In Pictures: Media Gain Access to Chouk Chey Village as Thai Military Blocks National Road 58

Banteay Meanchey — Journalists granted access to Chouk Chey village this week encountered visible signs of tightened movement restrictions, as Thai military forces were seen blocking National Road 58 with shipping containers and barbed wire despite a ceasefire that came into effect late last year.

The village, located in O’Beichoan commune of O’Chrov district near the Cambodian–Thai border, was once a frontline community during weeks of intense fighting. Today, it stands largely abandoned, its residents displaced and its main access routes sealed off.

Frontline Cambodian personnel accompanying the media said Thai forces had installed multiple shipping containers across National Road 58, effectively cutting through the heart of Chouk Chey village. Barbed wire fencing was also laid around parts of the settlement, creating what locals described as an enclosure that restricts civilian movement.

According to those on the ground, the barriers were erected after the ceasefire agreement came into force on December 27, 2025, raising fresh questions about compliance with post-conflict arrangements.

Village Under Military Control

Pen Rithy, the chief of Chouk Chey village, said the entire community is now under Thai military occupation. Speaking from a nearby area where he has taken refuge, Rithy said his home was destroyed during nearly three weeks of fighting that preceded the ceasefire.

“Before the aggression, this village was home to 807 families, or 3,022 people,” he said. “Now, the people are scattered, living in refugee camps, unable to return.”

Media teams visiting the area observed extensive damage along the national road, with sections of asphalt torn apart and nearby homes reduced to rubble or left structurally unsafe. In several places, debris from destroyed buildings lined the roadside, offering a stark reminder of the violence that once engulfed the area.

Key Transport Route Severed

National Road 58 serves as a critical transport artery linking Poipet City with Oddar Meanchey province. The blockade, located between kilometre markers 20 and 21, has effectively severed this route at the point where it passes directly through Chouk Chey village.

Travellers and commercial vehicles are now being forced to take longer alternative routes, disrupting daily movement and trade in the region. Local residents told reporters that the containers were positioned in such a way that passing through the village by road is no longer possible.

“The containers block everything,” said one displaced resident. “Even after the ceasefire, nothing has changed for us.”

Displacement and Uncertainty

More than 3,000 residents of Chouk Chey village are currently staying in temporary refugee camps, according to local officials. Many fled during the height of the fighting and have yet to return, citing safety concerns and uncertainty over military control of the area.

The presence of barriers and armed forces has deepened fears that access to the village may remain restricted for an extended period. Several residents said they were unsure when — or if — they would be allowed to return to assess the damage to their homes or begin rebuilding.

The area had previously experienced heavy fighting during heightened border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, making Chouk Chey one of the most affected civilian settlements before the ceasefire halted active combat.

Post-Ceasefire Tensions Persist

While the ceasefire agreement reached in late December brought an end to open hostilities, the situation on the ground in Chouk Chey suggests that tensions remain unresolved. The installation of physical barriers after the agreement has fueled concern among Cambodian personnel and displaced villagers about long-term access and sovereignty issues.

Journalists on site noted that the shipping containers appeared firmly placed and reinforced, suggesting no immediate plans for removal. Barbed wire stretched across nearby access points further limited movement in and out of the village.

For now, Chouk Chey remains quiet but inaccessible — a village frozen in the aftermath of conflict, its residents watching from a distance as their hometown remains sealed behind steel and wire.