Bangkok: Thai soldiers are confident they are following policies, the people should not panic as Cambodia moves troops closer to the border. The Army Chief of Staff expressed confidence that border troops are following policy and urged the public not to panic over news of Cambodian troops moving closer to the border, emphasizing that there are established policy guidelines.
According to Thai News Agency, General Chaiyapruk Duangprapat, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army, addressed reports of Cambodia moving troops closer to the border, particularly along the barbed wire fence, prompting Thailand to use firecrackers as a warning. He stated that Cambodia was supposed to remain at its original position as agreed upon on December 27, 2025, but the movement violated the agreement. Therefore, the Thai side issued a warning. He emphasized that Thailand already has a policy in place for using force as a warning. General Phana Klaewplodthuk, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, has instructed that this use of force must be strictly adhered to. If Cambodia violates any agreed-upon provisions, Thailand will retaliate according to various measures. He noted that news reports showed Cambodia inviting AOT (Airports of Thailand) observers to the area, resulting in troops being deployed near the fence. However, Thailand has its own methods of response to prevent such actions from recur ring. He reiterated that Thailand will not tolerate any interference or disturbance that causes panic among the local population.
A reporter asked whether such actions would affect trust and future cooperation. The Chief of Staff of the Army stated that at the policy level, senior government and military officials have discussed absolutely not engaging in such behavior. If done, it would be a violation of the agreement, and we would not remain silent. We will adhere to the established guidelines.
A reporter asked about the Cambodian protests at Ta Kwai Temple, where they demanded that Thailand not interfere in the temple's restoration. The Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army stated that there was no problem; they couldn't do much more than that. He asked the public to trust that Thailand was fully prepared and that they were taking care of their site.