On October 10, 2025, around 11:00 a.m., about 100 Thai soldiers entered Prey Chan village (in O’Bei Choan commune, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia). They came with heavy machinery, including bulldozers, and began clearing land. This action involved Thai soldiers conducting land clearing in disputed areas of Cambodia.
The Thai side described this as a demining operation. It involved land-clearing activities. These activities included removing unexploded ordnance and clearing land in a disputed border area.
Cambodian sources contest the move. They say it is a violation of Cambodian sovereignty. It is also contrary to agreements between the two countries. The operation reportedly came after a Thai-imposed deadline (October 10) for Cambodian settlers in the area to evacuate.
The Thai soldiers involved in land clearing have sparked controversy. This action prompted the Cambodian army to send a letter to the Thai forces. They asked them to halt the activity. The letter argued that conducting demining unilaterally violated the spirit of the border-management agreements. This specifically referred to the General Border Committee (GBC). It also mentioned that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for humanitarian demining had not yet been finalized.
Local villagers report that Thai troops have cleared land up to the boundary of their properties. Some families were displaced earlier in August. They say their homes and land are being encroached upon.
The Interim Observer Team (IOT), established under the ceasefire agreements, visited Prey Chan to assess the situation. Thai military statements insist that their operations occurred within territory they regard as Thai sovereign land (i.e., they claim they were not crossing into Cambodian territory). Despite this, the actions of these troops conducting land clearing have been viewed with suspicion in Cambodia.
Cambodian worker unions and civil society groups have condemned the action. They accuse the Thai military of violating Cambodia’s territorial integrity. These actions also breach ceasefire commitments.
This incident belongs to a larger border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. This dispute is ongoing. It is especially sensitive around villages like Prey Chan (Cambodia side) and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo (Thailand side).
Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have been escalating in recent weeks, particularly over disputed border areas. Before this event, Thai forces had installed razor-wire barricades in parts of Prey Chan village. They also issued threats to delay regional border talks. This would happen unless Cambodian villagers were evacuated from these contested zones.
In September 2025, clashes had already occurred. Thai security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets during protests by Cambodian villagers. The protests were against the placement of barbed wire and boundary advances.
Earlier in 2025, a ceasefire was brokered in July after a period of armed clashes. However, tensions and infractions have continued.
The GBC (General Border Committee) and RBC (Regional Border Committee) are bilateral bodies. They are set up to manage disputes. They also coordinate border activities. Cambodia accuses Thailand of acting unilaterally by ignoring agreed SOPs for demining and encroaching on disputed zones. Thai soldiers conducting land clearing without prior agreements exacerbate this issue.
Sovereignty claims: Thailand claims the areas it is working on are within Thai sovereign territory. Cambodia and local villagers claim the lands lie within Cambodian territory. The dispute over exactly where the border lies is unresolved.
Use of force: Some reports mention that Thai troops were “fully armed.” They were deployed with machinery. Force may have been used in other instances. But in this particular incident on October 10, no large violent confrontation is confirmed in the sources I found (i.e., no confirmed deaths).
Legal / agreement violations: Cambodia asserts that the Thai move violates the spirit of the border and demining agreements. It possibly violates the letter of these agreements as well. Certain procedures and mutual protocols had not been fully agreed upon.
Impact on civilians: Villagers claim land encroachment up to their boundaries, displacement, and the threat of losing access to farmland. The move is deeply controversial in the local communities affected, as Thai soldiers conducting land clearing impact their daily lives.
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