Thai police detain Cambodian BHQ soldier in Buri Ram province

A Cambodian soldier from the elite Bodyguard Headquarters (BHQ) unit, tasked with protecting former Prime Minister Hun Sen, was recently arrested in Buri Ram, according to Lamduan Police Station.

A raid by the investigative police led to the arrest of Win, a 36-year-old Cambodian man, in the Ban Khok Sung Moo 9 community. 

Win, who was living with his 27-year-old Thai wife, Joy, was apprehended after officers found a firearm and several Cambodian military uniforms, including those bearing the BHQ insignia, during a search of their residence. 

Police suspect that Win may have been gathering military intelligence for Cambodia.

When questioned, Joy denied knowledge of the military uniforms, stating she had no idea where they came from and didn’t know if her husband had been a soldier. She also claimed ignorance about whether he had entered Thailand legally. 

Joy mentioned that she had met Win three years ago in a Pattaya bar, and they had a 1-year-old son together. She said Win had only ever mentioned receiving military training and frequently travelled between Cambodia and Thailand, with his most recent return in June.

Further investigations revealed that Win had been residing in Buri Ram for around a year but had not held any job, according to Joy.

Win initially denied any involvement in espionage activities but admitted to having served as a soldier before leaving the military in 2021. However, police remain sceptical due to his frequent travel between Thailand and Cambodia, including his return in June, shortly before a border clash between the two countries.



The Lamduan Police Chief explained that earlier orders had been issued to conduct checks on foreign nationals in the area. It was during this process that suspicions about the couple arose, especially given their apparent financial stability despite not working. 

Authorities have yet to disclose further details, as the investigation is ongoing and will involve further questioning by security officials.

(2025/08/06-00:00)