Cameras, Gunfire, and Thailand’s Fear of Truth
Cameras, Gunfire, and Thailand’s Fear of Truth
#opinion
Thailand’s latest accusation against Cambodia near the O’Smach–Chong Chom border area must be rejected firmly. The Royal Thai Army now claims that Cambodian troops fired 11 rounds from the Cambodian side and accuses Cambodia of “information warfare.” This is not only false and irresponsible; it is part of a familiar pattern: Thailand provokes, Thailand fires, Thailand accuses, and then Thailand pretends to be the victim.
The facts tell a different story. Thai forces fired four shots in the O’Smach area against social media influencers and content creators who were working on Cambodian territory to document the situation. These individuals were not soldiers. They were not armed. They were not attacking Thailand. They were not invading Thai territory. They were recording and reporting from the Cambodian side.
If Thailand believes that cameras and phones are a threat, then the real issue is not Cambodian “information warfare.” The real issue is Thailand’s fear of transparency.
Firing shots near unarmed civilians, journalists, influencers, or content creators is a serious act of intimidation. It is an attempt not only to frighten people at the border, but also to silence documentation and control the narrative. Thailand wants the world to hear only its military version of events, while those who show the reality on the ground are threatened.
Cambodia has denied the Thai claim that Cambodian soldiers fired 11 rounds. If Thailand insists on this accusation, it must present credible and verifiable evidence: timestamped video, ballistic records, GPS coordinates, witness statements, and official incident logs. A press conference by a military spokesman is not proof. Repetition by Thai media is not evidence. Accusation is not truth.
This is the politics of inversion. When Thai forces act aggressively, Cambodia is blamed. When Thailand fires warning shots, Cambodia is accused of escalation. When Cambodian voices document events from Cambodian territory, Thailand calls it “information warfare.” This tactic is designed to confuse the public and turn the aggressor into the victim.
Cambodia seeks peace, stability, and respect for established border mechanisms. But peace does not mean silence. Restraint does not mean accepting false accusations. Good neighborliness does not mean allowing Thai forces to intimidate people on Cambodian territory and then rewrite the story.
Thailand must answer clearly: why did Thai troops fire near unarmed people documenting events from Cambodian territory? Why does Thailand fear documentation? Why does it accuse Cambodia without transparent evidence?
The international community should look beyond Thai military statements and demand facts. Cambodia’s position is simple: we want peace, but we will not accept intimidation, disinformation, or military bullying.
Thailand cannot fire first and then claim victimhood. It cannot threaten Cambodian civilians and then accuse Cambodia of escalation. The world should see this narrative for what it is: an attempt to hide aggression behind the mask of innocence.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views expressed are his own.
