PREAH VIHEAR, July 31 (SBM News) - The military incident, 20 Cambodian soldiers were ambushed, captured, and killed by invading Thai's forces at the Ta Thaw and Chumte border checkpoints at Preah Vihear province, has caused a great shock among Cambodian citizens nationwide. Regarding this incident, one Cambodian soldier among those ambushed and captured by Thailand's aggressor managed to escape by pretending to be dead, fooling the Thai's invading enemy.
According to Major General Chan Sopheaktra, Commander of the Preah Vihear Operational Military Area, who confirmed the Thai invading military's shameful aggression to 13 foreign military attaches who came to inspect the border on July 30, 2025 that after the ceasefire order took effect, the Cambodian military implemented the directive from leadership – specifically, not to open fire and to maintain their positions in occupied areas. However, on the morning of July 29, 2025, a group of approximately 25 to 30 Thai soldiers, accompanied by one armored vehicle, advanced into the Cambodian military's position. This prompted forced Cambodian troop's to request engagement orders. Nevertheless, the leaders maintained the principle of not allowing firing. Consequently, the Cambodian military had no choice and withdrawals of fearing armed eruption.
However, the Thailand's invading forces used a deceptive trick by waving their hands, calling the Cambodian soldiers to return for negotiations. Unaware of the trap, the Cambodian soldiers went up to meet them. Meanwhile, Thailand's invading enemy soldiers had already hidden troops in the forest, lying in ambush, and suddenly emerged to raise up the guns and capture the Cambodian soldiers outright. one Cambodian soldier wounded by a Thai soldier's blasted the bomb, then pretended to be dead to deceive the enemy. Luckily, he escaped to find a safe zone, while another soldier also managed to escape safely as well.
Mr. Pech Sopha, called Sok, a Cambodian soldier who escaped from death, is currently receiving treatment at Health Center, Chaeb District. He confirmed to SBM News via telephone that the leaked images on social media since yesterday, July 29, showing two Cambodian soldiers lying dead on the ground near invading Thailand's soldiers were the real images of himself. He was extremely fortunate, after being wounded and pretended to be dead and managed to secretly escape.
To confirm that Cambodia and Thailand reached an unconditional agreement for an immediate ceasefire during meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the afternoon of July 28, 2025. In this special meeting, the Cambodian delegation was led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, while the Thai delegation was headed by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. The meeting was mediated by Malaysia Prime Minister and ASEAN Chair Anwar Ibrahim, with representatives co-organized from the United States and China as observers and mediators. However, Thailand's aggressor ignored the ceasefire agreement. On July 29, its invading forces employed and used tactics to ambush and capture Cambodian soldiers, carrying out extremely savage killings.
