Prince Chalermsuk Yugala accuses Cambodia of false claims over chemical weapons use

Speaking at the Royal Thai Army (RTA) headquarters, Prince Chalermsuk Yugala, an adviser to the RTA’s Chemical Department and an expert in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, said he was appointed by the United Nations in 1991 as a chemical weapons inspector in Iraq, giving him extensive experience in the field.

He explained that chemical weapons are among the most destructive types of arms, governed by strict international law. Both Thailand and Cambodia are parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the production, stockpiling, and use of such weapons, and requires the destruction of any in possession. 

Thailand is also bound by the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which bans the use of chemical weapons.

Prince Chalermsuk Yugala dismissed Cambodia’s recent accusation — accompanied by an image of a twin-engine aircraft dropping a red liquid — as a fabrication. The image, he said, was taken from California, United States, during a firefighting operation, and had no connection to Cambodia. 

Despite this being debunked, Cambodian soldiers had recently posed wearing gas masks, allegedly to highlight ongoing fears, which he described as an attempt to revive discredited claims.

If Cambodia truly believed chemical weapons had been used, he said, it should submit a formal complaint to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, the Netherlands, along with credible evidence such as medical reports, biological samples, or contaminated environmental materials.

The OPCW would then seek clarification from Thailand and, if necessary, dispatch inspectors. Cambodia, however, had never taken such steps, relying instead on unsubstantiated public accusations that alarmed communities along the border.

“I have been asked by people in border areas whether this is true. The answer is no. They were caught using fake images, and there is no supporting evidence,” he said, accusing Cambodia of using baseless claims in diplomatic channels and through its embassies abroad.

Prince Chalermsuk Yugala also encouraged frontline troops — army, navy, air force, border patrol police, and paramilitary rangers — to remain strong and safe in their duties, saying the Thai people’s trust rests with them.

Asked whether the international community believed his explanation or Cambodia’s, he replied that many countries had already rejected Cambodia’s claims, though some individuals or groups continued to express doubts. 

He suggested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could call on technical experts to assist diplomats in countering misinformation, adding that he was ready to participate if requested.

When pressed on whether a network was working to promote Cambodia’s narrative, he said he could not quantify it but noted ongoing attempts to harass Thailand. 

We are not troubled because we have a clean record. I am explaining today the proper procedure if chemical weapons are suspected, instead of resorting to constant propaganda, he said.

Prince Chalermsuk Yugala acknowledged that such propaganda could influence some audiences, stressing that it was the foreign ministry’s responsibility to address it. He said he had supported several government agencies behind the scenes without public recognition.

Asked why he had decided to speak out now, he said he was tired of hearing repeated lies from Cambodia. Responding to a question about Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt Gen Maly Socheata, he remarked: “She has a boss, and whatever the boss orders, she must follow, or she will be removed.”

When asked whether Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet held ultimate decision-making power on border issues, he declined to comment, saying: “I don’t answer questions outside chemical weapons matters — that would be stepping into someone else’s role.”