AOT Visits Poipet Sites Hit by Thai F-16 Strikes
AOT Visits Poipet Sites Hit by Thai F-16 Strikes
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s Liaison Group on Thursday facilitated an on-site visit by the ASEAN Observer Team in Cambodia (AOT-KH) to the Poipet International Border Checkpoint and surrounding civilian areas to observe, verify and report on the situation following the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire.
The visit began at 9:20 a.m. on August 20, with the AOT-KH delegation led by its Head of Mission from the Philippines, according to a statement from Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence.
The Cambodian side said the team inspected civilian locations in Kbal Spean 1 Village, O’Chrov district, Poipet, where businesses and properties had suffered extensive damage and destruction and had yet to fully resume operations.
Cambodia said the affected sites were civilian businesses used for daily livelihoods and alleged that they had been attacked by Thai military forces using F-16 fighter jets in December 2025.
The ministry said another affected location was in Phsar Kandal Village, approximately 8.2 kilometres from the Poipet International Border Checkpoint, which it described as being deep inside Cambodian sovereign territory.
Cambodia has repeatedly called for a stronger on-the-ground role for the ASEAN Observer Team, saying direct field inspections are essential to verifying and ensuring full and effective implementation of the ceasefire.
The ministry said the AOT’s mandate and field activities are based on the December 27, 2025 Joint Statement of the Third Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC), the October 26, 2025 Joint Declaration on the Cambodia-Thailand Peace Agreement, and other relevant agreements.
Cambodia said it fully supports the AOT’s work, describing its field inspections as important for promoting transparency, accountability and mutual trust between the two sides.
The statement’s allegations regarding the December 2025 attacks were presented by Cambodia’s Defence Ministry and were not independently verified in the statement.
