Thailand Frees 18 Cambodian Troops as Fragile Ceasefire Holds

A Quiet Handover on the Border

At dawn on Saturday, the iron gate at Pha Makluea border post creaked open and 18 Cambodian soldiers walked across the yellow-painted line that has divided neighbors for decades. Thai border guards snapped a salute; Cambodian officers replied with a wai. In less than three minutes, the most visible thorn in the ceasefire that ended July’s artillery duel was removed.

Why These Prisoners Mattered

The troops—captured during a brief but lethal clash near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple—had become symbols of a conflict older than the ruins themselves. Their release, negotiated in marathon phone calls between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, signals that both governments want the shooting to stay stopped.

"We are not merely releasing soldiers; we are releasing the possibility of war," Thai Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang told reporters, sweat beading under his campaign cap in the humid border air.

What the Deal Actually Says

• All 18 prisoners will be flown by helicopter to Siem Reap for medical checks before reuniting with families.
• Thailand retains the right to prosecute any future incursions, but agreed to suspend indictments “in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity.”
• Both armies will pull back heavy artillery 5 km from the disputed ridge; joint patrols restart next Monday.

Villagers Who Just Want to Plant Rice

Less than 2 km away, 72-year-old rice farmer Kannika Chuenneta wiped her hands on her sarong and watched the gate close. “Last month I slept in the forest with my water buffalo,” she said. “Tonight I will sleep in my own bed.” Her fields, cratered by 105-mm shells, are already green with new shoots.

What Could Still Go Wrong

Border demarcation along the 800-km frontier remains unresolved; ultra-nationalist groups on both sides have seized on the prisoner release to demand tougher lines. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet warned that “one misread map could undo this goodwill in an instant.”

Next Deadline: Regional Talks in Jakarta

ASEAN foreign ministers meet in Jakarta on 4 October; they hope to convert the fragile ceasefire into a permanent code of conduct. For the soldiers who crossed the yellow line Saturday, the politics are simpler: they are alive, and for the first time in two months, the border was quiet enough to hear cicadas.