Opinion: Injured by Their Own Lies: Exposing Thailand’s Border Provocation
Opinion: Injured by Their Own Lies: Exposing Thailand’s Border Provocation
The Phnom Penh Post | Once again, Thailand has crossed the line — literally and figuratively. With strategic deceit and irresponsible diplomacy, Bangkok has launched a campaign of distortion, shifting blame for its own recklessness onto the Kingdom of Cambodia. On July 23, five Thai soldiers were reportedly injured by a landmine in An Seh village, Choam Khsant district, Preah Vihear province — a territory that is undeniably within Cambodia’s sovereign borders. Instead of acknowledging its own violation of agreed protocols and the geographical facts, Thailand is shamefully accusing Cambodia of an act it neither committed nor initiated.
Such conduct is not only dishonest — it is dangerous.
Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, undersecretary of state for Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, has rightly and categorically rejected these baseless accusations. The truth is clear: Thailand sent armed soldiers into a known mined zone, against the spirit and letter of the 2000 memorandum of understanding (2000 MoU) between our two nations, which governs border security cooperation and patrol routes. Instead of respecting agreed procedures, Thailand violated them — and now wishes to exploit the consequences to gain international sympathy.
Let the facts speak for themselves.
Cambodia has consistently warned Thailand that certain border areas still contain landmines left over from previous conflicts. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), with the support of international partners, has worked tirelessly to clear millions of deadly explosives from Cambodian soil — mines that were laid during decades of war, including by foreign forces. It is not Cambodia that laid new mines, but Thailand that walked recklessly into danger zones, ignoring historical context and diplomatic protocols.
Worse still, Thailand is now using the suffering of its own injured soldiers as a propaganda tool — a cynical exploitation designed to falsely portray Cambodia as an aggressor. This is not the first time Thailand has weaponised distortion to mask its failures at the border. The pattern is disturbingly familiar: violate Cambodian territory, provoke an incident, cry victim and then launch a global media campaign to discredit Cambodia.
Such tactics are not those of a responsible neighbour, let alone a trustworthy regional partner.
Cambodia has never sought conflict. The Royal Government has repeatedly committed to resolving disputes through dialogue, peaceful mechanisms and international law. Yet that commitment should never be mistaken for weakness. The defence ministry has made it unequivocally clear: Cambodia will defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty and its people — at any cost. We will not tolerate provocations disguised as patrols. We will not remain silent as Thailand twists facts to rewrite borders.
To the international community, Cambodia sends a firm message: Do not be misled. This is not a case of two equal sides in a border misunderstanding. This is a case of a larger country attempting to pressure, provoke and publicly shame a smaller one into conceding ground. Cambodia has seen this strategy before — and it will not fall for it again.
The use of strategic lies by Thailand to shift blame and seek moral high ground not only erodes trust in bilateral relations but also undermines the very foundation of peace in Southeast Asia. If Thailand continues this dangerous game, it will be held responsible for the consequences — not just diplomatically, but historically.
Let there be no doubt: Cambodia is a nation of peace, but never a nation of surrender.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
