Thai military says “whoever is where, stays there” amid talk of post-Songkran land talks with Cambodia
Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee says Thailand will stick to a December 27, 2025 joint statement on the border—“whoever is where must stay there”—warning against misinformation and saying any talks should go through the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission after a new government is formed.
Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, director of the Joint Information Centre on the Thai-Cambodian Border Situation, said on Monday he is concerned about the border situation—particularly the spread of false and distorted information that could provoke tensions.
He said the centre is closely monitoring developments. Some information that comes in will not be acted on immediately, he said, but will be considered carefully to avoid fuelling conflict. The focus is on presenting only the facts. He assured the public that anything released by the centre has already been verified and fact-checked.
He added that the information provided will not be provocative or lead to misunderstandings. The aim, he said, is to move towards peace, because clashes or conflict would not bring happiness to either country. On the security front, he said efforts are being made to maintain stability. The centre has a hotline with Cambodia to verify whether information is factual. However, he acknowledged that limitations on both sides could allow some information to slip through, and urged greater caution.
Asked about Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s remark that there would be talks after Songkran to seek the return of territory, Prapas said both sides must adhere to the joint statement of December 27, 2025. He cited Clause 2, which states that whoever is where must remain there. As for how discussions would proceed, he said this would depend on the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), meaning Thailand would need to wait for a new government—possibly in April.
He said that regardless of what anyone says, everything must remain within the framework of the joint statement, including Clauses 9 and 10 on complying with the Ottawa Treaty regarding mine clearance, and co-operation to crack down on scammers, as well as Clause 16, which provides for a co-ordination centre to communicate and exchange information to prevent provocation.
