Press Briefing -Intervention by H.E. Pen Bona, Royal Government Spokesperson 8:30 AM, December 22, 2025
Press Briefing -Intervention by H.E. Pen Bona, Royal Government Spokesperson 8:30 AM, December 22, 2025
Samdech, Excellency, ladies and gentleman! Good morning
As of December 22, 2025, it has been 16 days since the Thai military launched a brutal invasion against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia. The invading Thai military has indiscriminately bombarded civilian areas and infrastructures, causing numerous Cambodian civilians to suffer while civilian infrastructures are being destroyed every day.
Precisely, up to now, 19 Cambodian civilians have died and 79 have been injured, including women, children, and the elderly. Meanwhile, the number of displaced civilians fleeing their homes has increased to over 525,000. Many civilian infrastructures such as houses, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, private business buildings, pagodas, and even ancient temples, which are invaluable cultural heritage of humanity, have been continuously damaged by bombs dropped by the invading Thai military.
The use of heavy and destructive weapons and equipment such as F-16 fighter jets, Naval Warship, Cluster bombs, drones, and toxic gas on the Cambodian military and innocent civilians, has occurred daily. Such vicious and inhumane acts are blatant and insolent acts toward the international community, including the United States of America, the People’s Republic of China, the European Union, the ASEAN rotating chair and other countries that have called for a cessation of hostilities and a return to respect for the Ceasefire and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration.
The Spokesperson for the Royal Government of Cambodia condemns in the strongest possible terms the barbaric, ruthless, and inhumane attacks launched by the invading Thai military on the innocent Cambodian civilians and civilian infrastructures. We also appeal to the international community to pressure Thailand to immediately stop violating international laws and to compel this country to turn to resolve the issue through peaceful means.
Today, December 22, 2025, Malaysia, as Chair of ASEAN, to be convened a Special Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to address the current situation between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand in Kuala Lumpur.
The convening of the Special Meeting reflects the commitment of ASEAN Member States to ASEAN unity and solidarity, as well as ASEAN Centrality in maintaining peace, security, stability and prosperity in this region, in accordance with the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
His Excellency PRAK Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, participates in this Special Meeting. The participation of Cambodia reflects the strong commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to peace, security and prosperity in the region as well as to upholding ASEAN Centrality and unity, thereby reinforcing ASEAN’s enduring contribution to the wider international community.
