Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had received inaccurate information from Cambodia’s PM Hun Manet about the incident at Nong Ya Kaeo village, as it clearly happened in Thai territory, not on Cambodian soil, said a Thai army spokesman.
The Thai Foreign Ministry will submit evidence and related documents to Malaysia so that Anwar, who received one-sided information from Cambodia, better understands the situation, said Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree.
Although a ceasefire with Cambodia has held for 53 days, violations by Cambodia have continued while Thai troops have followed the agreement.
Monitoring the situation closely, Thailand found that Cambodian forces still used landmines, drones, spread distorted information, and mobilised civilians along the border to stage protests.
Winthai alleged that Cambodian authorities have deliberately used women, children, and monks as symbolic frontliners to challenge Thai authorities, leading to repeated confrontations in the First and Second Army Region areas.
Thailand, he said, has documented these incidents and lodged protests, while still maintaining a commitment to resolve disputes peacefully.
The latest clash occurred when Cambodian villagers obstructed Thai officials at Nong Ya Kaeo in Sa Kaeo Province, throwing stones and sticks at Thai police.
Cambodian soldiers were seen at the scene but made no attempt to stop the villagers, suggesting tacit support for the incursion, the spokesman said.
The area is not under dispute but lies firmly within Thai sovereignty, Winthai said.
Following the Nong Ya Kaeo incident, Hun Manet called Anwar, as chair of ASEAN, to step in, saying Thailand violated the ceasefire.
Anwar then called PM Anutin Charnvirakul, inviting him to visit Malaysia to find a solution to the matter. “The visit is one of those to strengthen the good relations between the two neighbouring countries,” he said.
Anwar’s move is seen by many Thais as taking sides with Phnom Penh.
Winthai added that Hun Manet had intentionally misrepresented the situation internationally, claiming Thai forces overreacted.
The spokesman clarified that only police, not soldiers, were deployed at the protest site, and that rubber bullets and tear gas were used only to stop villagers from dismantling barbed wire fencing, which is state property.
Thailand, he said, will present its own account to Malaysia to counter “false and one-sided information” and to prevent Kuala Lumpur from being seen as biased, according to Winthai.
He admitted the Sa Kaeo border issue remains sensitive, as it involves civilian confrontations, but stressed that Thai authorities have acted with restraint.
While rejecting suggestions of preparing “harsh measures,” the army spokesman insisted that Thai law must be upheld and Cambodian villagers must eventually leave the area.
