Defence Ministry affirms adherence to international law, pledges to stand with Thai people and armed forces in protecting sovereignty
Thailand’s Defence Ministry rejects distorted interpretations of remarks on the Thai–Cambodian border, stressing commitment to peace, international law, and national defence.
On August 12, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, issued a statement addressing distorted and incomplete interpretations of comments made by General Natthaphon Narkphanit, Deputy Defence Minister and Acting Defence Minister, in his capacity as Director of the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation. The remarks were made during a press briefing following the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting between Thailand and Cambodia on August 7, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and were later misrepresented with personal opinions added, leading to misunderstanding and potentially fuelling domestic division and undermining stability in managing the Thai–Cambodian border situation.
The Ministry clarified as follows:
1. Commitment to peaceful resolution – General Natthaphon has consistently upheld a policy of easing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia through peaceful means and existing bilateral mechanisms, in line with international principles and law.
2. Call for Cambodian sincerity – In his press statement, General Natthaphon said:
“Since midnight on July 28, the Thai side has strictly complied with the mutually agreed ceasefire. However, it has been observed that the Cambodian side has continued to violate the ceasefire after midnight on 28 July. Thailand has exercised maximum restraint, responding only in self-defence. Although the border situation is now calm, Cambodia continues to reinforce troops in the area and has flown unmanned aerial vehicles into various parts of Thai territory, which is provocative and could lead to misunderstanding. In addition, the dissemination of distorted information and fake news is unconstructive and does not help foster an environment conducive to negotiations and rebuilding trust.”
During the GBC meeting — held at ministerial level between Thailand and Cambodia — the Thai side received additional information from the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence, later included in a follow-up press release:
“From this joint meeting, Cambodia’s policy-level representatives (Ministry of National Defence) demonstrated sincerity towards the agreed ceasefire. The cited ceasefire violations were therefore unauthorised actions by Cambodian military units in the field.”
The Ministry stressed that there was nothing in General Natthaphon’s remarks that criticised the lawful duty of Thai troops to defend the kingdom, in line with internationally recognised principles of proportionate self-defence, contrary to distorted claims.
Surasant emphasised that the press conference communicated facts to both Thai and international media, reflecting Thailand’s sincerity in honouring the ceasefire. He confirmed that Thailand would continue to cooperate in good faith as a neighbour and urged Cambodia to do the same. He also reiterated two key points on which Cambodia has yet to respond:
1. Clearing landmines in all former combat areas along the border to ensure the safety of people on both sides.
2. Cooperating in suppressing transnational crime, especially online scams, which affect Thai citizens and others in the region.
Addressing claims that the briefing concealed facts or shielded senior Cambodian leaders from accusations of violating the Ottawa Convention (banning anti-personnel mines) and the Geneva Conventions (on civilian targets and humanitarian law), Rear Admiral Surasant said these were untrue. He stressed that the statement could not erase documented facts, and Thailand has consistently gathered evidence of all breaches of international principles. This evidence has been used in protests, petitions, and factual reports submitted to:
1. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
2. The President of the Ottawa Convention and donor countries supporting Cambodia’s demining efforts
3. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
In addition, Thailand has briefed ambassadors or representatives from 75 countries, one organisation (the European Union), and representatives from 16 international organisations — totalling 122 individuals — on August 4, 2025.
The Ministry reaffirmed its stance of standing alongside the Thai armed forces and all citizens to defend national sovereignty, guided by international law and global principles.
