Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims made by Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, following his visit to the country from July 20 to 31.
In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry maintained that Thailand had not initiated the border conflict, which it said stemmed from indiscriminate Cambodian attacks on civilian communities inside Thai territory.
The ministry challenged Mr Andrews’ claim that approximately 650,000 Cambodians had been displaced by the fighting. It said the total appeared to include Cambodian nationals who had been permitted to remain in temporary shelters in Thailand under humanitarian programmes dating back to the late 1970s.
According to the statement, many of those individuals had not returned to Cambodia despite repeated requests from Thai authorities. The ministry therefore argued that they did not meet the recognised definition of internally displaced persons, or IDPs.
It added that the Cambodian government was responsible for protecting and supporting its citizens affected by the conflict, including providing adequate shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare.
Thailand Disputes Migrant Worker Estimate
The ministry also questioned Mr Andrews’ assertion that about 900,000 Cambodian migrant workers had returned home from Thailand since the latest border tensions began.
Thai authorities said the figure covered both documented and undocumented workers who had voluntarily returned following appeals from the Cambodian government.
The ministry insisted that Thailand had never introduced a policy of expelling Cambodian workers and said the government remained committed to ensuring their safety and welfare.
Bangkok also reaffirmed its support for human rights and international humanitarian law, noting that it had cooperated with the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and submitted formal explanations that had been placed on record.
The ministry said UN special procedures must follow the principles of independence, impartiality and objectivity while considering information from “credible and verifiable sources, as well as facts and perspectives from all sides in a comprehensive and fair manner”.
“This is essential to ensuring that human rights assessments are balanced and consistent with the mandates of the Special Procedures,” the statement said.
Rapporteur Calls for Civilian Returns
Mr Andrews released his end-of-mission statement on Friday after completing a 12-day visit to Cambodia, during which he travelled to communities affected by last year’s border clashes.
He said around 650,000 Cambodian civilians had been displaced during the fighting and that more than 20,000 remained unable to return home.
Some displaced residents told the rapporteur that they could not return because Thai troops were occupying their towns and villages.
Mr Andrews called on the Thai and Cambodian governments to cooperate in facilitating the safe return of displaced civilians, stressing that people forced from their homes by armed conflict have the right to return under international law.
Thailand has repeatedly denied occupying Cambodian territory and maintains that its military actions are consistent with the bilateral ceasefire agreement reached on December 27, 2025.
The ministry urged both governments to fully implement the December 27 joint statement, ease tensions and avoid allegations or actions that could weaken mutual trust.
It said sustained cooperation would support efforts to resolve outstanding border disputes through established bilateral mechanisms.
