07/30/2025
A lot of people are sharing the news about our soldiers who were captured by Thailand. Some feel sad, some feel angry, and many are confused.
Here’s what we need to understand clearly and simply.
This is not just about 18 soldiers.
This is about how Cambodia is treated on the world stage and whether our dignity is something others feel free to ignore.
Thailand says the soldiers surrendered during the clash.
Cambodia says they were captured after the ceasefire had already started.
That difference matters.
Because if someone is captured after both sides agreed to stop fighting, it’s not a combat act anymore. It becomes a violation of international agreement and a potential breach of the ceasefire itself.
But here’s what’s strange. Thailand hasn’t shown when these soldiers were captured. No exact time. No clear location. No independent verification. If it really happened during battle, why avoid giving simple facts?
Under international law, these soldiers are Prisoners of War, not criminals.
The Geneva Convention, which both Thailand and Cambodia have signed, says they must be treated with full dignity.
They must receive proper food, shelter, and medical care.
They cannot be shown in media or used to gain political advantage.
And most importantly, once fighting has clearly stopped, they must be returned home without delay.
That’s not a request. That’s the law.
So why is Thailand still holding them?
Thailand says they will return the soldiers after a permanent ceasefire.
But what does that actually mean?
There’s already an active ceasefire agreed by both parties at the ASEAN table!
So “permanent” becomes a vague excuse, a delay tactic, while they decide what they want next.
And during that delay, our people who should already be home are kept like bargaining pieces.
This isn’t just diplomatic delay.
It’s narrative control.
Because when Thailand refuses to show timestamps, refuses to release names, and avoids legal terms like Prisoner of War, it becomes clear they’re trying to control the story without facing accountability.
What Cambodia is asking for is simple and fair.
Release the soldiers quickly under international observation.
Let the Red Cross (ICRC) confirm their health and conditions.
Share the full list, who they are, where and when they were captured.
Stop using people’s lives as part of a political negotiation.
This is not about shouting.
It’s about protecting human dignity with process, law, and clarity.
We don’t need to respond with just sadness or anger.
We need to respond with understanding and composure.
We need to know how the world works, and how to hold our position calmly and firmly.
It’s not weak to demand lawful treatment.
It’s not begging to ask for fairness.
Cambodia is not asking for pity.
Cambodia is demanding standards.
We want our people treated the same way any country would want its soldiers treated.
With dignity. With process. With law.
Lukilian midnight
