Phnom penh: A delegation of Asian journalists has concluded a five-day mission to the Cambodia-Thailand border, collecting firsthand accounts and evidence of the conflict's impact on civilian populations. The team, composed of reporters from China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, visited multiple provinces to document the situation on the ground.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the mission was initiated to counter what some officials and locals described as biased reports from foreign media outlets that had previously accused Cambodian forces of initiating hostilities. The journalists' on-site investigation sought to provide a comprehensive and factual account of the conflict, which began on May 28, 2025.
On the first day of their mission, the journalists travelled from Siem Reap to a camp for displaced persons at Wat Po 5000 in Preah Vihear province. They observed the daily lives of families who fled recent armed clashes and interviewed both local authorities and displaced civilians.
The delegation's second day focused on Oddar Meanchey province, where they inspected sites hit by Thai shelling. In Pa Ong village, they documented damage to homes, shelters, and a fuel station caused by 105mm, 127mm, and 155mm artillery. In Thmar Daun village, the team saw the remains of a massive MK-84 bomb, weighing over a tonne, which was reportedly dropped by a Thai F-16 fighter jet on a residential area.
The journalists also visited a sacred Buddhist site, Wat Tamone Sen Chey, which was destroyed by bombardment. The attack tragically killed a clergyman when the temple's hall collapsed. The team also inspected a nearby health centre, a school, and a temporary shelter that were all damaged in the fighting.
During the visit, H.E. Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), briefed the journalists on the threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and chemical residues, outlining the organisation's clearance efforts.
The delegation's mission also brought them to Banteay Meanchey province, where they documented alleged Thai violations that have occurred even after the official ceasefire of July 28, 2025.
H.E. Oum Reatrey, Governor of Banteay Meanchey, welcomed the journalists and presented evidence of these violations. The governor highlighted multiple incidents, including the forced expulsion of Cambodian villagers from their homes. He stated that on Aug. 25, Thai soldiers attempted to seize sugar cane plantations but retreated after peaceful resistance from local residents.
The governor further detailed two other incidents: On Aug. 12, six families (22 people in total, including elders, women, and children) from Chork Chey village were prevented from returning home after the ceasefire and remain displaced; On Aug. 13, six families in Prey Chan village were forcibly evicted from their homes and farms. Six additional families lost their agricultural plots.
These actions, the governor asserted, directly violate the outcomes of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) meeting held in Malaysia from Aug. 4-7, 2025, which aimed to reaffirm the ceasefire and resume dialogue.
The five-day armed clashes have displaced more than 50,000 Cambodian families, nearly 200,000 people, most of whom are women, children, the elderly, and those with disabilities. They are currently sheltering in 185 safe zones across the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Siem Reap, and Pursat.