Eighteen Cambodian soldiers have returned home after spending more than five months in Thai custody, crossing back into Cambodia early on December 31, following the completion of a 72-hour ceasefire monitoring period.

According to the local KIRIPOST, the soldiers arrived at the Pailin border checkpoint at around 10am, bringing to an end an ordeal that began with their detention by Thai forces in late July during the early days of conflict between the two nations. Footage circulating on social media showed the men entering Cambodian territory clad in flip-flops, with shaved heads shaved, and carrying official documents and identification badges as they walked across the border.

Their repatriation was the result of sustained diplomatic engagement between Phnom Penh and Bangkok, alongside a fragile ceasefire aimed at easing tensions along the frontier. The return prompted scenes of relief and celebration, with crowds gathering near the border and others lining nearby streets, waving Cambodian flags as the soldiers made their way home.

A press release by Cambodia's Ministry of National Defence said at "10:00am on the morning of December 31, 2025, at the Prum International Point of Entry, Pailin Province, 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been detained by the Thai side for 155 days were released and safely returned to the motherland. The release of these soldiers was conducted in accordance with Point 11 of the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand, signed on December 27, 2025. This provision stipulated the release following full compliance with the 72-hour ceasefire, which took effect at 12:00pm noon on December 27, 2025. The return of our 18 soldiers is under the observation of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)."

Local authorities in Battambang province confirmed that all 18 men had safely re-entered the country via the Prum International Border Checkpoint in Pailin province. The Cambodian government had repeatedly pressed for their release, framing the issue as both a humanitarian concern and a matter of international legal obligation.