Survivor Testimony Contradicts Thai Military Claims, Says Information Minister

PHNOM PENH, August 19, 2026 – Information Minister Neth Pheaktra has drawn attention to a report by The Diplomat that he says provides eyewitness accounts and on-the-ground observations contradicting Thai military assertions regarding operations in border areas.

The report, published on August 18 by authors Lindsey Kennedy and Nathan Paul Southern, presents evidence from three key sources: testimony from a survivor who stated there were no Cambodian military personnel at the site of an attack; direct observations by the authors of civilian buildings being bombed and burned; and documentation of Thai military presence and activities in locations identified as Cambodian territory.

The most striking testimony came from Paul, a Nigerian national who was held at the Cham site. He told the authors that he never saw any Cambodian soldiers or military vehicles in the compound before the attack. Hours before the December 27 ceasefire took effect, drone and bombing attacks began, repeatedly striking the main hotel-casino. "I never saw any Cambodian soldiers. Nobody was shooting back. It was only Thai military attacks," Paul said.

At O’Smach, the authors arrived shortly after an airstrike and observed multiple buildings on fire, structures that housed human trafficking victims. The report noted that during several visits from July 2025 onwards, Thai surveillance drones were seen closely monitoring the area, but no evidence was found that the targeted buildings were being used as military bases.

The report also documented Thai military presence on Cambodian territory, including container walls, roadblocks, and troop positions at Thmor Da, and warning shots fired from Thai positions when the authors attempted to inspect a casino on Cambodian soil at O’Smach. The authors noted that Thai forces opened fire again within 12 hours, during a visit by an international delegation inspecting the border area.

Minister Neth Pheaktra stressed that the border issue involves respect for the ceasefire, refraining from unilateral actions, and ensuring displaced civilians can return home safely and with dignity. He said the placement of containers, barbed wire, and roadblocks that restrict access to homes and land cannot be considered normal security measures if they enforce control over territory claimed by Cambodia.

The minister concluded that when survivors say they saw no Cambodian military presence, when journalists observe civilian buildings attacked, and when post-attack sites are occupied by foreign forces, the demand for independent investigation and accountability under international law becomes essential.

— Source: H.E Neth Pheaktra, Minister of Ministry of Information

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Reported by The Khmer Today