Cambodian Information Minister Questions O’Smach Visit, Citing Potential Bias

Cambodian Minister of Information, H.E. Neth Pheaktra, has questioned whether the recent visit by the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) and journalists to the O’Smach area provided an objective picture of the situation on the ground, arguing that a visit organized by a party controlling the site cannot, by itself, constitute independent verification. The AOT and journalists visited the O’Smach area on Sept. 7, 2026, amid ongoing tensions over the Cambodia-Thailand border. H.E. Neth Pheaktra mentioned that O’Smach is one of the areas where the Thai military unlawfully conducted activities on Cambodia’s sovereign territory and in violation of its territorial integrity. In a statement addressing the visit, the Minister raised questions over whether the AOT and journalists had been shown the full situation or only a selectively presented version of events. H.E. Neth Pheaktra pointed to remarks reportedly made by Colonel Roderick T. Garcia of the ASEAN Observer Team in Thailand following the visit. According to the Minister, Colonel Roderick T. Garcia indicated that what he observed on the ground differed from information he had received beforehand and that he was not yet in a position to draw conclusions based solely on the evidence and explanations presented by either side. H.E. Neth Pheaktra said, this would require further assessment and verification. He added that this demonstrated that what was presented during the visit should not automatically be regarded as established fact. The Minister also questioned the circumstances surrounding the visit, particularly who controlled the location before the observers and journalists arrived, who determined which areas they could access, and who decided what they were allowed to see. “When one party controls the location, access to it, what is displayed, and the interpretation of what is displayed, such a presentation cannot be regarded as independent verification,” he argued. H.E. Neth Pheaktra said images and claims concerning buildings in the area, including an alleged fake police station and a hospital, should first undergo independent verification before being used to support accusations against Cambodia. The Minister further argued that questions about alleged criminal activity, including online scams, should be handled through law enforcement and legal mechanisms rather than being used as justification for military action or territorial control. “Before asking, ‘What was inside that building?’, one must first ask, ‘Whose territory is that building located on?’” he said. H.E. Neth Pheaktra also highlighted reports that Colonel Roderick T. Garcia had referred to the Thai side’s explanation that it had no intention of occupying the area and would be prepared to withdraw once the border issue was resolved. The Minister questioned why Thailand would refer to a future withdrawal if its presence in the area did not amount to occupation. H.E. Neth Pheaktra also questioned why any withdrawal would have to wait for negotiations through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), particularly amid Cambodia’s concerns over delays in convening JBC meetings. According to H.E. Minister, the events at O’Smach should therefore not be assessed solely on the basis of images or materials presented during the organised visit. Instead, H.E. Neth Pheaktra called for independent assessment of who controlled the location, how the visit was arranged, what was shown to observers and journalists, and what conditions existed before the area came under Thai military control. The Minister stressed that controlling a location or organizing a visit could not, by itself, establish sovereignty or turn allegations into verified facts. “You can control the site. You can organize the visit. You can select what people are allowed to see. You can stage a scenario. But you cannot make the truth follow your script,” he said. The Minister concluded by emphasizing that territorial sovereignty cannot be created through the use of force, while allegations of criminal activity must be addressed through appropriate legal and law-enforcement mechanisms. Information Source: AKP Cambodia