expressed gratitude to all parties involved, saying the release would contribute to peace, stability, and normalization of relations.

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 31, 2025) — Eighteen Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand for more than five months were released at 10 a.m. Wednesday and returned home through the Prum International Point of Entry in Pailin province, officials said.

The Ministry of National Defence said the release was carried out at 10 a.m. under the observation of the ASEAN Observer Team and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The soldiers had been held for 155 days after being captured during border clashes in July.

Their return followed Point 11 of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special General Border Committee meeting between Cambodia and Thailand, signed Dec. 27. The provision stipulated release after full compliance with a 72 hour ceasefire that took effect at noon the same day.

Officials said the release also aligned with the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration on Peace, signed Oct. 26 by Prime Minister Hun Manet and his Thai counterpart, witnessed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet had pledged no soldier would be left behind, and the government said it used all diplomatic and humanitarian channels to secure their return. Cambodian leaders expressed gratitude to all parties involved, saying the release would help build trust and pave the way for peace and normalization of relations.

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