Bangkok Takes Diplomats to Sites of 'Cambodian Attacks' on Civilians
Royal Thai Army takes ambassadors and military attachés to sites of alleged shelling of schools, hospitals and homes
- The Royal Thai Army escorted a delegation of foreign diplomats, including ambassadors and military attachés from over 20 nations, to inspect sites in Si Sa Ket Province.
- The tour's purpose was to show evidence of alleged Cambodian military attacks on Thai civilian targets, which the Thai government claims are located far from the combat zone.
- The delegation observed damage to civilian infrastructure, including a school, a hospital, a petrol station, and a convenience store.
- Thai officials highlighted a specific rocket attack on a convenience store and petrol station that they claim killed eight civilians and injured ten others.
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) on Friday escorted a delegation of foreign ambassadors, chargés d'affaires, diplomatic representatives, and military attachés to inspect sites where, they claim, Cambodian military actions impacted Thai civilians.
The visit aimed to highlight extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, petrol stations, and convenience stores, amidst the ongoing border tensions.
The Army Public Relations Centre (APRC) led military attachés from 23 nations and over 200 media personnel from Wing 6 Airfield in Bangkok.
The group observed civilian areas and a hospital reportedly affected by the recent escalation in the Thai-Cambodian border conflict. They received a briefing on the extent of the damage and alleged Cambodian violations of the fragile ceasefire agreement.
The delegation then travelled to Si Sa Ket Province, specifically to the site where Cambodian soldiers allegedly fired a rocket at a convenience store and a PTT petrol station in Ban Mue.
This attack, the RTA claims, resulted in the deaths of eight Thai civilians, including a child aged seven or eight, and left ten others injured.
Following this, the group proceeded to Phum Charon Witthaya School and Ban Chameng Health Promoting Hospital, both in Sao Thong Chai sub-district, to observe further damage.
The tour concluded at the temporary shelter at Kantharalak Technical College, where displaced civilians are housed.
The diplomatic contingent included:
Ambassadors from 3 countries:
- Brunei
- Japan
- Myanmar
Chargés d'affaires from 3 countries:
- Malaysia
- Lao PDR
- Indonesia
Various diplomatic representatives from 5 countries:
- United States
- Singapore
- China
- Vietnam
- Philippines
(Total: 11 countries)
Military attachés from 23 countries, including:
- China
- Malaysia
- Pakistan
- South Korea
- Russia
- Singapore
- Germany
- India
- Laos
- Canada
- France
- United States
- Philippines
- Japan
- Vietnam
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Indonesia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Brunei
- Türkiye
- United Kingdom
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, commented on the visit, stating its purpose was to provide ambassadors, chargés d'affaires, military attachés, and both foreign and local media – a group totalling nearly 200 individuals, travelling separately – a direct view of the affected areas in Si Sa Ket.
The primary focus, he explained, was to show the impact of Cambodian military weapons on civilian targets, including a hospital, a school, and a convenience store.
The visit to the temporary shelter was to demonstrate the extent to which innocent civilians have been affected.
"Our main objective is to highlight the facts," Maj Gen Winthai stated. "Unlike the Cambodian side, every location we visited is an actual incident site. Each of these points is several tens of kilometres from the combat zone. Foreign observers, by all accounts, have spoken privately to commend the Royal Thai Army for our very swift response to the news. Everyone seems to agree on this."
