The military defended its operations along the border on Sunday, following Cambodia’s complaint to the interim observer team (IOT) over the use of so-called ‘ghostly sounds’, insisting that all activities took place strictly within Thai territory.
Maj Gen Benjapol Dechatiwong Na Ayutthaya, commander of the Burapa Task Force, brushed off the protest, saying, ‘They can complain all they want. Everything we did was on Thai soil. My men were on duty through the night and needed to stay alert. I simply helped them stay awake. It’s our land. They can file whatever they like, I don’t care.’
He added that troop morale remained high and Thai soldiers are ready to act “whenever and wherever” they are needed.
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, army spokesman, echoed the sentiment, noting recent incursions by Cambodian officials and civilians.
“Cambodian authorities had mobilised civilians alongside officials to provoke and obstruct Thai residents. Some Thai groups responded using loudspeakers to express their discontent – non-violently – against the encroachment and distortions by the Cambodian side,” he said.
Maj Gen Winthai said the actions taken by the military had been carefully considered to avoid escalation, in contrast to Cambodian actions, which involved aggressive actions and improvised weapons against Thai personnel.
“All actions are guided by human rights principles, ensuring law enforcement is applied in ways that minimise potential harm while addressing the border dispute responsibly,” he said.
On Saturday night, Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, in coordination with the IOT, inspected border areas in Banteay Meanchey province, reported the Khmer Times.
The visit was carried out to verify reports about Thai operatives broadcasting eerie sounds along the border, which affected many Cambodian citizens, especially the sick, elderly, children and persons with disabilities, during the night, said the report.
The dispute erupted after the military allowed activist Guntouch “Gun Jompalang” Pongpaiboonwet to bring loudspeakers to Nong Chan and Nong Ya Kaeo villages in Sa Kaeo, where he has played recordings of helicopter and jet engine noises, along with ‘ghostly sounds’, to intimidate Cambodian villagers who are encroaching on Thai territory since the night of Oct 10.
The ghost sounds play to Cambodians’ supposed superstitions and are intended to intimidate.
Phnom Penh later lodged a complaint with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), accusing Thailand of psychological intimidation.
The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) also submitted an urgent appeal to the OHCHR, condemning what it described as the use of ‘disturbing sounds’ by the Thai armed forces as a form of psychological intimidation and harassment against Cambodian civilians along the border, said another report by the Khmer Times.
Mr Guntouch responded defiantly on social media, saying Cambodian authorities had ‘betrayed Thai generosity’ and his campaign was meant to remind them of the aid given by Thailand over the years.
‘We helped them when they fled hardship and even the Queen Mother extended kindness. Yet now they try to seize our land and defame us,’ he wrote.
He also hit back at human rights advocates, including Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, who on Sunday questioned the government’s handling of the incident.
‘These rights advocates are only brave when it comes to Thais,’ he said. ‘Why not speak up about Cambodians bringing pregnant women and children to the frontline? Sometimes being too idealistic doesn’t work. For 40-50 years we’ve tried diplomacy, sent letters, but nothing changes.’
‘When we send a letter, they ignore it. But when we play sounds for two days, they panic. Sometimes you have to shake things up,’ he said.