PHNOM PENH – Cambodian officials have launched an urgent investigation after an 18-year-old migrant worker reported that a group of Thai soldiers attacked, sexually assaulted, and terrorized her as she attempted to cross the border in Battambang province, prompting calls for accountability amid already tense bilateral relations.

Authorities are now assembling detailed evidence and testimony after the Cambodian woman said she was raped and sexually abused by Thai soldiers wearing black military uniforms while trying to return home through a border area in Battambang province.

Interior Ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak said the assault occurred on Thai territory as the woman and her group attempted to return to Cambodia.

“The rape was committed by seven Thai soldiers,” Sokhak said. “Our investigators from the National Police Commissariat are working closely with expert teams from the Battambang provincial police to collect full evidence.”

He added that the Interior Ministry intends to submit a formal protest to the relevant parties, including Thailand’s national police. Cambodian authorities are also coordinating medical and psychological care for the survivor.

“We also plan to lodge a protest with the Thai Embassy and through international organizations to ensure Thai authorities take responsibility for this inhuman and shameful act and deliver justice for our citizen,” Sokhak said.

Interior Minister Sar Sokha traveled to Battambang Provincial Hospital on November 17 to meet the survivor, who is originally from Kampong Thom province.

“The victim’s condition has improved since yesterday, but she remains fearful and disoriented,” Sokha said.

Sokha denounced the reported attack and stated that the National Police Commissariat, along with its partner organizations and associations, is moving quickly to gather documentation and medical findings to establish what he described as a brutal crime.

“This behavior is unacceptable and degrading,” Sokha said. He urged returning migrant workers to move in groups and inform their families ahead of any border crossing for their own safety.

According to the Phnom Penh Post, Ros Chivy, deputy provincial police chief overseeing anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection in Battambang, said the survivor formally filed her complaint on November 16. She reported that the assault took place on the night of November 15.

“When we received the information, our team met her at Kamrieng Health Center. She was well enough to speak with us, and we have taken her complaint. For now, our priority is her wellbeing,” Chivy told the newspaper.

Forensic specialists conducted examinations at Battambang Provincial Hospital as part of the verification process.

Rights Groups Demand Action

Pa Ponnarada, spokesperson for the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, sharply condemned the alleged attack.

“We denounce this crime committed against our Cambodian people, especially our women workers. It is not only cruel but also a disgraceful offense,” Ponnarada said. He urged Thailand to launch a serious investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

Cambodianess attempted to contact Moeun Tola, executive director of the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), but he could not be reached.

Phil Robertson, Director of Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates, called for an urgent and impartial investigation into the woman’s claims of sexual molestation or rape at the border.

He said appropriate UN bodies, including the UN Human Rights Office, as well as ASEAN observers, should be involved in the process.

“If evidence shows that Thai soldiers abused her, they must be held accountable in a court of law,” he said. “Protecting the alleged victim, ensuring a fair and thorough investigation, and upholding accountability must be the priority to ensure justice is served.”

Meanwhile, Eng Chandy, executive director of Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC), also criticized the assault, calling it a blatant violation of the woman’s rights and dignity.

“It clearly violates the commitments of both Cambodia and Thailand under international law to prevent violence against women,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Chandy noted that the reported assault comes during an already sensitive period in Cambodia–Thailand relations. She said frustration among the public is intense, and nationalist anger can easily be provoked by reports of cross-border abuses.

“In this climate, the rape of a Cambodian woman by Thai soldiers is not only a horrific crime but also a potentially volatile political issue,” Chandy said. She warned that, without responsible handling, the case could intensify public anger, provoke retaliatory sentiments, or push the two countries into deeper conflict.

She emphasized that ensuring justice for the survivor is an absolute requirement and said the case will reveal how committed both governments truly are to human rights and gender justice.

“I call on leaders in both countries to prioritize principle over politics. Acknowledge the truth, hold the perpetrators to account, and make sure this never happens again,” she said. “Both nations must prove that no uniform can protect a rapist from the law.”