Surin: The Royal Thai Army and Army Region 2 have confirmed that images purportedly showing Cambodian activities such as removing barbed wire and the national flag are fake news. They suspect that the Cambodian side generated the content to create a trend and suggest they will not yield to the Thai side while preparing to protest against the GBC agreement. The Commander of Army Region 2 confirmed that all measures remain intact.
According to Thai News Agency, on August 15, 2015, Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvari addressed a video clip depicting Cambodian soldiers allegedly removing concertina wire near Sam Tae Operations Base, close to Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin Province. He mentioned that the video might have been designed to depict Cambodian counter-insurgency operations along the border, but several elements did not match the actual location. It likely involved graphic design, including flag colors that were not representative of the area. The objective was to boost morale among Cambodians and demonstrate actions in border areas, unrelated to the specific mentioned location.
Maj. Gen. Winthai stated, "It may be done in the form of content creation to show Cambodians that there is a reaction against barbed wire fences. It is not an image taken in Thailand. I confirm that it is not the real image he is referring to. Regarding the violation of the GBC agreement regarding distortion of information, we will have to protest and demonstrate that this should not have happened."
Col. Richa Suksuwanon, deputy army spokesman, clarified the case of social media circulating images allegedly showing the removal of barbed wire in the Chub Tamok area, near Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin Province. A joint investigation with military units at Ta Muen Thom Temple confirmed no involvement of Cambodian soldiers in the alleged incident. Should barbed wire removal be occurring in the area, Thailand would face retaliatory action, as the area is within Thai territory and under strict security. The investigation also revealed that the flagpole depicted in the image does not exist in the claimed area.
The Army assesses that this fake news was created by the Cambodian side to divert attention and ease domestic pressure following Thailand's retaking of 11 areas from the Cambodian military after recent fighting.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the 2nd Army Region, stated that he had directed the Suranaree Army to investigate and confirmed that both the barbed wire and the national flag remain in place. The released images were confirmed as fake news.
The Second Army Region issued a press release clarifying social media reports alleging Cambodian troops removed the Thai flag and dismantled the concertina-style barbed wire fence erected by Thai troops near the Sam Tae operational base near Ta Muen Thom Temple. An investigation showed that a sign in Khmer writing reading "Decho Besbao Sam Tae" exists in the area opposite the Sam Tae area in Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, about 500 meters from the border. The flagpole in the image is believed to belong to a Cambodian military unit and has been photoshopped to appear as the Thai flag. On the Cambodian side, the area is part of the Decho Besbao Sam Tae military historical park.
Local units were ordered by the Second Army Region to investigate the facts and found no evidence supporting the claims on social media. Therefore, it is confirmed that the incident is false (Fake News).