Thailand holds 18 Cambodian soldiers hostage to border deal conditions

BANGKOK: Thailand says it will not release the 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during deadly border clashes earlier this year until Cambodia meets a set of conditions aimed at easing tensions along their shared frontier.

Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit told reporters at Government House on Friday that no exact date had been set for the soldiers’ release, though Nov 12 remains a “possible target.” That timeline, he said, depends on Phnom Penh withdrawing heavy weapons from the border and allowing Thai teams to carry out landmine clearance in five agreed zones.

“The sooner Cambodia meets these conditions, the sooner their soldiers will be released,” Gen Nattaphon said, adding that Cambodian officials had already reached out to discuss speeding up compliance — potentially before the Nov 21 deadline.

While he declined to name the specific areas marked for demining, the minister confirmed that Prasat Ta Kwai — a long-standing flashpoint — is not among them.

Reports earlier this week suggested that the handover could take place at the Ban Phak Kad checkpoint in Chanthaburi’s Pong Nam Ron district.

The 18 Cambodian troops were captured in the early hours of July 29 in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district after a brief clash in disputed territory — just a day after both sides had agreed to a ceasefire.

Their detention has put fresh strain on the fragile truce signed on Oct 26 in Kuala Lumpur by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet. The agreement states that prisoners of war will only be released once both countries have shown “effective implementation” of measures to reduce tensions along the border.

“Thailand is committed to fostering mutual trust,” the joint statement reads. “As a gesture of goodwill, Thailand will promptly release the prisoners of war once the agreed steps are fulfilled.”

For now, the fate of the 18 Cambodian soldiers rests on Phnom Penh’s next move — and on whether the long-disputed border can finally find some peace.