AKP Phnom Penh, September 4, 2026 --

Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra on Sept. 4 highlighted a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on the situation of Cambodian civilians displaced by the Cambodia-Thailand conflict, particularly those who remain unable to return to their homes.

In a social media post, H.E. Neth Pheaktra said AFP had published a report entitled “‘I miss my home’: Cambodians displaced by conflict start over,” (https://www.yahoo.com/.../miss-home-cambodians-displaced...) following coverage of the Cambodia-Thailand border situation by other major French media outlets, including Le Monde, Libération and Le Figaro.

He said the AFP report highlighted the hardships faced by Cambodian displaced people who continue to dream of returning home.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra quoted 39-year-old Keo Sotheary, from Boeung Trakuon village, as telling AFP tearfully, “Thailand took my house. I don’t want to talk about it. When I talk about it, I can’t hold back my tears.”

Another displaced resident, 48-year-old Im Chreb, said she still missed her home because everything she had built over the past 20 or 30 years remained there. She described the Thai soldiers controlling the area as “thieves,” according to the Minister’s summary of the AFP report.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra said AFP reported that more than 20,000 Cambodian civilians remained unable to return to their homes because Thai forces controlled the areas where they had previously lived.

The Minister also cited AFP’s observation that the road leading to Boeung Trakuon village had been blocked by containers and barbed wire installed by Thai forces.

Despite the Royal Government of Cambodia’s construction of “waiting villages” and more than 3,000 new houses to provide proper shelter for displaced families, H.E. Neth Pheaktra stressed that new homes could provide accommodation but could not replace the homes to which the displaced people wished to return.

Citing UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, who spoke to AFP, the Minister reiterated that the displaced civilians “have the right to return to their homes.”

H.E. Neth Pheaktra said AFP’s report was expected to be republished by media outlets around the world, drawing further international attention to the situation of Cambodian civilians who remain displaced and unable to return home.
 

By C. Nika