Deputy defence minister explains use of crowd-control police at Ta Muen Thom temple

Deputy Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit clarified on Tuesday why crowd-control police were deployed at Prasat Ta Muen Thom in Surin on Sunday.

Cambodian Social Media Announcement Triggers Police Deployment

Nattaphon explained that the deployment was due to a Cambodian announcement on social media that it would mobilise people to visit the ancient temple. He noted that the Thai government chose to use police forces, rather than military personnel, to handle the situation.

The announcement mentioned that 23 buses of Cambodian tourists would visit the Prasat Ta Muen Thom site in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district. This announcement followed former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's call for Cambodians to show strength by visiting the temple, which Cambodia claims ownership of, despite it being located within Thai territory.

Police Prepared for Potential Clashes

In response, Nattaphon sought assistance from the Royal Thai Police, which deployed crowd-control officers to be stationed near the temple. However, the police forces were only on standby and were not dispatched to the temple grounds, as the 23 buses of Cambodian visitors did not arrive as initially threatened.

The Deputy Defence Minister stated that the police were ready due to concerns that using military forces to manage large numbers of Cambodian tourists could lead to clashes and potential civilian casualties.

Social Media Monitoring and Cooperation from Cambodia

Nattaphon said that he had been closely monitoring social media movements, which caused him some concern. However, he noted that tensions appeared to ease, as the Cambodian side cooperated well with Thai authorities on Monday, assuring that their citizens would not cause any disturbances at the temple.

While only a few individuals engaged in verbal disputes with Thai nationals, the situation was quickly defused by the Thai military, ensuring the peaceful maintenance of order.