On July 25th, local time, the acting Prime Minister of Thailand, Prathibon, announced that Thailand is facing a threat from Cambodia. Despite Thai authorities maintaining restraint and adhering to peaceful resolutions through international law and humanitarian principles, Cambodia has taken the lead in resorting to military action, severely violating relevant norms. The attack targeted hospitals and populated areas, with artillery fire hitting more than 20 kilometers away from the border, resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians (including women, children, and the elderly), causing extensive damage to numerous homes. This unrestricted attack constitutes serious war crimes.
The Foreign Minister of Thailand had already informed the United Nations Secretary-General on the 24th regarding the facts involved. The government also sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, clarifying the truth and condemning Cambodia’s attacks on innocent civilians, calling for joint condemnation by the international community against this act of humanitarian violation.
The Thai government extends its deepest condolences to the victims and reiterates that since the outbreak of the conflict, the Thai government, military, and relevant agencies have actively responded. The Thai military’s counterattack was strictly limited to Cambodian military objectives, exercising their right of legitimate self-defense under international law, which has resulted in the destruction of some Cambodian military strongholds.
Currently, hundreds of thousands of people have been safely evacuated from areas affected by the fighting. The government has devised a compensation scheme: each family of a deceased victim receives 1 million baht, those with disabilities 700,000 baht, those with serious injuries 200,000 baht, and general injuries 100,000 baht. Additionally, coordination with airlines has arranged special flights to ensure the safe return of Thai citizens stranded at the border and to provide full medical treatment for injured officers and soldiers.
Prathibon stated that the Thai people should unite and cheer on the soldiers defending national sovereignty, ensuring the safety of border residents. He emphasized that this conflict is not a matter of internal dispute between the two countries nor a declaration of war; rather, it is an armed response necessary to safeguard sovereignty. (CCTV News, Song Huanyu)