The Thai military clarified the sea blockade in the Gulf, announced yesterday, which aims to prevent supplies from reaching Cambodia, stressing that the measure applies only to Thai-flagged vessels and does not constitute a closure of the Gulf of Thailand.
The move, intended to hamper Cambodian military capabilities, caused confusion by appearing to restrict all sea-going vessels, leading to a misunderstanding that Thailand was blocking all maritime transport in its waters.
Navy Captain Nara Khunthothom, assistant spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, said today that the designation of certain areas of the Gulf of Thailand as "high-risk zones" was proposed due to security concerns arising from the ongoing conflict with Cambodia.
He explained that Cambodian forces had used weapons indiscriminately, creating a risk that vessels entering the area could be struck.
As a result, the restrictions will focus solely on Thai-flagged ships to prevent the transport of fuel and other strategic supplies into Cambodia.
"The declaration of a high-risk zone is neither a blockade nor a closure of the Gulf. Such measures would only be taken in the event of a full-scale war and would affect all vessels of all nationalities," he said.
"This operation concerns a bilateral conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, and our actions must not impact third countries," he emphasized.
The term "blockade" should be avoided, he added, reiterating that the measure is limited to Thai vessels. "We will take all necessary steps to cut off these supplies," he said.
When asked about foreign vessels carrying fuel or military equipment, Capt. Nara said that Thailand could not take action that would affect third countries, as that could risk expanding the conflict beyond the two nations involved.
Speaking at the same press briefing, Army Deputy Spokesperson Colonel Richa Suksuvanon added that intelligence had confirmed the importation of fuel and military supplies into Cambodia, prompting Thailand's control measures.
The actions were necessary, he said, but he declined to disclose specific routes.
Air Force Spokesperson Air Vice Marshal Chakrit Thammavichai said that the Air Force works closely with both the army and the navy to strike logistical routes, including bridges, to reduce the enemy's ability to resupply frontline forces. These operations aim to shorten the conflict and minimize the impact on civilians.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, said that if evidence emerged of military supplies or fuel being transported through third countries, inter-ministerial coordination would be required.
