A controversial post by former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been interpreted by many as a call for Thai military aggression against Cambodia, with no consideration for the role of the ASEAN chair. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia sharply escalated yesterday, with intense border clashes taking place in multiple locations. As the situation grows more dire, the international community remains on edge. ASEAN’s commitment to peace and unity is being put to the test, as it grapples with the challenge of mediating a resolution to the conflict. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who serves as ASEAN chair, reiterated Malaysia’s…
Author: Raksmey Hong
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts issued a fierce condemnation of the military actions carried out by the armed forces of Thailand on July 24, highlighting the fact that the neighbouring Kingdom’s “precision” strikes have led to substantial damage to the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. “The attacks, involving both artillery shelling and aerial bombardment, have caused severe destruction to the sacred site, which holds immense cultural, historical and spiritual significance for the Cambodian people,” said the statement. The ministry denounced these actions as direct violations of several key international conventions designed to protect cultural heritage…
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has appealed to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for urgent intervention to halt what he described as unprovoked and premeditated military aggression by Thailand, following a deadly cross-border attack that Cambodia says gravely threatens regional peace and security. In a strongly worded July 24 letter to ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN and current rotating president of the Security Council, Manet called on the Council to convene an urgent meeting to discuss Thailand’s actions and take steps to prevent further escalation. According to the letter, the Thai armed forces launched deliberate…
Yesterday, July 23, a Thai soldier lost in a leg — with several others injured — when they triggered a landmine while patrolling disputed land near the Cambodian border. With the incident almost an exact repeat of July 16 — where another young Thao soldier was maimed and others hurt — Thai officials have repeated the same claims, declaring that the mines were recently planted by Cambodian forces, on Thai soil. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) issued a strong rebuttal, explaining that the two explosions that injured Thai soldiers occurred in Cambodian territory and were not…
In the latest development in the ongoing border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, on July 22 the Royal Thai Army briefed diplomatic representatives and military attachés from 47 nations, including Cambodia’s Brigadier General Hom Kim, about the July 16th landmine explosion that injured three Thai soldiers, as accusations swirl over Cambodia’s involvement. The already tense situation has intensified, thanks to accusations by Thailand that Cambodia planted landmines on its territory. While Thai authorities have called the event a deliberate violation of sovereignty, Cambodia has denied the accusations, providing evidence of Thai troops’ unauthorised entry into Cambodian territory, which is known…
As the 20th Asia Media Summit (AMS 2025) launched in Siem Reap on July 22, a resounding message emerged from media leaders across the Asia-Pacific region.The urgent need is to empower citizens with reliable information in an era increasingly dominated by disinformation, fake news and the transformative, yet challenging, rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Gathered under the theme “Celebrating Two Decades of Excellence & Beyond”, the summit isa platform not just for looking back, but for charting a proactive course forward in a media landscape constantly reshaped by technology. “We are living in an age of paradox,” noted Cambodian Minister…
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is once again championing youth empowerment by focusing on digital skills development and ICT-enabled employment opportunities at the 20th Asia Media Summit (AMS), taking place from July 21 to 24, 2025 in Siem Reap. The summit, which has gathered journalists and media professionals from 26 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, has provided a platform for discussions on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in shaping the future of youth employment and digital entrepreneurship. At the forefront of ITU’s initiatives is “Generation Connect”, a programme designed to engage young people as equal partners in…
Cambodia strongly refuted claims by Thailand that it recently laid anti-personnel landmines, instead asserting that the recent injuries to Thai soldiers were a direct result of their unauthorised entry into Cambodian territory, a clear violation of existing bilateral agreements, which resulted in the soldiers being injured by a war-era mine. In a sharply worded July 21 statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia “firmly rejected”” Thailand’s accusations, which followed an incident on July 16 where three Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged on July 20 that Cambodia was in…
Cambodia will spotlight the growing challenges of fake news, malinformation and disinformation at this year’s 20th Asia Media Summit (AMS), which will take place in Siem Reap from July 21 to 24. Notably, Thailand will not participate in this year’s summit. Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra addressed a July 21 press conference. He explained that Cambodia intends to raise the issue of media distortion, including what he described as “propaganda” by Thai media aimed at misleading the international community. “The opposing side often spreads fake news, distorts facts and exaggerates reality to confuse the world about Cambodia,” he said. “We…
As tensions between Cambodia and Thailand escalate following a deadly May border clash, ASEAN’s role in mediating the conflict has come under scrutiny. Despite the region’s commitment to peace and stability, the organisation’s influence in this dispute is limited by its principles of non-interference and the deep mistrust between the two nations. At a seminar held in Phnom Penh on July 17, “Cambodia-Thailand Relations: Towards Peace and a Stable Neighbourhood and Region” experts discussed ASEAN’s potential role in resolving the conflict, despite the obstacles it faces. The ASEAN Challenge: Non-Interference and Trust Issues The Cambodia-Thailand conflict, exacerbated by the deadly…