The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement rebutting the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, stating that the report contains inaccurate information. It reaffirmed that the origin of the conflict did not lie with Thailand, but with Cambodia's indiscriminate attacks on Thai civilian areas, while also refuting the figures on displaced persons and Cambodian workers cited in the report. It stressed that UN mechanisms must uphold the principles of independence, impartiality, and openness to information from all parties.
On 1 August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in response to the End of Mission Statement by Mr. Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, following his official visit to Cambodia from 20 to 31 July 2026, in which references were made to Thailand in the context of the Thai–Cambodian border situation.
The statement noted that Thailand acknowledges the Special Rapporteur's observations, but wishes to reaffirm that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia was not initiated by Thailand, but arose from indiscriminate attacks by Cambodia targeting civilian areas in Thailand, resulting in multidimensional impacts.
The Thai government also contested the figure of 650,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) cited by the Special Rapporteur as being located in Cambodia, noting that some of those individuals are Cambodians who had resided in temporary shelter areas that Thailand opened in the late 1970s as part of its humanitarian assistance. After the situation stabilised, however, those individuals did not leave the areas, despite Thailand having lodged protests with the Cambodian government on multiple occasions. They are therefore considered to have encroached upon Thai territory and do not meet the internationally recognised definition of internally displaced persons.
The Thai government stressed that the right of return should not be exploited as a political tool or for propaganda purposes, and stated that the Cambodian government bears direct responsibility for the care and protection of its own citizens affected by the conflict, ensuring their rights to life and safety, as well as access to adequate shelter, food, clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and an adequate standard of living, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Regarding the 900,000 Cambodian workers that the Special Rapporteur claimed had returned from Thailand, Thailand clarified that those workers comprised both legally employed persons and undocumented workers, and that all had returned voluntarily following a call by the Cambodian government to return home. Thailand reaffirmed that it has never had a policy of expelling or deporting Cambodian workers from the country, and has consistently prioritised their safety while working in Thailand.
The Thai government also reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as compliance with international humanitarian law, noting that Thailand has continuously cooperated with the special procedures mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council and has formally submitted its clarifications to those mechanisms on record.
Thailand further called on the UN Special Rapporteur mechanism to uphold the principles of independence, impartiality, and objectivity; to consider information from credible and verifiable sources; and to take into full and comprehensive account the facts and perspectives of all parties concerned, so that human rights assessments may be conducted in a balanced manner consistent with the mandate of the special mechanisms.
At the close of the statement, Thailand affirmed its readiness to move forward and restore relations with Cambodia, but noted that this requires genuine and sincere cooperation from the Cambodian side, including strict adherence to the Joint Statement of 27 December 2025, reduction of provocations and mutual accusations, and the joint cultivation of an atmosphere of trust, in order to open the path towards peaceful resolution of border security issues through bilateral mechanisms on an ongoing basis.
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Full Statement: Regarding the Statement by Mr. Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Cambodia
In light of news reports concerning the End of Mission Statement issued following the official visit to Cambodia by Mr. Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, from 20 to 31 July 2026, in which references were made to Thailand in the context of the Thai–Cambodian situation:
1. Thailand acknowledges the said statement, and wishes to reiterate once again that the conflict between the two countries that has led to various consequences was not a conflict initiated by Thailand, but arose from attacks on civilian targets in Thailand by Cambodia.
2. Regarding the Special Rapporteur's claim that there are 650,000 Cambodian internally displaced persons (IDPs), Thailand wishes to clarify that, in reality, a portion of those cited are Cambodians who resided in areas that Thailand had previously opened as temporary shelter zones in the late 1970s, as an act of humanitarian assistance by Thailand. However, after the situation had stabilised, those individuals did not vacate the areas, despite Thailand having lodged protests with the Cambodian side on multiple occasions. They are therefore considered to be persons who have encroached upon Thai territory and do not fall within the definition of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
3. Thailand is of the view that the issue of the right of return should not be instrumentalised for political gain or used for propaganda purposes in a manner that prioritises such interests over genuine humanitarian considerations. The Cambodian government bears responsibility for the care and protection of its own citizens affected by the conflict who have been displaced within Cambodia, both in terms of their rights to life and safety, and in ensuring that those individuals — particularly vulnerable groups — have access to adequate shelter, an adequate standard of living, food, clean water, sanitation, and essential healthcare services.
4. Regarding the Cambodian workers who returned from Thailand, whom the Special Rapporteur claimed numbered 900,000, Thailand wishes to clarify that the Cambodian workers who returned to their country following the emergence of the Thai–Cambodian border dispute comprised both those who had been authorised to work legally and those who had entered to work without documentation. Those workers returned to Cambodia voluntarily, following an invitation by the Cambodian government. The Thai government has consistently pledged its commitment to the safety and welfare of Cambodian workers in Thailand, and has never had any policy of expelling Cambodian workers from the country.
5. Thailand reiterates that it attaches the utmost importance to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as to respect for international humanitarian law. Thailand has continuously cooperated with special mechanisms under the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), and has submitted clarifications on this matter to those mechanisms, which have been formally placed on record, consistent with Thailand's commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights in accordance with its international obligations.
6. Thailand is of the view that special mechanisms under the UN Human Rights Council should uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity, and consideration of information from credible and verifiable sources, while also taking full and comprehensive account of the facts and perspectives of all parties concerned, in order to ensure that assessments of the human rights situation are conducted in a balanced manner and are truly consistent with the mandate of the special mechanisms.
7. Thailand is prepared to look forward and restore relations with Cambodia. Nevertheless, this endeavour requires genuine and sincere engagement from the Cambodian side, including working together to create an atmosphere conducive to the restoration of relations through strict adherence to the Joint Statement of 27 December 2025, as well as de-escalation and the refraining from actions or accusations that are provocative and may give rise to misunderstandings or erode mutual trust, so as to open the path towards the peaceful resolution of border security-related issues through bilateral mechanisms going forward.
