Government spokesman urges protestors to refrain from rallying on July 27, warns of increased border tensions

Jirayu Huangsap, spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, on Friday addressed the upcoming rally by the Ruam Palang Phaendin (United Power of the Nation) group, scheduled for July 27, urging protestors to avoid exacerbating the already tense situation between Thailand and Cambodia. He warned that mixing internal protests with the ongoing Thai-Cambodian border conflict could make the situation even harder to resolve.

“Today, the Thai people must unite to move the country forward. The external conflict is already immense; there is no reason to create internal conflict that will only make Cambodia laugh at Thailand,” Jirayu said.

He further commented on the Cambodian government’s clear intentions, which have been evident since the start of the year, with efforts to challenge Thailand’s sovereignty over historical sites like temples, and their attempts to bring the issue to the International Court of Justice. Jirayu also pointed out the impact of Thai government’s policies, particularly in combating human trafficking, drug trade, and call centre scams in Cambodia, which have caused immense harm to Thai citizens.

“It’s clear that Cambodia has been undermining Thailand through various methods, and no matter who governs Cambodia, their strategy remains unchanged,” he added.

Jirayu stressed that now is not the time for further division within the country. “There is no reason to let our country suffer more damage. The image of Hun Sen ordering gunfire at hospitals and shooting innocent Thai civilians is something we cannot tolerate. We need to stay united in this time of crisis, as our military strength already surpasses that of our opponents. Don’t allow the divisions within Thailand to be used as a weapon against us,” Jirayu concluded.