Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has defended statements he made concerning the failure of Thai prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat to secure enough votes to be elected to lead Thailand.

In his Telegram post on Friday, Hun Sen wrote, “I am ready to work with the Thai government leader, no matter who or which party is in charge.” He said he respects the decision of the Thai people and does not interfere in the internal affairs of Thailand.

On Thursday, Hun Sen tweeted that Pita’s failure is also a major failure for the opposition in Cambodia. He said Cambodia’s opposition groups have used Pita and his party to claim that, after he took office as PM, they would be able to operate from Thailand and use the country as a stronghold.

Hun Sen said on Friday that his Thursday message drew criticism from many Thai people. “After I posted my message, many Thai people commented in the Thai language, which I do not understand,” Hun Sen wrote on Telegram.

He claimed his point was that “these traitors always expected that, when Pita becomes the prime minister, they would be able to use Thai territory to campaign against Cambodia.”Now, the expectations of the opposition group have vanished like salt in water. Do not conduct politics that de pend on others, he wrote.

Cambodia is going to hold a general election on July 23. Hun Sen, 71, who has been the premier for 25 years, is expected to win the election again.

Hun Sen emphasised that he is not against Pita and he was ready to work with him if he leads the Thai government.

He also called for a Khmer extremist group, who use Thai territory to launch activities against Cambodia, including using Pita’s name for their political gain, to stop political tactics that “rely on the breath of others” to destroy their own nation, especially stop using the name of Pita, who does not know he is being used to oppose the Cambodian government.