Spokesperson: Cambodia the victim of Thai territorial ambitions

Spokesperson: Cambodia the victim of Thai territorial ambitions

Cambodian citizens living along the border in Preah Vihear province have been forced to flee their homes since fighting began. NCDM

The Phnom Penh Post | Cambodia is the victim in the current two-day wave of attacks by Thai armed forces, declared Pen Bona, head of the Government Spokesperson unit. He noted the Thai use of heavy weapons and the bombing of civilian areas, as he addressed a press conference this morning, July 25, held to inform the media about the current situation regarding Thailand’s military incursion into Cambodian territory.

“Cambodia is the victim of aggression by the Thai military, whose intention is to fulfil an expansionist ambition to seize Cambodian land. This fact is well known among our citizens and the international community,” Bona said.

“Moreover, Thai armed forces have used heavy weapons, including dropping bombs on civilian targets, causing serious suffering in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces. This is a brutal territorial ambition that blatantly violates international law,” he added.

He emphasised that Thailand was the one to initiate the invasion, and that Thai forces fired first at Cambodian troops. Cambodia’s military is simply carrying out its duty to defend the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the Kingdom.

In response to the aggression, the Royal Government of Cambodia is mobilising both its armed forces and diplomatic channels to inform the international community about Thailand’s aggressive, unlawful and destabilising actions.

On the same morning, Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with members of the diplomatic corps and defense attachés stationed in Cambodia to provide updates on the escalating tensions along the border.

“We are continuing to pursue all legal avenues as a law-abiding country. Yesterday, the Prime Minister sent a letter to the UN Security Council calling for an urgent meeting to address this matter, because we want the international community to know the full truth. The outcome will be seen in the near future,” Bona noted.

At present, each branch of Cambodia’s armed forces remains resolute and firmly committed to defending the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, added the spokesperson. He called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm and united under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate president Hun Sen, both of whom have made a strong and unwavering commitment to protecting Cambodia’s land from foreign invasion.

As the conflict entered its second day, the Ministry of National Defence reported that Thai forces had attacked seven locations inside Cambodia, beginning from just after 3am. The Thai military have deployed a full range of heavy weapons, including F-16 fighter jets, and have used dangerous cluster munitions in several locations.