February 21, 2025
BANGKOK – Phumtham clarified that some media outlets had incorrectly reported that Hun Manet had personally called him to apologize. Phumtham emphasized that this misinformation had caused unnecessary issues on the Cambodian side because they did not do it. As a result, the reports created the impression that Thailand had disseminated unfounded information.
Groups of Cambodians recently visited the Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin province, where they sang the Cambodian national anthem, prompting intervention by Thai soldiers responsible for maintaining order.
“What I actually stated was that Cambodia’s Minister of Defense was with Prime Minister Hun Manet and had been trying to contact me for nearly half a day. Eventually, I spoke with the Cambodian Defense Minister and expressed our concerns over someone singing at the site, which made us uncomfortable. However, I never described our position as a ‘protest,’” Phumtham said.
He further noted that Thailand’s 2nd Army Region Commander had protested the incident, deeming it inappropriate. However, Phumtham downplayed the situation by stressing that the issue was not serious and should not be a cause for concern.
Phumtham urged media outlets to correct the reports, reiterating that Hun Manet had not blamed Thailand and that the matter was not as significant as it had been portrayed. Phumtham called for a smooth resolution and reaffirmed that diplomatic and military relations between the two countries remained strong and unaffected.
He also warned that misinformation could lead to unnecessary tensions at a time when Thailand and Cambodia are cooperating on key issues, including efforts to combat cross-border call-centre scams. If misleading reports continue to circulate, he cautioned, they could hinder joint initiatives.
While acknowledging that the media may not have intended to misrepresent the situation, he expressed concern over recurring misinterpretations that could create ongoing diplomatic challenges.