Cambodia Rejects Thai 'Fact-Checking' Amid Border Dispute

Cambodian Information Minister Net Pheaktra has strongly voiced concerns and rebuttals against Thailand's plan to invite journalists to border areas for 'fact-checking.' The minister reiterated that the territories currently under the control of Thai forces are within Cambodian territory and constitute a violation of sovereignty. Thailand had planned to organize a visit to border areas in the O Smach-Chom Kiri region on September 7, inviting ASEAN observers, Thai, and international journalists, stating the purpose was for them to "independently verify the facts" regarding the situation. While Thailand used terms such as "transparency," "verification," "truth," and "dialogue" to describe the visit, Cambodia argues that before discussing any documents or materials allegedly related to online scams, a fundamental fact must be verified first: "Whose territory is this building located on?" and subsequently, "When and how did Thai forces enter and control these locations?" Minister Net Pheaktra stated, "The fact that Thai forces can enter a location, control it, or bring a third party to view it does not make that location Thai territory." He emphasized that military presence is not a border marker, planting a flag does not establish sovereignty, and actual control by force cannot replace maps, treaties, border documents, and the legal basis that defines a state's territory. Cambodia clarified that it does not defend online scams and is actively combating them in cooperation with international partners. However, the minister asserted that the fight against crime and the issue of state sovereignty are two separate matters. If an offense occurs within a country, it should be resolved through law enforcement, police cooperation, intelligence sharing, mutual legal assistance, arrests, extradition of suspects, and existing international cooperation mechanisms. The suspicion of crime within another state's territory does not grant the forces of one state the right to unilaterally enter, occupy, or exercise authority over that territory. He raised the suspicion that Thailand's actions might be an attempt to use the fight against online scams as a post-hoc justification to legitimize the illegal military incursion into Cambodian territory that has already occurred. "Fact-checking" should not selectively present only the facts that one party wishes to show. Professional and credible fact-checking requires journalists to verify not only what they are shown but also where they are standing, who brought them there, and what legal basis the occupying party has for its presence. Previously, on February 2, 2026, Cambodia strongly protested the entry of foreign military attachés and law enforcement officials into two hotels in O Smach, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that these locations were situated 397 meters from the O Smach International Checkpoint, adjacent to border marker number 15, and that the area had been controlled by Thai forces during the December 2025 conflict. Subsequently, Cambodia has protested various infrastructure developments by Thailand in the O Smach area, including container blockades, road construction, barbed wire installations, and earth dams, as well as the hoisting of the Thai flag and the bringing of Thai and foreign journalists to locations in O Smach, Cambodian territory, without Cambodia's permission. Minister Net Pheaktra concluded that online scams should not become a curtain to conceal questions about Cambodian sovereignty. While combating crime is crucial, it must not be used as a means to legitimize actions that violate another state's sovereignty, he strongly asserted. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local