At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Thailand and Cambodia verbally clashed again over their border dispute. What stood out was not just the usual complaints, but the gap between quiet promises made behind closed doors and loud posturing in public.
As per a US request for informal four-party consultations (Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and the US) just a day earlier on the sidelines of UNGA, both countries talked peace, dialogue, mutual trust, and confidence. Yet, less than 24 hours later, during the UNGA general debate session, Phnom Penh quickly abandoned that tone.
In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sokhonn Prak accused Thailand of aggression, portrayed his country as the victim, and made a long list of accusations against Thailand. Apparently, Cambodia was hoping to use the meeting in New York City to trumpet its own causes to the world body and hope everyone would listen and then take Cambodia’s side.
That was not to be.
In his own speech, newly appointed Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow minced no words in lambasting what was said by Sokhonn Prak as “completely opposite” to what had been said a day earlier at the four-party consultations. “It reveals the true intention of Cambodia. The allegations are so far-fetched that they make a mockery of the truth,” he declared.
From the beginning, he reiterated that Cambodia initiated the conflict with the intention of expanding a border dispute into a national conflict and further internationalising it. He also told the international community of the real victims — the Thai soldiers maimed by landmines, schoolchildren whose classrooms were shelled, and shoppers hit by numerous missiles.
Furthermore, he also pointed out that the Cambodian villages inside Thai territory exist only because Bangkok opened its borders in the 1970s out of compassion during Cambodia’s civil war. That humanitarian gesture has since been twisted into an encroachment. At the time, Mr Sihasak was a young desk official working on the Cambodian conflict, so he was well aware of the border’s condition at that time.
He also pointed out that even though the civil war has ended and the shelters closed, the Cambodian villages have expanded over the decades. “Despite Thailand’s repeated protests, Cambodia has ignored those requests to address this encroachment,” he reiterated.
To document events, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided further details to all foreign missions and diplomats regarding those events. On Saturday alone, Cambodian troops fired 12 mortar rounds, 15 machine-gun rounds, grenades, and small arms at Thai positions in Ubon Ratchathani. Hidden cameras had been set up in advance to record Thai responses, suggesting a staged provocation. When Bangkok exercised restraint, Phnom Penh immediately disseminated disinformation, claiming that Thai forces had fired first.
Notably, this was not an isolated incident. From Sept 11-27, the Thai army recorded over 200 drone incursions, force buildups, trench digging inside Thai territory, grenade attacks, and repeated gunfire. Specifically, on Sept 17, Cambodia even mobilised 200 civilians to cross into Thai territory and tear down barbed wire, forcing Thai police to disperse them with non-lethal means.
On Sept 24, a Cambodian tank was deployed within firing range of Thai positions near the Phra Viharn/Preah Vihear Hill. In addition, on Sept 25, grenades were hurled at Thai troops. Then, on Saturday, the same playbook returned — heavy weapons fire was timed to coincide with the visit of a Cambodian interim observer team — to create false optics for the international community.
The pattern is rather obvious for all to see — provocation comes first, cameras must be ready, and disinformation will follow with the wrap-up at the UN podium.
Such behaviour, the ministry said, violates Thailand’s sovereignty and the Putrajaya ceasefire agreement signed on July 28, as well as agreed measures from both the General Border Committee (GBC) and the Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings. Both sides agreed in these meetings to halt fire with all weapons and refrain from provocative acts. Peace and de-escalation will not happen if there is no sincerity across the border.
Despite heavy public pressure for the Anutin government to be more assertive, Thai forces, after agreeing to a ceasefire, have responded with measured and proportionate actions. The ministry’s note verbale to all diplomatic missions underscores Thailand’s position in pursuing dialogue, Asean mechanisms, and peaceful resolution.
At the UN General Assembly, the mood was clear. UN delegates want de-escalation, consistency and credibility. Furthermore, they do not want another lingering conflict. The world has plenty of wars to worry about — one in Ukraine and one in the Middle East, not to mention the conflicts in Myanmar and civil wars on the African continent. Thailand’s fact-based rebuttal augurs well with the prevailing UN mood.
Truth be told, by staging provocations, filming them, and then crying victim at the UN, Cambodia has served an untimely dish and undermined its own credibility.
Wrapping up his rebuttal on Cambodia, Mr Sihasak pointed out that both countries face a defining choice. “As a close neighbour and as a friend, we must ask Cambodia which path they wish to take — the path of continued confrontation or the path of peace and cooperation,” he added.
The ceasefire is still fragile but is holding. Both countries can follow the UNGA’s theme, “Better Together,” by honouring their commitments in full.