The chairman of the ruling party, Hun Sen, stated that only 8 hours after the ceasefire agreement took effect on July 29, the Thai military crossed the border and raided Cambodian positions, abducting 20 Cambodian soldiers. As of August 4, 18 people have not been returned. Hun Sen angrily asked, "Why haven't they released them yet? What exactly is Thailand's calculation?"
He pointed out that the actions of the Thai military seriously violated the bilateral ceasefire agreement, which explicitly prohibits armed actions and troop movements, yet the Thai military forcibly took away Cambodian soldiers, constituting a serious breach of contract.
Hun Sen said that as of this morning (August 4), Thailand has still not released the remaining 18 people, making Cambodia highly vigilant about the intentions behind this. He has consulted with Prime Minister Hun Manet and decided to formally request the International Red Cross to intervene, promoting humanitarian aid and negotiations.
It is reported that the 20 abducted soldiers were in good physical and mental health and capable of combat before being captured.
However, the Thai military released two of them on August 1, shocking the Cambodian side. One of the released soldiers is physically disabled, and the other is mentally broken, suspected of having suffered abuse and personal humiliation, which Cambodia has expressed serious concern about.
Hun Sen also stated that to prevent the Thai military from launching a new round of military provocations, he sat up all night on August 3 to closely monitor the situation and continued to deploy defenses this morning to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
The commander of the "Zunde" war zone in Preah Vihear detailed the incident process to the diplomats and defense representatives of 13 countries stationed in Cambodia on July 30. He said that the Thai military first gestured friendly to the Cambodian military, inviting them to approach for a chat. Initially, 5 to 6 Cambodian soldiers made contact, and then they were invited to take a commemorative photo. When nearly 20 soldiers gathered, armed Thai soldiers suddenly rushed out from the woods and surrounded the Cambodian troops, with only one managing to escape.
According to a report by "Khaosod English" on August 4, the Thai Army stated that the 18 Cambodian soldiers still in custody have been defined as "prisoners of war" under the Geneva Conventions, emphasizing that it is a humanitarian detention, not punitive. The Thai side stated that they will be released after the conflict is completely resolved.
The report also mentioned that the Thai military transferred two injured soldiers on August 1, and the remaining 18 are being guarded by the Second Military Region.
Hun Sen spoke again on August 4, reiterating that the Thai military's action of raiding across the border and abducting 20 soldiers after the agreement took effect was highly inappropriate, and their continued detention raises questions about their real motives.
He sternly pointed out that according to the agreement, both sides committed to a complete ceasefire and no troop movements, and Thailand's actions are tantamount to openly tearing up the agreement. Hun Sen has also consulted with Prime Minister Hun Manet, requesting the International Red Cross to urge Thailand to fulfill its obligations.
The Cambodian side emphasized that the condition of the two soldiers returned on August 1 is worrying, one being severely injured and disabled, and the other extremely unstable emotionally, suspected of being abused.
According to the "Zunde" commander, on the day of July 29, the Thai military set a trap under the guise of taking a photo, eventually surrounding 20 Cambodian soldiers with arms, with only one successfully escaping.
