Thai Public Cry for Truth: Lies Cannot Hide the Smoke of Gunfire

Security forces help an injured villager to get out of the way. KT/Khem Sovannara

-Opinion-

When even Thailand’s own journalists at Khaosod English and members of the Thai public are demanding truth from their leaders, it reveals a deep crisis of honesty inside Thailand itself. This week’s tragedy at the Cambodia–Thailand border — where Thai soldiers opened fire on innocent Cambodian civilians on November 12 — exposes, once again, how fear and falsehood dominate the mindset of Bangkok’s power holders.

While eyewitnesses, local reports, and Cambodian authorities confirmed the attack on civilians at Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey province, the Thai government and army rushed to deny responsibility. They issued statements crafted to confuse, distort, and protect their image — not to uncover the truth. The Thai authorities seem more afraid of admitting their wrongdoing than of the suffering they caused.

But not everyone in Thailand accepts this silence. Even brave journalists from Khaosod English have raised their voices, demanding that the government and military “stop lying to the world” and “recognize reality.” Their courage reflects the conscience of a Thai society growing weary of official deceit. The Thai public, too, is crying for truth — for a government that dares to face facts rather than invent excuses.

The Thai army’s actions on November 12 were not just a cross-border provocation; they were an assault on truth itself. By denying the incident and blaming others, Bangkok’s leaders insult the intelligence of their own people. A government that lies to its citizens cannot be trusted to uphold peace, credibility, or regional stability.

Thailand must realize that truth is not a threat — it is a foundation. No amount of propaganda can erase the smoke from gunfire or the wounds of innocent lives. The Thai public deserves transparency, and the region deserves honesty.

It is time for the Thai military and government to answer their people’s cry for truth — before their lies destroy the last fragments of trust at home and abroad.

Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views expressed are his own.

-Khmer Times-