Bangkok, December 14th, 2025 – Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating international human rights law by blocking up to 7,000 Thai nationals from returning home from the border town of Poipet, despite a prior agreement to reopen the crossing.
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow stated that Cambodia’s decision to indefinitely postpone the border reopening constitutes a breach of humanitarian principles and international law. “Preventing citizens from returning to their homeland is a fundamental violation of human rights,” he said, adding that Thailand had facilitated the unconditional repatriation of over 7,000 Cambodian nationals earlier in the week.
The dispute centres on the Poipet checkpoint, opposite Thailand’s Khlong Luek crossing in Sa Kaeo province. Cambodian authorities had initially agreed to open the border on Saturday afternoon for a limited period to allow Thai workers – many employed in Poipet’s casinos – to cross back. However, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a influential figure as president of the Senate, announced the suspension of all cross-border movements, citing safety concerns amid ongoing military clashes.
Reports indicate that thousands of Thais gathered at the checkpoint with their belongings, only to be turned away. Cambodian officials cited security risks from escalating hostilities along disputed border areas as the reason for the indefinite closure.
The standoff comes against the backdrop of renewed armed conflict between the two neighbours, which flared up again in December after a brief ceasefire. Clashes have involved artillery, airstrikes, and ground engagements in contested zones, with both sides reporting casualties and accusing the other of aggression.
Thailand maintains it has never restricted Cambodian citizens wishing to return home, positioning the issue as a humanitarian concern separate from the military dispute. Diplomatic efforts continue, with negotiations ongoing to resolve the civilian repatriation impasse.
International observers are monitoring the situation closely, as the border closure disrupts lives and trade in a region already strained by longstanding territorial disputes.
