Press Conference from the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation, 1 August 2025, 18.00 hr.

Press Conference from the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation, 1 August 2025, 18.00 hr.

Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Thai Army, and agencies involved, led by H.E. Mr. Russ Jalichandra, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Lieutenant General Anuparp Sirimonthon, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army, together with diplomatic representatives from 11 countries, and 38 Defence Attachés, from 23 countries, and a delegation from foreign and Thai media totaling 150 persons, joined a site visit to civilian areas, including a petrol station, convenience store, a sub-district health promotion hospital, and a Temporary Shelter Centre, which were affected by Cambodia’s indiscriminate armed attacks in blatant disregard of the principles of international law.

The objectives of the Field Visit are as follows:

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the participation of the diplomatic corps and foreign media in this site visit, with the firm intention to ensure that the facts and the truth are disseminated to the international community. This is where both Thai and international media will play an important role.

• Secondly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intended to provide an opportunity for the diplomatic corps and international media to observe and assess the impacts of theclashes along the Thai-Cambodian border first-hand.

• Thirdly, through the site visit, we intended to reflect the actual events and the actual truth, to reveal the magnitude and long-term psycho-social impact of the destruction caused by civilian homes, hospitals, schools, and public facilities — acts initiated by the Cambodian side, which deliberately targeted non-military sites. Again, these actions constitute violations of international humanitarian law, human rights principles, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. As a result, many innocent civilians have been killed or injured, and over one hundred fifty thousand people were forced to evacuate to shelters.

The result of the site visit:

• After a briefing by the Thai side of the attacks by Cambodia beginning from 24 July 2025, the delegation was on-site to observe a number of affected locations.

• First, a convenience store located within a petrol station in Si Sa Ket province, which came under rocket attack by Cambodia forces, resulting in 8 fatalities, among them were a family of three – a mother and her children who went into the store and never came back out. Second, the Ban Sam Meng sub-district health promotion hospital, also in Si Sa Ket, which was structurally damaged by the attack, and a temporary shelter centre, which has been providing care for over 5,000 people.

• Today’s site visit was an important opportunity for a large number of diplomatic representatives, Defence Attachés, and media present to witness the transparency and the facts of the situation. Still, at every location visited, safety was our top priority.

• When compared with Cambodia’s arrange visit, at every place visited, media were able to follow and take footage or reporting, diplomats and defence representatives were also able to meet and interact with families who are directly affected, and witness damage to the public infrastructure and facilities, and impact on innocent civilians, including the personal impacts for those who had to leave their homes. Moreover, the diplomatic representatives and Defence Attachés thank the Thai government for organizing the visit, which demonstrates the sincerity and good faith that we have always shown.

• Lastly, I wish to reiterate that Thailand carries out all our actions in accordance with the rules always. We are committed to the principles and international law as the world can see just like the visit today. I am confident that truth ultimately wins.

#TruthfromThailand

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