Now it's the blame game. Thailand says it's Cambodia's fault. Cambodia says it's Thailand's fault.
"Your fault, my fault, nobody's fault - we won't wait, we won't be understanding, we won't try again."
- Richard Boone (John Fain), 'Big Jake'
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Thailand insists it was not aggressor in conflict
by Mongkol Bangprapa
December 10, 2025
Thailand has sought to convince the international community that it was not the aggressor in recent clashes with Cambodia, Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Tuesday, stressing Phnom Penh has consistently attempted to portray itself as a victim despite evidence to the contrary.
Mr Sihasak said he met ambassadors, foreign diplomats and Thai and international media on Monday to explain Thailand’s position and the need to defend its sovereignty against Cambodian military provocations. He said Thailand has also been working to show that Cambodia has repeatedly denied responsibility, diverted attention and constructed misleading narratives — whether concerning current incidents, landmine issues or earlier disputes.
At the Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention in Geneva on Dec 5, Thailand presented evidence related to the latest explosions that killed and injured Thai soldiers. The findings confirmed the use of newly planted landmines, a claim supported not only by Thai investigations but also by Asean observers.
“When we showed the video clips, Cambodia became uncomfortable because our statements are backed by evidence,” he said.
Mr Sihasak added that Thailand’s diplomatic outreach is on the right track, as the global community now sees more clearly that Cambodia’s attempt to cast itself as a smaller country being invaded is misleading. “Small countries can also provoke and encroach for their own benefit,” he said.
He said Thailand will continue issuing formal communications to foreign governments.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... n-conflict
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Cambodia ‘ready at any time’ for talks
Adviser to PM Hun Manet insists Phnom Penh is adhering to peace deal
December 10, 2025
Cambodia is open to immediate bilateral talks with Thailand to bring a halt to a raging border conflict, a top adviser to its prime minister said on Tuesday, after the neighbours accused each other of violating a truce brokered by US President Donald Trump.
The two countries opened up heavy weapons at several locations along their 817-kilometre land border on a second day of sustained hostilities, following the collapse of a ceasefire agreed to end a previous round of clashes in July.
At least 13 people have died, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced for a second time on both sides of the border, but both governments have so far appeared unwilling to back down and start negotiations.
“Let’s say one hour from now, both sides agree to be at the table and then start communication,” Suos Yara, senior adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, told Reuters in a video interview from Phnom Penh.
“This would be a very good idea.”
In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Thailand’s foreign affairs minister said Cambodia would have to show sincerity and make the first move to de-escalate, ruling out third-party mediation.
Trump and Malaysian Premier Anwar Ibrahim were involved in talks in July to end five days of heavy fighting, which left at least 48 dead, and both were also present at the signing of an extended truce deal in October.
Thailand has repeatedly accused Cambodia of violating the agreement, including by laying new landmines. Last month, following a landmine blast that maimed a Thai soldier, Bangkok pulled out of the pact.
Cambodia denies the charge, insisting that it has been adhering to the October peace deal.
“A landmine is not an excuse for the war,” Suos Yara said.
Amid ongoing fighting, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday ruled out dialogue, saying the military had the full backing of his government to carry out its operations.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -for-talks
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Thai Foreign Minister Rejects Calls From UN and Others for Border Talks With Cambodia, Says Cambodia Continues to Provoke
By Adam Judd
December 9, 2025
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow delivered a firm rebuke to international calls for immediate negotiations with Cambodia on Tuesday, declaring that dialogue remains “premature” as long as Phnom Penh persists in border provocations that have already claimed three Thai lives.
The statement comes amid escalating clashes along the disputed frontier, where Cambodian forces have been accused of firing into Thai territory and deploying new landmines, shattering a fragile U.S.-brokered peace accord.
The latest flare-up, which began on December 7th in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district, has seen Cambodian troops open fire across the border in the Phu Pha Lek-Phlan Hin Paet Kon area, wounding two Thai soldiers and killing one initially and escalating into broader exchanges by early December 8th. Thai military reports, confirmed by the Second Army Region, detail further incidents in multiple locations, including Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces, resulting in one Thai soldier killed and eight others wounded. Videos presented by the Foreign Ministry show Cambodian forces using recoilless rifles and positioning long-range weaponry near the line, prompting Thailand to launch precision airstrikes with F-16 jets targeting only military installations to “contain damage and halt supporting fire”.
This crisis marks the second phase of hostilities in 2025, following a summer of intense fighting in June that displaced over 300,000 people and killed dozens. A temporary ceasefire in July, mediated by ASEAN and U.S. President Donald Trump, led to the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord in October, hailed by Sihasak as a “pathway to peace” during its signing.
Yet Thailand suspended the deal last month after a series of landmine explosions injuring Thai soldiers. At the 22nd States Parties Meeting of the Ottawa Convention in Geneva on December 5th, Sihasak urged the UN to launch an independent fact-finding mission, presenting footage of Cambodian troops allegedly planting anti-personnel mines in Thai territory – a violation of the Mine Ban Treaty both nations signed years ago.
In a detailed press briefing on December 8th for diplomats from 58 countries and international organizations, as summarized on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Sihasak stressed Thailand’s defensive posture. “We did not initiate these clashes,” he stated, adding that Thai forces have responded only to protect sovereignty while evacuating border communities in four northeastern provinces – Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani. Thousands of residents have been relocated to shelters, with almost a thousand schools in five border provinces shuttered indefinitely, per Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat’s announcement reported by us here.
International pressure for talks is mounting. The United Nations has called for immediate negotiations, while Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged de-escalation, warning that “our region cannot afford cycles of confrontation.” The U.S., a key mediator in the Kuala Lumpur accord, has expressed surprise at the breakdown but welcomed involvement to de-escalate.
Sihasak questioned the efficacy of rushed talks, asking: “Why negotiate when previous pacts have been ignored?” Formal letters dispatched to the UN and global partners outline Thailand’s evidence and reiterate that Phnom Penh must first show “genuine willingness” for good-faith engagement. Until then, Bangkok will maintain “necessary military measures” along the border, including enhanced patrols and the indefinite closure of all border checkpoints, a decision unanimously backed by Thai military chiefs.
For now, talks appear to be off the table. Photos are from the Royal Thai Navy of parts of a village in Trat where they said Cambodian Soldiers encroached on Thai land, trying to build a temporary base and using rocket launchers against Thai forces.
https://thepattayanews.com/2025/12/09/t ... o-provoke/
