On 5 August 2025, the Royal Thai Army (RTA) granted access to the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Bangkok to visit 18 Cambodian prisoners of war (POWs) at the detention facility. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended as observers.
The visit of the ICRC aims at obtaining information on the well-being of the Cambodian POWs, and restoring and preserving links between POWs and their families in Cambodia.
The RTA facilitated the ICRC to freely speak with the POWs in private and conduct physical check-up.
The Royal Thai Army reaffirms that all 18 Cambodian POWs under custody are in good health, without any injury. The RTA has provided care for POWs in accordance with the international humanitarian law, particularly the 1949 Geneva Conventions. This includes the provision of three meals per day, dormitories with bedding, water and sanitation, as well as medic sergeant stationed at the detention facility for medical care and health checks. They have been well taken care of, without any acts of torture, as falsely alleged or misinformation circulated.
On this occasion, the RTA provided a briefing on the chronology of the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, the process that led to the detention of Cambodian military personnel as POWs, and the provision of medical care and treatment to the POWs, according to the international human rights and humanitarian law, particularly the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
As the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border is still under a ceasefire agreement, it is therefore necessary to prevent these POWs from being forced to re-engage in combat. They will be released and repatriated without delay after the end of hostilities.
The Thai government reaffirms its readiness to cooperate with the ICRC and emphasises the transparency in its operations, including the treatment of POWs in full respect of human dignity and in accordance with relevant international practices.