Cambodia’s information minister says border claims must rest on law, not narratives

Cambodia’s Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, has reiterated that competing versions of the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute should be judged by facts and international law, rather than by publicity or military advantage. He argued that neither messaging campaigns nor armed deployments on the ground can establish legitimate sovereignty.

Pheaktra pointed to a lesson he said he learned from the late Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, a veteran diplomat closely involved in dealings with Thailand over the border. According to the minister, Sok An once suggested that Thai diplomats had the rhetorical ability to make a large problem appear trivial or a minor issue seem enormous. Pheaktra said the remark was about communication strategy, not a blanket criticism of all Thai officials. In his view, a grave action can be portrayed as insignificant, while a small incident can be exaggerated into a crisis.

He applied that idea to the current dispute, saying Cambodian authorities allege Thai troops have moved into areas claimed by Cambodia, installed razor wire and container barriers, and sought to create a fait accompli by altering conditions on the ground. He added that Cambodia has issued repeated diplomatic protests and is keeping a file of evidence to support its position.

A supplied map is said to show the paths of Thai artillery fire, drones and fighter jets linked to strikes on Preah Vihear Temple last year.

Thailand has rejected Cambodia’s claim of illegal territorial occupation. In a statement about the border situation, Thailand’s foreign ministry said its troops were holding positions after the ceasefire in line with agreed measures and that this should not be read as occupation. Bangkok has also accused Cambodia of laying new mines along the frontier, an allegation Phnom Penh disputes.

Pheaktra pushed back on Thailand’s focus on mine blasts that injured Thai soldiers. He said the Thai side was using those episodes to shift attention away from damage that Cambodia attributes to Thai aircraft bombs, including MK-82 and MK-84 weapons, and from its allegations of territorial encroachment.

Looking to the past work of Sok An on Preah Vihear, the minister said historical records, evidence, international law and peaceful settlement remain crucial to resolving the dispute. He urged people to separate statements about events from the proof available to establish what actually happened. In his telling, words may shape perceptions but cannot change the truth, and borders should be determined by law rather than by propaganda or force.