As of 6:00 p.m. on Jan. 5, more than 400,000 displaced people have returned to their homes with full support from the Royal Government, local authorities, and relevant institutions, said H.E. Pen Bona, Head of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit, at a press briefing today.
He noted that over 200,000 displaced persons remain at safe centres. Authorities are continuing to coordinate their gradual return, with priority given to living conditions, safety, and well-being.
The spokesperson reaffirmed that displaced people have been receiving continuous care and assistance from local authorities and concerned institutions, along with support from national and international charitable individuals and organisations. This assistance, he said, reflects a strong spirit of solidarity during this period of hardship.
According to H.E. Pen Bona, the return of displaced people is one of three major achievements of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting held on Dec. 27, 2025. The other two achievements are the immediate ceasefire that took effect at noon on Dec. 27, and the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers on Dec. 31, 2025, after they were unlawfully detained by the Thai military for 155 days.
The spokesperson added that the next step is to continue border demarcation and the installation of boundary markers, as stipulated in Point 3 of the Joint Statement.
He recalled that Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Border Affairs (SSBA) had previously requested the Thai side to convene a special meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in the first week of January. However, the Thai side requested a postponement, citing the need to complete internal procedures. Consequently, through a Note Verbale dated Jan. 5, 2026, the SSBA has once again requested that the special JBC meeting be convened in the second or third week of January 2026 in Siem Reap province.
