Thai Army rejects Cambodia’s claim of attacks and occupation, follows agreement
Thailand firmly rejects Cambodia's claim of military occupation in civilian areas, stressing that current troop presence is in full accordance with previously established agreement to maintain peace.
- The Thai Army has officially denied Cambodia's claims that its soldiers have occupied civilian areas and are preventing citizens from returning.
- Thailand asserts its troop presence is in accordance with a prior agreement (the Joint Statement of December 2025), which allows both sides to maintain forces in their original positions.
- In response to accusations of causing damage, Thailand stated that such conclusions require reliable evidence and a joint verification process, not unilateral claims made to the media.
The Thai-Cambodian Joint Information Coordination Centre addressed on Thursday (January 15) reports from some international media quoting Cambodia’s side as claiming that "Thai soldiers have occupied civilian areas," preventing Cambodian citizens from returning to these areas.
Thailand has categorically rejected these allegations.
The Joint Information Center stated that the fact is that the troop presence from both sides, including Thailand’s, is in accordance with the Joint Statement of December 27, 2025, and the agreed-upon de-escalation measures.
The continued presence of forces is within the framework of the agreement and cannot be interpreted as "occupying civilian areas."
In response to Cambodia’s accusation that the Thai military is controlling civilian areas, Thailand firmly reiterated that this claim is not based on facts.
Thailand’s actions are in line with Article 2 of the Joint Statement of December 2025, which requires both parties to maintain their forces in the original areas, which does not constitute a violation of sovereignty or occupation.
Furthermore, Thailand remains committed to strictly adhering to international humanitarian law.
Regarding Cambodia’s statement that the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) visited six sites and found damage caused by Thai forces, the Joint Information Coordination Centre clarified that Thailand supports impartial, transparent, and professional observation.
However, conclusions regarding the cause of damage must rely on reliable evidence, technical data, and a credible verification process.
Thailand reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate and provide information through appropriate channels, while emphasising that unilateral claims made through international media, without joint verification processes, are not conducive to de-escalating tensions or creating a positive atmosphere between the two countries.
