Diplomats witness impact of border fighting in Banteay Meanchey

PHNOM PENH, 27 February 2026 (KPT) – Senior diplomats and United Nations representatives have visited communities in north-west Cambodia still cut off months after fighting erupted along the Thai border, the foreign ministry said Saturday.

Led by Acting Foreign Minister Eat Sophea, the delegation travelled on 23 February to Chouk Chey, Prey Chan and Boeung Trakuan in Banteay Meanchey province. The areas were seized by Thai forces during clashes in December.

Although a ceasefire was agreed on 27 December, access to parts of the frontier remains restricted. Barbed wire and shipping containers continue to block roads, including the route to the Boeung Trakuan border checkpoint, about one kilometre from the town centre.

From observation points, diplomats viewed neighbourhoods beyond the barricades. In Boeung Trakuan, they inspected damaged homes, shuttered shops and public buildings scarred by the fighting.

Officials said some structures were destroyed during the clashes, with further demolition reported after the truce.

Nearly 10,000 residents displaced by the violence are sheltering at Chansi and Kandgat pagodas. Rows of makeshift housing have been erected within temple grounds, alongside sanitation facilities and temporary classrooms. Aid agencies say many families remain dependent on food and basic supplies.

Sophea said Cambodia was committed to resolving border issues peacefully and in line with international law and bilateral agreements. She reaffirmed adherence to the joint statement issued after the third Special Meeting of the General Border Committee in late December.

Delegation members expressed hope calm would be fully restored and families could return home, highlighting the role of the ASEAN Observation Team in monitoring the ceasefire and supporting de-escalation.

For residents of the border communities, however, uncertainty persists as negotiations continue and access to their homes remains restricted.