Nearly 89% of displaced Cambodians return home as Cambodia urges peaceful border resolution

PHNOM PENH, Feb 19, 2026 (KPT) – Nearly 89 percent of Cambodians displaced by recent border tensions with Thailand have returned to their communities, the interior ministry said Wednesday, as the government renewed calls for a peaceful settlement through established mechanisms.

In its latest update covering February 17–18, the ministry reported that 3,278 people had gone back, bringing the total reintegrated to about 580,000 out of more than 640,000 initially displaced. Some 71,935 remain uprooted, including nearly 38,000 women and 25,000 children.

Authorities said that despite a ceasefire agreed on December 27 at the third special meeting of the General Border Committee, essential services in several provinces remain suspended. Dozens of schools and hospitals in Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Preah Vihear are still closed, leaving communities struggling to resume normal life.

Phnom Penh reiterated its protest over what it described as continued “dishonest activities” by Thai armed forces, including alleged construction works and deployment of materials in areas Cambodia claims as sovereign territory.

Prime Minister Hun Manet, speaking during a visit to the United States, stressed that the Cambodia–Thailand border is an internationally recognized boundary between two sovereign states. He reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to safeguarding territorial integrity in line with international law.

The government emphasized that disputes must be resolved peacefully through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), urging Thailand to demonstrate goodwill by allowing the body to resume its duties without delay.

Officials said Cambodia remains committed to dialogue and cooperation, but warned it will continue to defend its sovereignty against any encroachment.