‘Fuelling the narrative’; observers suggest reason behind selective Thai tours of occupied land
The Thai military escorted media representatives and members of the ASEAN Observer Team in Thailand (AOT-KH) on a tour of occupied land in Oddar Meanchey’s O’Smach on September 7. Supplied
Two prominent Cambodian social commentators have suggested that Thailand is using organised visits to occupied parts of Cambodia to support a “hidden agenda”.
The Thai military has provided access to what it described as a former scam compound, in the occupied O’Smach area of Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, to domestic and international journalists, as well as the ASEAN Observer Team in Thailand (AOT-TH).
The latest visit took place on yesterday, September 7, with Prapas Sornchaidee, assistant commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, escorting a party of AOT-KH members and journalists to the now-occupied former scam centre. Footage from international media showed fake police stations from several nations, as well as an operating theatre and medical ward.
The first tour of the centre took place in February, and included not just media, but FBI agents and foreign military attachés from about 20 countries. It was followed by subsequent media visits.
Cambodia has protested the visits, noting that the Thais do not have the authority to lead foreigners on inspections of Cambodian territory.
Leading Cambodian political analysts have identified what they suggested is a further Thai agenda behind the tours.
Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, noted that Thai authorities have repeatedly used the existence of scam operations as a narrative to justify their invasion.
He warned that although scam operations may have existed in O’Smach, the area is sovereign Cambodian territory, so combatting them should be the responsibility of Cambodian authorities.
“I believe Thailand is trying to achieve two things at the same time,” he said.
“Firstly, they are attempting to use the scam issue as a pretext for the ongoing occupation of Cambodian territory, and secondly, they are simultaneously trying to defame Cambodia with the scam narrative,” Phea added.
He urged a peaceful response to Thai provocations, calling for the Cambodian government to continue to register formal protests over what he called illegal activities in the occupied border areas.
Chhang Youk, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam), also highlighted Thai attempts to amplify the scam narrative as a major factor in the occupation.
“As one would expect, Thailand is eager to showcase sites associated with criminal activities because they can use them to legitimise the targeting of the areas by their armed forces, along with supplemental allegations that the Cambodian military was present in the area,” he said.
He observed that the Thai government appears “reticent” to show civilian areas that were damaged because this could delegitimise the actions of its military.
Youk urged both Cambodia and Thailand to be frank and transparent with international observers, especially the AOT.
“Ultimately, Thailand and Cambodia must give the AOT and international media full access to all areas affected by the conflict. It is incumbent upon the AOT and international media to visit all these areas to not only provide transparency on what occurred, but what is still happening,” he stated.
“Thailand is straining to justify its continued occupation of Cambodian territory, notably of innocent civilian communities. To this end, it is deliberately attempting to minimise the full picture of the conflict by giving the AOT only partial access, and even then, access which is highly regulated by the Thai security forces controlling the area,” he added.
-Phnom Penh Post-
