Natthaphong accuses PM of exploiting nationalism while avoiding crackdown on grey capital

Thai opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut on Friday criticised the government’s handling of the recent tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, following a landmine explosion that injured Thai soldiers and subsequent armed clashes.

Natthaphong condemned all acts involving the planting of new anti-personnel mines, calling them violations of international agreements and of the bilateral peace declaration between the two countries.

He noted that despite the seriousness of the situation, Malaysia’s foreign minister told Bernama late last night that Malaysia still hopes peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia will continue, signalling that the region seeks de-escalation.

Natthaphong warned that Prime Minister Anutin’s remarks — suggesting that Thailand would no longer commit to the peace declaration after the November 10 blast — were reckless and risked putting Thailand at a disadvantage.

“Instead of using this moment to highlight Cambodia’s wrongdoing and mobilise global pressure on Phnom Penh over landmines and scam syndicates, Thailand rushed to suspend the peace agreement itself,” he said.

According to the People’s Party leader, the PM’s stance may harm Thailand’s international credibility at a time when ASEAN observers and foreign governments still lack full clarity on the situation.

Natthaphong outlined four key concerns:

1. Thailand suspended the peace declaration first, even though the agreement overwhelmingly benefits Thailand — especially on mine clearance and the suppression of scam networks.
2. Instead of informing the US and Malaysia (ASEAN Chair) early about the facts, the PM let time slip by, allowing both countries to publicly caution Thailand and Cambodia not to violate the peace declaration.
3. Cambodia has used the PM’s reaction to return to its old playbook: provocation, media manipulation, and casting itself as the victim of a stronger neighbour — a narrative it has pushed for years.
4. Cambodia is now regaining international sympathy, even though it had been on the defensive, with the world increasingly pressuring Phnom Penh over online scam syndicates — the financial lifeline of the Hun Sen administration.

Natthaphong said that if the government truly prioritised the national interest, there are several concrete measures it could take to address the Thailand–Cambodia crisis and decisively stop threats to Thailand’s peace and security — instead of declaring its readiness to tear up the peace agreement. These include:

1. Direct talks with the leaders of the United States and China

Thailand should urge both powers to reconsider their military and economic support for Cambodia in order to dismantle the scam networks that threaten people around the world — including citizens of China and the US.

2. Appointing a Special Envoy

Thailand should establish a Special Envoy to coordinate with the international community on intelligence sharing and joint operations against scam syndicates.

He also suggested Thailand consider joining the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC) so that foreign specialists can assist with investigations inside Thailand.

3. Immediate asset freezes and financial tracing

The government must urgently freeze assets and trace the financial routes of scam networks operating in Thailand to uncover the masterminds — rather than catching “small fish” simply to protect the government’s image.

Thailand, he stressed, must prove to the world that it is not a hub for money laundering or grey capital, which is currently fuelling global scam operations.

The People’s Party leader added that Thailand today faces multiple risks because the government’s approach to the Cambodia issue is driven by political popularity, not the national interest. As a result, Thailand is now accused of being a money-laundering haven for scam syndicates; losing the information war against Cambodia, which portrays Thailand as a bully; providing landmine information inconsistent with international observers’ findings; exposed to grey capital infiltrating the country through business ownership, bribery of officials (including high-ranking police), and political financing.

Natthaphong said Thailand needs a prime minister who acts with maturity, responds proportionately, and puts the country’s interests above personal approval ratings.

He urged the prime minister to “pull himself together” and immediately implement the three proposed measures.

Natthaphong concluded that the peace agreement, which currently puts Cambodia at a disadvantage — due to its planting of new landmines (a breach of international law) and its role in scam syndicates — remains Thailand’s strongest legal and diplomatic tool.

Therefore, the prime minister should return to the framework of international law and the existing peace agreement, which was signed with the US and other major powers as witnesses, instead of threatening to tear it up for nationalist political gain.