Cambodian Information Minister Criticizes Thai 'Scenario' in Border Area

Cambodian Information Minister Net Pheaktra has strongly suggested the possibility of a "scenario" orchestrated by Thailand during a recent inspection tour of the "O Smach" border area, which he claims is illegally occupied by Thai troops, violating Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Cambodian government had previously lodged a strong protest with Thailand via a diplomatic note on September 8th. Minister Pheaktra raised the question of whether what the visitors saw was the "complete truth or an image selected and arranged by the Thai side, which is illegally controlling the location." This question, he noted, carries significant weight. He pointed to the statement by Colonel Roderick T. Garcia of the ASEAN Observers to Thailand, who reportedly said after the visit that "what I saw was significantly different from the information I received before arriving, and I cannot yet draw conclusions from any evidence or explanation. Further evaluation and verification are needed." The Information Minister interpreted this as meaning that what Thailand presented does not necessarily equate to an acknowledgment of truth by AOT (Airport of Thailand Public Company Limited). "The biggest problem is that the location is under the illegal control of the Thai military," Pheaktra stated. He posed a series of critical questions: Who controlled the location before AOT and the journalists arrived? Who selected what was to be shown? Who controlled entry and exit? And who can guarantee that what was presented that day was the original situation, not a pre-arranged scenario? Pheaktra argued that when one party controls the location, access, what is presented, and the interpretation of what is presented, such a presentation cannot be considered independent verification. He asserted that attempts to create a narrative that slanders Cambodia using images of fake buildings, police stations, hospitals, or other materials must first undergo independent verification. The organization of a tour, he stressed, does not equate to the confirmation of truth. He proposed that before asking "What is inside the building?", one should first ask "Whose territory is the building on?" This is because violations must be resolved by law, and border issues must be resolved according to legal frameworks, border documents, and agreed-upon mechanisms. Accusations of "scam" cannot serve as a pretext for territorial occupation by force. Furthermore, Pheaktra highlighted Garcia's reported mention of the Thai explanation that they "have no intention of occupying and are ready to withdraw when the border issue is resolved." This, he said, leads to a simple question: If it is not an occupation, why mention "ready to withdraw"? And if it is merely a temporary presence, why wait for JBC (Joint Border Committee) negotiations for withdrawal? He accused Thailand of repeatedly postponing JBC meetings, using every excuse. Therefore, Pheaktra concluded, what is happening in O Smach should not be judged solely by the images the tour organizers want the world to see. Verification is needed on who controls the location, who arranged what was to be shown, and what was there before the area came under Thai military control. "Thailand can control the location, can organize the tour, can choose what to show, can prepare a scenario, but Thailand cannot prepare the truth to follow the scenario," Minister Pheaktra emphasized. "Forceful occupation cannot create sovereignty, and a tour organized by an illegal occupying party cannot transform claims into truth. Everything is a preparation to deceive observers and journalists. But as a Khmer proverb says, 'Lies piled up will ultimately lose to the truth.'" Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local