The Royal Cambodian Army denied reports yesterday that troops and military equipment had been mobilised for armed confronation along the Cambodia-Thailand border, particularly near the Ta Moan Thom Temple. The army stated that any videos or reports claiming troop movements were false.
This denial came after videos circulated on social media showing alleged troop movements and the transportation of weapons to border provinces with Thailand. The videos followed an altercation between Cambodian and Thai soldiers at the Ta Moan Temple, which is located in the disputed border area between Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province and Thailand’s Surin province, on February 13.
In an interview with Khmer Times yesterday, Royal Cambodian Army spokesman Lieutenant General Mao Phalla dismissed the reports, saying, “All of these claims are false. The repeated spread of such information misleads the public into believing that we are taking action when, in reality, we have done nothing.”
Lt Gen Phalla confirmed that there was indeed a verbal exchange between Cambodian and Thai troops on February 13 at the Ta Moan Temple. However, he emphasised that the issue had already been resolved, as it was merely a misunderstanding. He added that the situation along the border remains normal.
Regarding military deployments, he explained that both Cambodian and Thai troops have long maintained border outposts to ensure security and prevent any irregular activities in the border areas.
Lt Gen Phalla also criticised certain Thai media outlets for spreading misinformation with the intention of escalating border tensions for domestic political gain. He noted that many of these outlets were affiliated with opposition parties in Thailand.
“They are fabricating this issue to create problems. In reality, we have not taken any military action. The situation at Ta Moan Thom Temple remains unchanged, and there has been no troop mobilisation. Everything being reported is false information,” he added.
Following the verbal altercation between Cambodian and Thai soldiers, some Thai media outlets reported that Prime Minister Hun Manet had called Thailand to apologise for the incident. The confrontation reportedly occurred when Thai soldiers prevented a group of Cambodians from singing a nationalist song about Suvarnabhumi territory at Ta Moan Temple.
However, Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai later clarified that Mr Hun Manet had not made any apology, contradicting reports from some Thai news agencies. This was confirmed by The Nation, a Thai media outlet.
Thong Meng David, a political and geopolitical analyst and professor at the Institute of International Relations and Public Policy at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, described the February 13 incident as sensitive but well-managed. He noted that the situation has since returned to normal.
He pointed out that the Thai Defence Minister’s clarification regarding the lack of an apology from Mr Hun Manet suggests differences in how events are interpreted or communicated between lower-ranking officials and top leaders from both countries. However, he emphasised that both governments have consistently committed to resolving border issues through diplomacy rather than military force.
- Tags: Ta Moan Thom Temple, Thailand
