Bangkok, December 10th 2025– The Royal Thai Army (RTA) issued a strongly worded press release on Wednesday accusing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen of “distorting facts” regarding a recent exchange of fire along the disputed Thai-Cambodian border, asserting that Cambodian troops fired first and violated an existing ceasefire agreement.
The statement, posted on official RTA social media channels with the hashtags #PeaceBeginsWithTruth and #TruthFromThailand, declared:
“Cambodia broke the ceasefire first.
Thailand reserves the right to strike back.”
The RTA claims that on 8–9 December 2025, Cambodian soldiers opened fire on Thai border patrol units in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear (Phra Viharn in Thai) temple area or nearby contested zones in Surin/Sisaket provinces, prompting Thai troops to return fire in self-defence.
The border between Thailand and Cambodia has been a recurring flashpoint since 2008, when UNESCO listed the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple as a Cambodian World Heritage site, reigniting a dispute over approximately 4.6 km² of surrounding land. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the temple itself belongs to Cambodia, but it did not delineate the promontory area around it. A 2013 ICJ interpretation clarified that Cambodia has sovereignty over most of the promontory, though both countries maintain overlapping claims in adjacent scrubland. Additionally, Thailand does not officially recognize the Court.
Major fighting broke out in 2011, leaving dozens dead on both sides before a de facto ceasefire was reached. Since then, periodic small-arms fire, troop build-ups, and diplomatic spats have occurred, usually contained through bilateral talks or ASEAN mediation.
On December 9th, former Cambodian strongman and current President of the Senate Hun Sen (who still wields considerable influence despite his son Hun Manet being prime minister) posted on his Facebook page accusing Thai troops of initiating hostilities and warning that Cambodia “will respond proportionally if Thailand continues provocations.” Cambodian government spokespersons echoed this line, claiming Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodian territory.
The RTA’s Wednesday statement directly refuted Hun Sen’s version of events, insisting that Thai troops were operating inside Thai territory and only returned fire after coming under attack. The army stressed that it “respects international law and bilateral agreements” but “reserves every right to protect national sovereignty.”
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
