AKP Phnom Penh, July 03, 2025 —

Cambodian Ministry of National Defence has rejected the false and misleading statements made by the Thai side regarding the incident involving verbal confrontation between Thai and Cambodian troops on June 27, 2025.

The following is Cambodia’s clarification over the incident:

“The strict adherence of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to military discipline ensures that no actions are taken that violate established protocols without prior mutual agreement, especially in ways that deviate from the contents of bilateral agreements.

According to the agreed terms, access to the Ta Moan Thom Temple is to be closed at 15:00. Unfortunately, on that day at approximately 15:15, after access had already been closed and all coordinating and security forces had already left the Temple, Thai side permitted around 100 Thai nationals—including a former Minister of the Interior of Thailand and the current leader of the Bhumjaithai Party—to enter the temple, without any prior notification, contrary to the claim made by the spokesperson of the Royal Thai Army.

If the Thai military truly acted with good intentions and transparency, their actions should have been in full compliance with the bilateral agreement between the two countries, which clearly outlines the time and conditions of access to the temple.

Cambodian forces made every effort to resolve the situation peacefully, without violence or confrontation, maintaining professionalism and full respect for existing agreements.

The videos released by several Thai media outlets and the statements made by the Thai army spokesperson are false, misleading, and reflect only one-sided information. Such actions serve only to provoke misunderstanding and incite hostility or discrimination between the two nations, without reflecting the full context of the situation.

Cambodia calls upon all journalists and media in Thailand to immediately cease the spread of false, distorted, or misleading information intended to harm Cambodia’s dignity and reputation. Once again, we strongly remind the Thai side to fully respect the existing agreements with integrity and to avoid actions that distort the truth or damage mutual trust and confidence.

The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces remain committed to peace, stability, and strong neighbourly relations but will not allow any country to encroach upon Cambodian sovereignty under any circumstances.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defence
Phnom Penh, 3rd July 2025”