CHRC Condemns Thai Military Demolitions of Cambodian’s Civilian Homes
CHRC Condemns Thai Military Demolitions of Cambodian’s Civilian Homes
Phnom Penh, 5 January 2026 — The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has issued a strong public statement condemning the continued military attacks and large-scale destruction of civilian homes and private property by Thai armed forces inside Cambodian territory, in direct violation of the ceasefire agreement concluded at the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee on 27 December 2025.
According to the CHRC, Thai forces have persisted in aggressive operations, including the demolition of civilian housing and cultural infrastructure, as well as the pillaging and confiscation of private property such as motorcycles, tractors, and other civilian assets. These actions have reportedly taken place in several locations within Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, notably in Prey Chan, Chouk Chey, and Boeung Trakuon villages in Banteay Meanchey Province, as well as in areas of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Pursat Provinces.
The Committee stated that this escalation of violence has forcibly displaced thousands of Cambodian families, depriving them of their land, rendering them homeless, and preventing their safe return to their places of habitual residence. Such acts, the CHRC stressed, amount to forced evictions and unjust deprivation of housing and property rights, in clear contradiction to Cambodia’s obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.
The CHRC underscored that the continued illegal occupation of Cambodian territory by Thai armed forces, followed by the destruction of civilian homes and private property, constitutes serious violations of internationally recognized legal instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Hague Convention of 1907, the Geneva Conventions, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all of which protect civilians from unlawful interference with housing and property.
Acting under the guidance and close attention of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipdei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the CHRC submitted an urgent appeal on 5 January 2026 to Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mr. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing.
In its appeal, the CHRC called upon United Nations human rights mechanisms to urgently examine the impact of Thailand’s actions on housing and property rights in Cambodia; engage relevant UN bodies and States to halt forced evictions and demolitions; urge Thailand to withdraw its forces from Cambodian territory and allow the safe and dignified return of displaced civilians; highlight the situation as a serious case of conflict-related housing rights violations; and call on Thailand to provide reparations, including compensation and guarantees of non-repetition, to affected victims.
The CHRC emphasized that the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right and must never be treated as a military target. It warned that the continued absence of timely and effective international action risks deepening humanitarian suffering, eroding confidence in international law, and enabling impunity.
Concluding its statement, the Cambodian Human Rights Committee urgently called on the international community to take immediate, firm, and effective measures to protect Cambodian civilians, halt further acts of aggression, and ensure accountability in accordance with international law, warning that silence in the face of such violations threatens international peace, security, and the credibility of the international legal order.
