Over 20,000 Cambodians remain displaced after clashes with Thailand — UN

Phnom Penh, Cambodia — More than 20,000 Cambodian civilians remain displaced along the country’s border with Thailand following fresh clashes between the neighboring states in 2025, a United Nations special rapporteur said on Friday. Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, told a press conference in Phnom Penh that by the end of last year roughly 650,000 people had been displaced from border areas, and a significant number have still not returned home.
Andrews said he spoke to people who have been unable to return because their villages and towns are now under control of Thai forces. “It is a matter of international law that those displaced by armed conflict have the right to return to their homes,” he said, urging both countries to cooperate to expedite safe and voluntary returns.
Background: Dozens were killed and tens of thousands displaced during the 2025 clashes. An October signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur — attended by US President Donald Trump and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — produced a peace agreement, yet tensions along the border persist. Cambodia has accused Thailand of seizing parts of its territory; Bangkok denies illegal incursions and says it is acting in line with the ceasefire. Thailand has called for direct talks with Phnom Penh, while its military says permanent border fences will be built only in appropriate areas to avoid future disputes.
Andrews warned that border crossings remain suspended, severely affecting Cambodia’s economy and border communities that rely on agricultural and other cross-border trade, education, health care and services. He also highlighted the government’s crackdown on cyber fraud, saying authorities closed more than 600 scam centers last year and that criminal proceedings involve roughly 3,000 people. Around 29 casino licenses have reportedly been revoked or suspended.
He added that he raised two particular concerns with officials: prosecutions of senior Cambodian officials and influential figures credibly linked to cyber fraud, and the dangerous situation faced by individuals released from scam operations. Andrews concluded a 12-day visit to Cambodia on Friday after touring affected border areas. There was no immediate response from Thai authorities to his comments.