Thailand has released eighteen Cambodian soldiers who had been detained since July, marking a pivotal step in consolidating a recently agreed ceasefire between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.

The repatriation, carried out on December 31 at a border crossing, came after a truce that began at midday on December 27 held for more than seventy-two hours, fulfilling a key condition tied to the cessation of hostilities.

Representatives from both governments confirmed the return of the soldiers to Cambodian territory and described the act as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building between the capitals.

The ceasefire followed nearly three weeks of intense border clashes that erupted earlier in December, reigniting long-standing tensions over competing territorial claims and historical grievances along the roughly eight-hundred-kilometre frontier.

The conflict involved heavy artillery, airstrikes, and infantry engagements that left at least one hundred and one people dead and displaced more than half a million civilians on both sides of the border.

The recent truce was brokered after months of violence and diplomatic efforts involving regional partners aimed at ending the fighting and stabilising the frontier.

Although the handover of the eighteen soldiers was initially delayed by diplomatic tensions over alleged ceasefire violations, observers noted that adherence to the seventy-two-hour peace period ultimately enabled the repatriation to proceed.

The International Committee of the Red Cross supervised the transfer at the border checkpoint, underscoring the humanitarian dimension of the exchange and the importance of international oversight in such arrangements.

Officials in both capitals expressed hope that the release would reinforce the fragile truce and create momentum for more sustained peace talks.

The repatriated soldiers had been held since their capture in July during an earlier phase of border hostilities tied to disputes over colonial-era maps and control of border territories.

Their release had been a central Cambodian demand in negotiations leading up to the latest ceasefire.

Thai authorities said the detainees were treated in accordance with international humanitarian law during their custody.

With the soldiers now returned to Cambodia, attention is expected to shift toward implementing other ceasefire commitments, including broader de-escalation measures and confidence-building steps aimed at preventing future eruptions along the disputed frontier.