Thailand’s Lies Can No Longer Fool the World
[A Cambodian civilian is carried to safety after being wounded by Thai gunfire on November 12. AKP]
-Opinion-
For years, Thailand’s government and army have built their reputation on deception — lying to their own people, misleading the world and pretending to be victims whenever they are the aggressors. The recent killing of a Cambodian civilian by Thai soldiers at Prey Chan villages in Banteay Meanchey province is the latest and clearest example of this long pattern of dishonesty.
According to Associated Press and other international media, Thai troops opened fire into Cambodian territory, killing an innocent villager and violating every standard of international conduct. Yet Bangkok’s immediate reaction was predictable — the same tired script of denial, emotional excuses and propaganda. Thai officials rushed to manipulate their domestic media, spreading false claims that Cambodia provoked the violence. They lied to their own citizens to hide their military’s wrongdoing.
This is not new. For decades, Thailand’s army and political elite have mastered the art of deception. When soldiers trespass and trigger deadly incidents, they call it “self-defence”. When their landmine remnants injure their own troops inside disputed zones, they blame Cambodia. When the truth surfaces, they hide behind empty nationalism to protect their image. It is a pattern of systematic lying — both to the Thai people and to the international community.
But the world is no longer fooled. In 2025, facts move faster than propaganda. Satellite imagery, eyewitness reports and ASEAN observation teams have confirmed what Thailand tries to conceal. The bullets that killed innocent Cambodian civilians were fired by Thai soldiers. The violation happened inside Cambodian soil. The truth is clear — and no speech from Bangkok can erase it.
Cambodia has remained calm, transparent and responsible. The Ministry of National Defence invited ASEAN observers, provided evidence and sought peaceful solutions. Thailand, meanwhile, continues to act with arrogance, dishonesty and disrespect. Instead of facing the facts, its leaders fabricate lies to stir domestic anger and distract from their failures at home.
Thailand’s military and government must understand that credibility cannot be built on lies. The Thai people deserve to know the truth — that their leaders’ endless propaganda not only dishonours Thailand’s name but also endangers regional peace. Every false statement from Bangkok widens mistrust, isolates Thailand diplomatically, and exposes its hypocrisy.
Cambodia will not stay silent. The Kingdom will continue to speak the truth and protect its people. Lies will never replace facts, and arrogance will never replace justice.
It is time for Thailand to stop deceiving its citizens, stop lying to the world, and start acting like a responsible neighbour. The truth has already been exposed — Thai bullets killed an innocent Cambodian. The world knows it. And no amount of spin, denial or fake patriotism can ever hide that shame.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-The Phnom Penh Post-
