Thailand Disputes UN Expert's Account of Cambodia Conflict

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to a recent statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, saying it wished to clarify several points related to the Thailand-Cambodia conflict.

In a statement released after Tom Andrews concluded his visit to Cambodia, the ministry said Thailand did not initiate the conflict and claimed the situation resulted from "indiscriminate attacks" by Cambodia targeting civilian areas in Thailand.

Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, highlighted the humanitarian impact of the conflict in his end-of-mission statement on 31 July, including displacement, the return of Cambodian migrant workers from Thailand and economic disruption caused by border closures.

Regarding the UN expert's reference to around 650,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Cambodia, Thailand said the figure included some Cambodians living in areas where Thailand had opened temporary shelters as part of humanitarian assistance in the late 1970s. The ministry said those individuals remained in the areas despite improvements in their situation and repeated requests from Thailand for their return to Cambodia. Thailand argued that they should not be classified as internally displaced persons.

"Thailand is of the view that the right of return should not be exploited for political purposes or propaganda," the statement said, while stressing that Cambodia has a responsibility to provide protection and assistance to citizens affected by internal displacement.

On the return of Cambodian migrant workers, the ministry disputed Andrews' figure of 900,000 people, saying the number included both legally employed workers and those who had entered or worked in Thailand illegally. Thailand said Cambodian workers returned voluntarily following calls from the Cambodian government and rejected any suggestion that it had a policy of expelling migrant workers.

"The Thai Government has always stated its commitment to ensuring the safety of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand and has never had a policy to expel these migrant workers from the country," the statement said.

The ministry also urged UN human rights mechanisms to uphold independence, impartiality and objectivity, saying assessments should take into account information from credible and verifiable sources as well as perspectives from all sides. Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to human rights and international humanitarian law, saying it has consistently cooperated with UN human rights mechanisms and provided relevant information on the situation.

The statement said Thailand remains ready to rebuild relations with Cambodia but stressed that both sides must create conditions for dialogue by reducing tensions, avoiding provocative actions and implementing the Joint Statement issued on 27 December 2025. Thailand said border-related issues should continue to be addressed through peaceful means and existing bilateral mechanisms.