The Thai military’s current, unprovoked attacks on Cambodian sovereign territory are nothing less than a continuation of its strategy to seize the Cambodian territory that it believes it should have possessed since the 19th and early 20th centuries. These attacks are not tied to any Cambodian actions nor are they remotely related to defending Thai territory; rather, they are a direct product of the Thai military’s strategic shift toward more aggressive tactics to overcome Cambodia’s persistent defence of its sovereignty and its resilience as a nation.
Was Cambodia right to not respond to Thai provocation for so long?
Cambodia has an inherent right to defend itself, its citizens and its territory, but the government’s actions to date have been wise, diplomatic and disciplined, in that they have been stern in ceding nothing while attempting to prevent escalation. This strategy should continue until war is no longer possible to avoid. Cambodia has retained the moral high ground in this conflict and this has frustrated Thailand.
We should not be fooled into entering a war. If Thailand continues to kidnap and unlawfully detain innocent Cambodian citizens, it should bear the full brunt of consequences for such unlawful behaviour. Their actions are not only violations of international law and Cambodian citizens’ human rights, but a slap in the face to the United States, ASEAN and the world’s efforts toward peace in the region.
What is the appropriate response to Thai attacks on Cambodian soil?
Ordinarily, countries have playbooks for these circumstances. It would be difficult to give better ideas than what are contained in these war plans; they were constructed, tested and wargamed rigorously by dozens and hundreds of people with specialised knowledge of their respective domain of warfare.
That said, one appropriate response could be the reciprocal seizure of Thai assets or even citizens in Cambodia.
Youk Chhang is director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). The views and opinions expressed are his own.
