Pheu Thai blames scam crackdown, not family feud, for border hostilities
Pheu Thai Party MP and spokesman Danuporn Punnakanta said on Sunday that the root of the issue lies in Cambodian leaders' discontent over Thailand's efforts to dismantle cross-border online scam operations based in Cambodia. He pointed to Phnom Penh's refusal to join a planned trilateral mechanism involving Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar to jointly tackle transnational cybercrime, join, claiming that it would handle the matter independently.
'It's not a conflict between individuals or political dynasties like the Shinawatra and Hun Sen families,' Mr Danuporn said. 'It's about the fallout from cybercrime suppression. Key figures in Cambodia are being affected, and there is growing evidence to support this.'
He cited the Thai arrest warrant issued for Kok An, an alleged Cambodian scam-backer and casino owner who was reportedly close to Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Authorities have also frozen significant assets and are working with Interpol to pursue international legal action against those involved.
Mr Danuporn said although the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border remains tense, Thai security agencies are in full control and have put in place comprehensive measures to ensure public safety and defuse the situation.
He stressed that the government remains committed to resolving the issue peacefully through established bilateral channels. The Foreign Ministry has set up a task force to assess international impacts, coordinate with embassies, and prepare humanitarian measures should the fighting linger.
'The government places great importance on diplomacy in easing tensions, and we want the public to rest assured that we are addressing the issue on all fronts—security, military, diplomatic, and the protection of people's lives and property—all of which are top priorities for the government,' said the Pheu Thai spokesman.
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Bangkok Post
an hour ago
- Bangkok Post
Time for this unnecessary war to end
It was a war everyone saw coming. After weeks of provocations and inflammatory rhetoric across the Thai–Cambodian border since May 28, the failure to de-escalate tensions finally erupted into deadly border skirmishes. Despite diplomatic efforts, no fruitful progress was made. As diplomacy faltered, ultra-nationalism made inroads, and rhetoric gave way to border clashes beginning last Thursday. The militaries on both sides now face mounting public pressure to defend their respective motherlands. In such a climate, a tit-for-tat escalation was almost inevitable. Talk of a ceasefire has yet to be translated into meaningful action. Thailand has agreed in principle, while Cambodia wants an immediate ceasefire, but no cessation of hostilities has occurred on the ground. Beyond the battlefields, domestic challenges in both countries have further fueled the conflict. In Thailand, the Pheu Thai-led coalition is struggling to maintain stability. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's political future now hangs in the balance after the Constitutional Court suspended her from office following a leaked, deeply damaging phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Once seen as a diplomatic asset -- thanks to her father Thaksin's long-standing ties with Hun Sen -- that connection has turned into a liability for the Shinawatra family. Their private feuds have become a public liability that severs diplomatic channels. In Cambodia, Hun Sen, though no longer prime minister, remains the country's power centre as he backs his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, much to the chagrin of the ruling Cambodia People's Party's old and young apparatus. But the economic headwinds are more intense. Cambodia faces a potential 36% tariff hike from the United States, reduced from an earlier proposal of 49%. If Phnom Penh fails to secure a deal with the Trump administration by Friday, Hun Sen's legacy and Cambodia's growth prospects will be thrown into jeopardy. Against this backdrop, President Donald Trump has phoned both Thai and Cambodian leaders, urging them to hold ceasefire talks; otherwise, ongoing trade negotiations with the US will be halted. Once again, Mr Trump is weaponising tariffs as diplomatic leverage, with his team hoping the ultimatum will bring an end to the fighting. Since Cambodia's independence in 1953, Thailand has always regarded it as a close neighbour and an integral part of the Asean family. Thailand also played an important role in the peace process, nation-building and development through the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements and Cambodia's membership in Asean in 1999. At the special private meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last week, the two countries brought their cases for all to see. For many council members, the speed and ferocity of the conflict -- given the relatively stable ties that followed the 2011 border clashes -- came as a big surprise. That period, particularly during the Prayut Chan-o-cha government, had been marked by cordial relations and personal rapport between leaders. However, relations gradually turned sour after Pheu Thai returned to power in 2023. Initially, optimism prevailed. When Ms Paetongtarn assumed office in September 2024, it signalled a fresh chapter with Cambodia's new premier, Hun Manet. Both leaders, bolstered by the backing of domineering influential fathers, promised deeper ties. That hope vanished after their fallout over the leaked private phone call between Hun Sen and Ms Paetongtarn. Tensions rose further after Thaksin proposed cuts to the defence budget, arguing the military had consumed too much public funding. Then came Thursday. According to Thai officials, Cambodian artillery shells struck civilian areas in Thailand's Surin province early that morning, hitting community areas and a hospital. The attacks killed more than a dozen villagers. The Thai military quickly retaliated with precision airstrikes on military targets by deploying F-16s to target military installations across the border. Thailand's response was formally outlined by Ambassador Cherdchai Chaivaivid, its Permanent Representative to the UN, during the UNSC briefing. He emphasised that Thailand was the victim of Cambodia's "indiscriminate attacks" on civilians, and that its retaliation was defensive, proportionate, and limited to military targets. In a related move, Thailand submitted letters to the United Nations Children's Fund and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urging them to condemn Cambodia's strikes that endangered civilian lives, especially children. As Thai armed forces mobilise further, nationalist sentiment is intensifying. With over 130,000 civilians evacuated and artillery still falling on Surin and nearby provinces, a real ceasefire appears remote. Given the current public sentiment, the Thai military is unlikely to agree to any truce unless Cambodia halts all attacks on civilians and commits to negotiations in good faith. At the global level, Cambodia utilised its diplomatic adroit skills to internationalise the conflict further. Phnom Penh made a pre-emptive request for a UN Security Council meeting within hours after launching its dawn assault. It was a calculated attempt to shift the blame to Thailand. Finally, the UNSC meeting was held and concluded without a resolution. Overall, the council members expressed concerns, but some of them deemed the armed clashes as not yet a threat to international peace and security. As such, the issue was neither placed on the UNSC agenda nor referred to the International Court of Justice for further action, as Cambodia had demanded. While Thailand has consistently said it prefers bilateral resolution, it has not completely rejected third-party facilitation. Asean Chair Malaysia, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has offered a potential path forward. Mr Anwar, seen as a neutral and principled actor, is well-positioned to serve as an honest broker who can create an environment in which Asean members can begin to mend ties. As of this writing, Thai and Cambodian delegations were set to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to negotiate a ceasefire under the Asean chair, as host and observer. It is hoped that the two sides will agree to return to the conditions that existed before May 2025. The ceasefire must also cover the protection of civilians, cultural heritage and humanitarian access. Most importantly, they have to adhere to international humanitarian law. Another critical element is preventing and stopping information warfare against one another. The information operation, both offline and online, has already sown the seeds of mutual hostile feelings for generations to come. In the longer term, the revival of existing bilateral mechanisms will be essential. These frameworks, which have been used in the past to ease tensions and foster cooperation, can help restore trust. But with blood already spilt, reconciliation will not be quick. Ending this unnecessary war must now be at the top of the agenda. Both sides must ensure that such unwarranted armed conflict does not recur for the sake of the well-being of Thais and Cambodians.
