Ceasefire fair to Thailand, breach allows swift response: Thai officer

He stressed that Thailand was not at a disadvantage and still held its ground, adding that any violation of the agreement would give Thailand the right to retaliate in self-defence.

Maj Gen Wanchana Sawasdee, Director of the Mission Coordination Office for National Security under the Royal Thai Armed Forces’ Directorate of Operations, gave a special interview on “Khao Khon Khon Khao” on Nation TV on the evening of Monday (July 28), following the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.

He confirmed that official instructions had been received from the Thai government. As of 8pm, all armed forces commanders were in a joint meeting to prepare for two key actions:

• Coordinating immediate operations leading up to the midnight deadline.
• Preparing for Tuesday’s meeting between Thai and Cambodian regional military commanders.

Responding to public concerns over the delay in implementing the ceasefire, Wanchana explained that an immediate halt would have caused confusion across military units.

“If we ordered an immediate ceasefire, it wouldn’t have been synchronised. The term ‘immediate’ would be interpreted differently by each unit,” he explained, “Setting a specific time ensures all forces can act simultaneously.”

When asked why the ceasefire couldn’t begin just an hour or two after negotiations ended, he responded that it was simply not feasible.

“Once the negotiators return, preparations must be made, and orders must be communicated from the government level down to the lowest units,” he said, adding that even if frontline units are informed in advance, proper administrative procedures still take time.

He noted that midnight was a reasonable and symbolic choice, marking the start of a new day for both sides to implement the ceasefire together.

Asked whether the delay would give Cambodia time to launch last-minute strikes, Wanchana insisted Thailand had no such intention.

“Thailand has no intention to cause harm. All past operations were conducted under our right to self-defence. Therefore, I can confirm there will be no final strikes,” he said.

He also stressed that Thailand would not be disadvantaged by the agreement.

“There have indeed been Cambodian attempts to reclaim ground, but I can assure you we remain exactly where we were. We’re still in control of the positions we held,” he added.

Wanchana said that Monday’s meeting among top military leaders was an informal gathering to prepare for the bilateral talks on Tuesday. It would also lay groundwork for the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting scheduled for August 4.

He reiterated that the talks would focus strictly on enforcing the ceasefire — not on troop withdrawals, reinforcements or repositioning.

When asked what would happen if either side violated the ceasefire, Wanchana responded that such matters would fall to political authorities, not the military.

In response to speculation that military commanders were dissatisfied with the ceasefire because they wanted to secure the border first, Wanchana dismissed the claim.

“In battle, our soldiers overcame their fear with the courage in their hearts. In truth, they have no desire to kill Cambodian soldiers — they are simply fulfilling their duty,” he said.

He confirmed that every action taken had been in response to Cambodian attacks, adding that if the Royal Thai Air Force had used its full offensive capabilities, the outcome would have been very different.

Wanchana noted that various actors — including the media, military attachés, international observers, and committees — would help verify implementation of the ceasefire. However, he cautioned against relying too much on foreign involvement.

“Foreign actors don’t have a stake in this. They aren’t truly invested in our problem. In the end, the two countries must resolve this bilaterally. In the future, we’ll need to jointly confront the issue of fake news and violations of international agreements,” he said.

When asked if Thai forces on the frontline needed further government approval to respond to a ceasefire breach, he confirmed that the military’s authority remained unchanged.

“All current orders remain in effect. Martial law is still in place. Our right to self-defence remains. Operational unity is intact — nothing has changed.”