Thailand Must Be Brave Enough to Face the Truth — Not Hide Behind Fake News
[Thai media outlets have repeated claims by Thai authorities that reported abuse of Cambodian migrant workers are fabricated, ‘fake’ news. Khaosod English]
-Opinion-
At moments of crisis, nations reveal their true character. Today, Thailand stands at such a crossroads. Rather than confronting the uncomfortable truths that lie behind the tensions with Cambodia, some sectors of the Thai state and military apparatus have chosen a path of denial, distraction and information warfare. This path not only inflames the conflict but also undermines Thailand’s credibility before the international community — and before its own citizens.
For weeks, Thailand’s official narrative has relied on labelling every inconvenient fact as “fake news”. This is not the behaviour of a confident nation. It is the reflex of those unwilling to acknowledge wrongdoing and too afraid to confront the consequences of their own actions. If Thailand genuinely seeks peace, stability and regional trust, it must first demonstrate the courage to confront reality.
The truth is painful but cannot be ignored. Cambodian migrant workers — who contribute significantly to Thailand’s economy — have repeatedly reported extortion, violence, arbitrary arrest and physical assault by Thai armed forces and local authorities. These are not isolated incidents. They are documented patterns of abuse. Yet rather than investigate or reform, Thai officials have often chosen to attack the credibility of victims, dismissing their accounts as fabricated or politically motivated. Such denialism is not leadership; it is cowardice.
Even more disturbing are credible allegations involving the rape of a Cambodian women by Thai security personnel. Instead of addressing this grave violation with the seriousness it deserves, certain voices within Thailand have attempted to shield the perpetrators by smearing the victim’s family and deflecting attention through propaganda. A society that cannot protect the vulnerable cannot claim moral authority in any border dispute.
Equally troubling are the staged incidents used to manufacture pretexts for military escalation. The suspicious landmine explosions conveniently timed to coincide with political narratives, or the firing on Cambodian civilians in Prey Chan village, were presented to the Thai public as unprovoked threats. In reality, these incidents reflect a worrying pattern: using disinformation to justify military aggression. This tactic may temporarily manipulate domestic opinion, but it erodes the foundations of trust between nations and invites international condemnation.
Thailand, a founding member of ASEAN and a nation that often speaks of harmony and stability, should not reduce itself to such tactics. The world does not respect countries that hide behind falsehoods or weaponise propaganda. It respects nations that take accountability seriously — nations that choose truth over convenience.
Cambodia has consistently chosen the path of peace and international law. It has called for investigations, welcomed observers and appealed to regional and global partners for de-escalation based on transparency and good faith. Cambodia is not afraid of the truth. But peace cannot be built by one side alone. Thailand, too, must take the courageous step of acknowledging what has gone wrong.
To the Thai people: peace is not a weakness. Accountability is not a humiliation. Acknowledging wrongdoing does not diminish Thailand — it strengthens it. The region needs Thailand to lead with honesty, not with manipulation. It needs leaders who build bridges through facts, not conflicts through fabricated narratives.
The choice for Thailand is clear. Continue down the path of denial, misinformation and manufactured hostility — and risk deeper conflict and international isolation. Or choose sincerity, confront the truth , and work with Cambodia to restore trust and uphold the principles of peace that ASEAN was built on.
True bravery is not firing a weapon or expanding a military presence. True bravery is facing the truth — no matter how uncomfortable — and acting with integrity. Today, Thailand has an opportunity to show such courage. The region is watching.
And history will remember the path Thailand chooses.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-The Phnom Penh Post-
