After five long months apart, the streets of Phnom Penh transformed into rivers of emotion and national pride. On this New Year’s Eve afternoon, thousands of Cambodians gathered to welcome the 18 soldiers who had just returned from detention in Thailand — a moment that, beyond collective relief, also raises deep questions about the future of relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

After months of tension and intense diplomatic efforts, 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand were finally released and welcomed home, a historic moment that has generated a powerful sense of relief and renewed hope among Cambodians nationwide.

Thailand has finally released 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during intense border clashes in July 2025, marking a pivotal step toward de-escalating longstanding tensions between the two nations. This humanitarian gesture comes after months of diplomatic wrangling, fragile ceasefires, and mutual accusations, bringing relief to families and easing regional anxieties.

The July 2025 Cambodia-Thailand border conflict marked a structural discontinuity in Cambodia's tourism economy, far beyond a cyclical downturn. Thai arrivals plummeted 90.9% in November, confirming the near-total loss of the country's largest land-dependent source market amid physical closures and confidence suppression.

As of this evening, Thailand has still not released the 18 Cambodian soldiers captured on July 29 during border clashes, despite the expiration of the 72-hour ceasefire stipulated in the bilateral agreement signed on December 27.

Le gouvernement cambodgien se prépare à accueillir, dès demain midi, les 18 soldats cambodgiens détenus depuis plus de cinq mois par l’armée thaïlandaise, a confirmé le vice-Premier ministre et ministre des Affaires étrangères et de la Coopération internationale, H.E. Prak Sokhonn.

In the steep cliffs of the Dangrek Mountains in Preah Vihear province in northern Cambodia, there is far more than an ancient Khmer temple listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beneath its rugged terrain, deposits of gold, iron, copper, and precious stones have fueled decades of desire and tension.

Following the success of the initial exhibitions in Phnom Penh, the wave of solidarity continues. From January 10th to 12th, the prestigious Knaï Bang Chatt / Kep West will host an exceptional charity auction. The goal: to support artist Khun Vannak’s battle against cancer and provide aid to refugees.

The 28th of December holds a singular place in the Cambodian calendar. Much more than a day of commemoration, it embodies a decisive turning point in the recent history of the kingdom: the return to peace, the end of an era of fratricidal fighting, and the reconstruction of a wounded nation.

The Thailand and Cambodia signed an immediate cease-fire on December 27, 2025 along their contested border, bringing a provisional end to three weeks of bloody confrontations that left at least 47 dead and nearly a million civilians displaced on both sides.

In a context of deteriorating humanitarian conditions linked to the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, Pung Kheav Se, founder and CEO of Canadia Group, along with its two principal entities, Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation (OCIC) and Canadia Investment Holding (CIH), made a donation of 3 million dollars intended to support personnel operating in border areas and displaced civilians in seven affected provinces.

With over twenty years of experience in tourism and gastronomy development, Arnaud Darc has been observing from Phnom Penh the evolution of a sector vital to the national economy. In his analysis of 2025, he makes a clear assessment: Cambodian tourism hasn’t undergone a collapse, but a brutal exposure of its structural fragilities.

Into the Light: The Retrieved Paintings of Phnom Penh’s Silver Pagoda — the exhibition at the Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of the Economy and Money (SOSORO) of the National Bank of Cambodia — is shining with remarkable success.

For a long weekend, we decided to discover Koh Rong Sanloem, one of the last Cambodian islands in the Gulf of Thailand that we had not yet visited. We had heard many positive reports, particularly about the quality of its beaches, the purity of its waters, and the beauty of its landscapes.

Christmas originated as a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, believed to be the Son of God and Savior in Christian faith. The date of December 25 was chosen to coincide with Roman pagan winter solstice festivals, allowing early Christians to integrate their celebration with existing cultural practices.

Thai forces intensified their military operations on Monday, December 22, by penetrating deep into Cambodian territory with F-16 fighter jets, bombing civilian sectors in the provinces of Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, and Banteay Meanchey.

A special meeting of the ASEAN foreign ministers, urgently convened on 22 December 2025 in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysian presidency, once again exposed the glaring weaknesses of regional consensus in the face of a border conflict that has already displaced more than 900,000 people and caused dozens of casualties on both sides.

For this festive season, Topaz is turning up the warmth and sparkle with a programme that puts live jazz back at the heart of Phnom Penh’s dining scene. Drawing on some of the city’s most respected performers, the restaurant is curating evenings where refined French cuisine meets soulful, improvisation‑rich music.

Communities of the Cambodian diaspora from Paris to Montréal, Sydney, Long Beach and Seoul have mobilized with unprecedented fervor in response to the escalating military actions by Thailand against Cambodia.

The border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand remains volatile, more than two weeks after hostilities renewed, with sporadic clashes continuing despite repeated calls for de-escalation. Both governments accuse each other of violating previous cease-fires, while the international community struggles to secure a lasting peace.

As Christmas bells ring to herald the festive season — evoking angels’ praises, joyful carols, and the arrival of Santa Claus — the Mekong River has taken on a far more somber role for villagers along its banks in Stung Treng province. In late 2025, its waters have become a silent witness to conflict and upheaval.

As of December 17, 2025, solidarity with Cambodian refugees displaced by the border conflict with Thailand has moved well beyond symbolic gestures. It has taken the form of a full-scale humanitarian offensive. More than 400,000 people have been evacuated as fighting enters its second week, and needs are soaring—shelter, clean water, food supplies, and psychosocial support are all under acute strain.

Somroh Aloe is emerging as a promising family-led business in the organic cultivation and marketing of aloe vera in Cambodia. Founded by French entrepreneur Nicolas Legroux and his Cambodian partner Lyda, the venture is based in Akrey Ksat, Kandal Province, near Phnom Penh, and targets urban consumers seeking fresh, natural products.

Raphaël Seyfried, an Alsatian artist who has lived in Cambodia for a decade, has turned his lifelong passion for drawing into a unique creative journey: the Travel Rolls. Inspired by ancient scrolls, these illustrated rolls vividly capture the spirit of Cambodia, portraying everything from Apsara dancers and Angkor’s temples to the colors and movement of Khmer street food.