Anutin vows not to let Thailand be taken advantage of by Cambodia

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Sunday vowed to protect Thailand’s sovereignty, saying he would not allow Cambodia to take advantage of the country in ongoing border disputes.

Anutin made the remarks during a special speech at an academic seminar hosted by the Medical Council of Thailand and the Mahitala Dhibesra Institute at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld Hotel.

During his address, Anutin — who also serves as Interior Minister — spoke about the current tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border. He emphasised that his government would not allow Cambodia to take advantage of Thailand and was fully prepared to respond to any invasion or provocative actions.

“The government will not let our country be taken advantage of by neighbouring countries or any other nation,” Anutin said.

“We have the duty to protect the national interest to the best of our ability.”

Earlier, several Thai nationalist groups had voiced concerns that Anutin might face pressure from ASEAN and the United States to sign a peace deal with Cambodia during the ASEAN Summit from October 25 to 28.

Their fears followed a statement by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, who said US President Donald Trump would attend the summit to witness the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. Nationalist groups have urged Thailand not to reach any agreement until Cambodia ceases its intimidation along the border.

Anutin told the seminar that the government could not reveal details of its border operations, as doing so would allow Cambodia to anticipate Thailand’s measures.

He said the Thai-Cambodian border situation remained calm, with no shootings or provocative acts reported since Thailand had made clear its readiness to respond decisively to any aggression.

The prime minister also assured the audience that his government would not reopen the border with Cambodia until all intimidation had stopped.

He added that he had visited Thai-Cambodian border areas and spoken with villagers, who expressed their willingness to tolerate temporary inconvenience for the sake of national stability.

“If Cambodians cross the border illegally, Thai authorities will deport them immediately,” he said.

“The government will exercise the highest level of prudence in resolving border issues. All decisions will be guided by national pride, sovereignty, and the national interest,” Anutin added.

“We will make decisions carefully to achieve the best outcomes — but not so slowly that it causes damage.”