Cambodia urges Thailand to act after soldiers accused of assaulting migrant worker

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Nov.19,2025) — Cambodia has called on Thailand to take “immediate and decisive” action after accusing members of the Thai armed forces of extorting money from Cambodian migrant workers and allegedly gang-raping a young Cambodian woman near the border.​

In a statement Tuesday, Cambodia’s Interior Ministry said at least seven Thai soldiers threatened a group of Cambodian workers at gunpoint on Nov. 15 as they prepared to cross from Thailand’s Chon Buri province into Cambodia’s Battambang province.

The ministry said the soldiers allegedly separated a young woman from the group, led her into a wooded area and raped her, describing the incident as a “heinous and profoundly inhumane crime.”

Thai authorities have not publicly commented on the allegations, and the claims have not been independently verified.

Cambodia said the actions, if confirmed, would violate Thai law as well as international human rights standards, including U.N. conventions protecting women and migrant workers. Phnom Penh urged Thailand to arrest the alleged perpetrators and ensure they face justice.

The ministry also called on the international community to monitor developments and encourage Thai authorities to conduct a transparent investigation. It appealed to the Thai public “not to be misled” by suggestions that the incident was fabricated, saying such claims were being spread by extremist groups.

Cambodian officials advised citizens working in Thailand to use official border checkpoints when returning home and to inform relatives or authorities of their travel plans to reduce the risk of similar incidents.