AKP Phnom Penh, December 11, 2025 --

More than 1,000 Cambodian nationals—a mix of migrant workers and traders—returned home swiftly across the border from Thailand late Wednesday, fleeing the adjacent Rong Kluea Market due to heightened tensions in the border area. 

The mass repatriation through the Poipet International Border Checkpoint was carried out with extensive logistical support and coordination from Cambodian authorities.

Banteay Meanchey Provincial Governor H.E. Oum Reatrey confirmed the large-scale movement, noting the group was granted permission to leave Thailand and safely re-enter Cambodia without incident. The returnees also included several individuals previously held in Thai detention facilities.

Governor Oum Reatrey asserted that the safe and rapid repatriation underscored the firm commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia, led by Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, to protect the welfare of its citizens working abroad.

“The Royal Government of Cambodia and its authorities at all levels place the highest priority on the safety and well-being of our people, especially our migrant workers,” H.E. Oum Reatrey said in a statement. “This situation at Rong Kluea Market demonstrates our consistent efforts and effective coordination with Thai counterparts to ensure an orderly, rapid, and safe return for our citizens.”

Security forces and relevant government agencies were deployed at the Poipet checkpoint to receive the returnees, immediately providing travel assistance, transportation, and necessary health screenings.

Many of the returning citizens expressed gratitude and relief upon their arrival back on Cambodian soil. Sokhom, a trader who had worked at Rong Kluea Market for an extended period, thanked the Royal Government for its intervention.

“I truly thank Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, the Prime Minister, and the Banteay Meanchey authorities for helping us return home safely,” she said. “I feel warmth and security now that I am back in my homeland.”

The successful repatriation of over 1,000 citizens reinforces the Royal Government’s sense of responsibility and commitment to the safety and welfare of its diaspora.

Article in Khmer by Chhun Sarath
Article in English By K. Rithy Reak