Bangkok: The Royal Thai Army has opened the area for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit Cambodian prisoners of war, following international procedures and confirming strict adherence to international humanitarian principles.
According to Thai News Agency, on August 5, 2015, the Royal Thai Army, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, facilitated a group of officials from the Regional Office of the ICRC in Bangkok to visit 18 Cambodian prisoners of war at a detention facility in the area of responsibility of the Second Army Area.
The ICRC is the international humanitarian agency responsible for prisoners of war matters. It operates in accordance with international standards, with impartiality, and is internationally recognized. This visit followed normal ICRC procedures and was not conducted in response to any alleged Cambodian requests. The purpose of the visit was to learn about the prisoners’ living conditions and provide a means of communication with their families. It also reflects Thailand’s respect for and commitment to strict adherence to international humanitarian principles, particularly its obligations under the 1949 Geneva Conventions, to which Thailand is a party. The visit also emphasizes transparency in its operations and the treatment of POWs with human dignity, in accordance with relevant international standards and practices.
On this occasion, the Royal Thai Army provided ICRC officials with the opportunity to meet and talk with prisoners of war freely without time restrictions, and arranged for medical examinations to confirm that there was no torture or inappropriate treatment, as claimed in some media outlets, which are completely untrue.
In addition, the Royal Thai Army held a briefing for the ICRC on the sequence of events leading to the detention of Cambodian personnel as prisoners of war, as well as measures for the care, treatment and repatriation of injured and mentally ill prisoners of war on 1 August 2025.
The Army confirmed that all 18 Cambodian prisoners of war are in good health and none have been injured. They are receiving proper care, including three full meals a day, safe and hygienic accommodation, and close supervision by local doctors.
The Royal Thai Army strictly followed ICRC procedures by not allowing the Thai delegation and the media to observe the meeting with the prisoners of war, demonstrating the transparency and cooperation between Thailand and international humanitarian organizations.