November 19, 2025

The Khmer Movement for Democracy urges a full independent investigation into reports of an assault carried out by Thai soldiers against a group of Cambodian migrant workers attempting to return from Thailand to Cambodia.

The reports state that the men in the group were beaten and robbed by a group of Thai soldiers wearing black uniforms. A young Cambodian woman is reported to have been repeatedly raped by the soldiers.

The attack is reported to have taken place on Saturday 15 November near the border in the Kamrieng district of Battambang province.

We call on the Thai government to co-operate in establishing the full facts of the case. Any person found to have taken part in, encouraged or facilitated the assault must be prosecuted.

The government of Thailand must make it clear that border disputes are with the Cambodian government only, and not the Khmer people. Cambodian migrants in Thailand should not bear the brunt of the disputes between the two countries.

We call on the Thai government to do everything in its power to protect our migrants who have contributed to Thailand’s economy and who seek only to peacefully earn a living.

This assault highlights the particular risks faced by women living, working, or traveling in border regions where a lack of protection leaves them exposed. These risks must be confronted with absolute urgency.

Gang rape is among the most abhorrent, traumatic, and dehumanizing forms which violence can take. The KMD calls for an urgent full, independent, and transparent investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and held to account. We further urge both the Thai and Cambodian authorities to strengthen cross-border protections, improve reporting mechanisms, and ensure that women and girls in vulnerable areas receive protection and support.

The KMD stands firmly with survivors of sexual violence and reiterates that no woman should ever endure such unimaginable brutality. Protecting women is not optional, but a humanitarian imperative.