(24 Jul 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bangkok – 24 July 2025
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
1. Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, arrives at media conference
2. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand’s acting prime minister:
"We strongly condemn the use of force, without strict adherence to international law. In addition, this ongoing situation is not a declaration of war, but rather a clash. Thailand maintains its principle by sticking with peaceful solutions, not violence, and emphasizes the importance of dialogue in resolving the situation. However, the situation clearly shows ongoing provocations from the Cambodian side."
3. Phumtham with media
4. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand’s acting prime minister:
"We are protecting ourselves and the sovereignty of our nation. This is the main point of this matter. We cannot accept any invasion or violation of our national sovereignty. Therefore, we are fully committed to fulfilling our duty to protect ourselves and uphold the sovereignty of our country."
STORYLINE:
Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, condemned Cambodia’s "provocations" on Thursday, as tensions continue to rise between the two nations following clashes between soldiers that have killed at least 11 people.
Speaking at a news briefing in Bangkok, Wechayachai described the ongoing situation as a "clash", not a declaration of war, and criticized Cambodia’s use of force.
"Thailand maintains its principles by sticking with peaceful solutions, not violence, and emphasizes the importance of dialogue in resolving the situation. However, the situation clearly shows ongoing provocations from the Cambodian side," he said.
His remarks come after Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed in several areas along their border Thursday in a major escalation of their conflict that left at least 11 people dead, mostly civilians. The two sides fired small arms, artillery and rockets, and Thailand also called in airstrikes.
Thai villagers could be seen on video fleeing their homes to seek shelter as the clashes began in the morning.
Fighting was ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said. The trigger for the clashes was a mine explosion along the border on Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers and led Bangkok to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled Cambodia’s.
Thailand has also sealed all land border crossings while urging its citizens to leave Cambodia.
The Southeast Asian neighbors have longstanding border disputes that periodically flare along their 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier and usually result in brief confrontations that sometimes involves exchanges of gunfire.
But relations have deteriorated sharply since a confrontation in May that killed a Cambodian soldier, and Thursday’s clashes were far bigger in scale and intensity than usual.
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