Gen Hing Bun Hieng, BHQ strongman, lying in wait for new clash with Thailand

Tensions along the Thai–Cambodian border have sharply escalated following the injury of Thai soldiers who stepped on newly planted landmines in the Huai Ta Maria area of Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province Monday (November 10).

Huai Ta Maria, located about 1.6 kilometres from Phu Makua, is considered a strategic zone where Cambodian forces are reportedly attempting to seize control in order to retake Phu Makua, a contested border outpost.

Losing control of Phu Makua would be seen as a loss of sovereignty, a politically sensitive issue that Cambodia’s opposition has used to attack Prime Minister Hun Manet and former leader Hun Sen.

Sources report that Hun Sen has ordered Gen Hing Bun Hieng, Commander of Cambodia’s elite Bodyguard Headquarters (BHQ), to remain embedded in Preah Vihear province to find ways to reclaim the area.

Flashpoint: Phu Makua and Huai Ta Maria

During the five-day war earlier this year, Thai forces successfully seized Phu Makua, cutting off Cambodian supply lines and taking control of key positions such as Phlan Yao, Phlan Hin Paet Kon, and Chong Don Au, securing a total area of more than 1.4 square kilometres.

Cambodian troops, meanwhile, have reportedly been preparing for guerrilla warfare. Recent intelligence indicates that Cambodian soldiers secretly removed barbed wire and replanted landmines inside Thai territory near Huai Ta Maria.

Phu Makua, known in Khmer as Phnom Trop, lies in Kantharalak district, about 2.8 kilometres from Preah Vihear Temple, a long-disputed border zone that saw military clashes between 2008–2011 and again in 2025.

Thai security sources warn that the next flashpoints for renewed conflict could include Huai Ta Maria, Ta Muen Thom temple, and Phu Makua, noting that Cambodia’s troop movements in Huai Ta Maria suggest they are positioning to reclaim Phu Makua.

Hun Sen’s inner circle re-emerges

Two to three months ago, Gen Hing Bun Hieng, Cambodia’s Deputy Commander-in-Chief and BHQ Commander, disappeared from public view, sparking rumours of his death following the five-day conflict. 

It was later confirmed that he remained stationed on the frontlines in Preah Vihear, under Hun Sen’s direct orders.

The assignment came after Gen Saray Duk, Deputy Army Chief of Cambodia, known as the “Godfather of Preah Vihear” and Commander of the 3rd Support Division, was injured in combat and sent to Vietnam for treatment. Hun Sen then instructed Gen Hing Bun Hieng to lead secret operations and command front-line activities in Preah Vihear.

In late August, Hing Bun Hieng made his first public appearance since the July 28 ceasefire, visiting two temples in Choam Khsan district, Preah Vihear, to donate supplies to monks. During his absence, Gen Nop Rattaninmol, Deputy BHQ Commander, took over command duties in Kandal province.

Notably, Cambodia’s official Army Media page recently posted an old photo of Gen Hing Bun Hieng with the caption “Thank you, great general,” just days after the seventh Thai soldier lost his leg to a landmine, a move seen by some analysts as a symbolic message to Cambodian troops along the border.

Signs of renewed conflict

Thai intelligence believes these developments signal a potential new conflict, citing Cambodia’s failure to uphold the peace agreement signed after the July clashes. 

Military sources described Phnom Penh’s actions as reminiscent of a “guerrilla mindset”, saying the Cambodian leadership has yet to honour its commitments “as professional soldiers and gentlemen of war.”