Anutin denies ceasefire deal with Trump, insists Thailand must focus on defending sovereignty

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday travelled to preside over the royal cremation ceremony for Thai soldiers killed in clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in Nong Phok district, Roi Et.

Before his departure, reporters asked him whether his December 12 phone call with US President Donald Trump had included any agreement on a ceasefire.

Anutin replied: 

“We did not discuss that. There was no agreement of any kind. It was simply an exchange of updates. I reaffirmed that, regarding the conflict between the two countries, each side has to act to defend itself. Thailand, for its part, must fully protect its sovereignty and its people.”

When asked if this meant Cambodia should understand that Thailand would not cease fire, Anutin said:

“He did not say anything about whether we must stop or not stop firing.”

Pressed further on whether Thailand had told Trump that it would not cease fire, Anutin replied:

“We did not say that. We simply carry out our duties.”

Reporters then asked whether Thailand should ignore President Trump’s social media posts on the matter. Anutin answered:

“We don’t want to speak in that way. In international relations, we must show respect to all our friends. There is no need to argue back and forth. We act according to what we consider appropriate to the situation.”

On the question of whether Trump’s post claiming that Thailand and Cambodia would cease fire put Thailand in a difficult position, given that no such agreement had been reached, Anutin responded by asking:

“Well, has there been a ceasefire? This morning Cambodia fired heavy weapons at us – fired into areas that are not military targets.

This morning Cambodia fired BM-21 rockets into a civilian area where our people live, causing serious injuries and loss of limbs.

So right now, should Thailand be listening to anyone? If we keep listening to this person and that person, will we have time to protect our sovereignty or safeguard the safety of our people?”

When asked how Thailand would respond to Trump’s suggestion that Thailand had retaliated too harshly against Cambodia, Anutin paused before replying:

“How many legs have been lost now? How many bodies? That is the question we should be asking — asked as Thais, not as people looking in from the outside.”