Bangkok Post
an hour ago
- Bangkok Post
Ceasefire, but not online
It is welcome news that peace negotiations in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday resulted in an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Despite such progress, the fight in cyberspace continues with "keyboard warriors" from both sides continuing to use fervent nationalistic rhetoric, propaganda and fake news to shape public sentiment. Examples are abundant from both sides. Needless to say, social media content from Cambodian netizens portrays Thailand as the villain that initiated the attack, and Cambodia as the victim. It is also no surprise that there is a lot of fake news. And even if the fighting ends, it is hoped that the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will collect granular details and satellite records to convince the world that Thailand and its army are defending the country. After the conflict ends and diplomatic relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh resume, the Thai army and the foreign ministry, as well as the National Security Council, must pursue cases against the Cambodian army over the use of landmines and the launching of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals. But for now, the Thai government as well as the media regulatory body must work harder to tackle propaganda, fake news and ultra nationalism narratives that will sow racism between the two neighbouring countries. There are reports and warnings from police about racism and discrimination against Cambodian workers in Thailand. Indeed, police must investigate such cases and guarantee full protection for Cambodian workers here. Meanwhile, the media must work harder to authenticate content and rumours from social media. Indeed, over the past week, online and traditional media have rushed to publish content from social media without verifying the facts. One glaring example was a Channel 9 news programme on Friday, which had a clip showing an unknown person being attacked. Despite the clip not providing the name of the street, news anchors were quick to say the clip showed Thai staff working at a casino in Poipet, Cambodia, being attacked by Cambodians. Questions have been raised about whether this news clip is real. What is more worrying is the impact on public perception. Likewise, an online news website in Thailand ran a video clip with a caption that Thai police warned Thais not to attack Cambodian workers. The video clip shot from a wide angle only shows a teenage hooligan beating an unknown person. There are no details of the place, names or even a police investigation. The news editor of this news site explained to the Bangkok Post that the content was sourced from the social media platform X, and they did not conduct a background check with the police. Needless to say, this news post attracted eyeballs from Cambodian netizens who shared the clip. Now, with the prospect of an end to the fighting, people of both nations, especially those living along the border, will engage in trade and interact with each other as governments and their diplomatic corps also re-engage. Yet, hate speech and fake news in cyberspace will only incubate anger and fear. An end to the hostilities on the border is not enough. The government must instruct netizens and media outlets to produce and share factual content, made in good faith and in the public's best interests.
Bangkok Post
an hour ago
- Bangkok Post
Analysts advise not to stoke proxy war
Prominent security and foreign affairs scholars have raised red flags about the escalating Thai-Cambodian conflict, warning that it risks descending into a regional proxy war between the US and China. Panitan Wattanayagorn, an independent national security scholar, said the Trump administration's use of tariffs as leverage in ceasefire negotiations shows the US president's broader campaign promise to act as a global peacemaker. By linking economic tools to security matters, the US gains influence in both spheres and keeps domestic political interests in play. Mr Panitan warned that China's early move to offer mediation had triggered a US urgency to act first. "Cambodia was smart -- they invited China early. Now Beijing's involvement has deepened the geopolitical complexity," he said. The academic urged the Thai government to communicate more clearly on global platforms that it does not welcome external mediation but supports coordinated cooperation and called on Thai negotiators to propose a temporary military freeze, a safe zone, and Cambodian troop withdrawal as preconditions for talks. Meanwhile. Dulyapak Preecharush, deputy director of the East Asian Studies Institute at Thammasat University, said that military survival and territorial control outweigh economic concerns for both countries. He believed that even with a ceasefire framework, fighting may continue as a means to gain a territorial advantage. "Cambodia has deployed heavy weapons like the BM-21 rocket system, targeting civilians in violation of humanitarian norms. Thailand had no choice but to respond militarily," he said. "Looking at other global conflicts, peace often comes only after one side suffers major losses. This situation may still end in a temporary ceasefire, not lasting peace," he said. Both Mr Panitan and Mr Dulyapak agree that the current fighting is not yet a full-blown proxy war, though it shows early signs. "Nationalism and territorial claims still dominate," Mr Dulyapak said of the skirmishes so far. He concluded that if the US and China resist taking sides, they may still find a way to de-escalate. "It won't be sustainable peace, but short-term calm is still achievable."
