October 29, 2025
PHNOM PENH – Despite the expectations of US President Donald Trump and senior US Department of State officials that Thailand would release 18 captured Cambodian soldiers immediately, the Thai government has set conditions for their release, most notably the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the border.
During the October 26 signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement, Trump stated that the agreement would lead to the release of all 18 Cambodian soldiers. Additionally, a senior US state department official was quoted by Reuters as expecting the release to be “immediate”.
“Our expectation is that the process, with respect to all of the commitments, begin as soon as they were signed,” said a state department official, on condition of anonymity, according to Reuters.
During the first bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Hun Manet and his Thai counterpart, Anutin Charnvirakul, on October 28 in Malaysia, Manet reiterated Cambodia’s commitment to fully respecting the agreement and renewed his calls for the release of the captured soldiers, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
“On this occasion, Prime Minister Hun Manet reiterated his appeal for the swift release of 18 Cambodian soldiers, both on humanitarian grounds and as agreed in the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement,” said the release.
However, Anutin announced that the release process will only begin once there was progress in implementing certain conditions, especially the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the border, according to Thai government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat.
Siripong stated after the meeting that the Thai and Cambodian leaders discussed the withdrawal of heavy weapons, which began immediately on October 26.
“The prime minister emphasised to his Cambodian counterpart that ‘the withdrawal of weapons should not be just symbolic, but must be speedily expedited in a concrete and serious manner. This is so that Thailand can return the 18 Cambodian soldiers in its custody to Cambodia’,” Siripong said, according to a Thai government website.
On the night of October 26, Cambodia began the first phase of withdrawing heavy weapons from the border area, with main battle tanks loaded on trucks and returned to their base in Siem reap. The withdrawal was verified by the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).