Thai man confirms crossing into Cambodia while foraging

SURIN — Thailand's Second Army Region has confirmed that Yot Sainoi, a Thai villager detained by Cambodian soldiers near the border last month, accidentally crossed into Cambodian territory while searching for forest products.

The Suranaree Task Force under the Second Army Region assigned a military unit to inspect the route and location where Yot was detained south of Chong Ta Liang border crossing in Kap Choeng district, Surin province.

The inquiry was launched after social media posts claimed that Cambodian soldiers had crossed into Thailand and arrested someone on Thai soil, causing public confusion. A field inspection led by Col. Thanin Domhom, commander of Task Force 2, along with Col. Kittisak Bangphimai and Col. Nitikon Sirikham, retraced the route on foot with Yot and his 21-year-old son in front of reporters to verify the facts publicly.

Yot said he had wandered across the border while foraging and was detained by Cambodian authorities on April 15, 2026. He was released and returned to Thailand on May 15, 2026 following coordination between Thailand's Second Army Region and Cambodia's Regional Military Region 4.

Inspection findings showed that Yot had crossed barbed-wire barriers and Thai military positions before entering Cambodian territory, having traveled approximately 5 kilometers from where he parked his motorcycle. Yot initially was uncertain whether he had crossed the border, but after military officials showed him boundary markers, maps, and the route, he acknowledged he had inadvertently entered Cambodia.

Yot expressed gratitude to Thai authorities for securing his safe return and cautioned local residents gathering forest products near the border to be more careful. Military officials announced plans to install additional barbed-wire fencing along the border to prevent similar incidents and enhance public safety in the area.