THE THAI army clarified to ambassadors and diplomats from 23 countries who visited the border area where clashes with Cambodia took place today (Aug. 1) that Chong-arnma is within Thai territory despite Cambodian authorities having taken another party of diplomats to visit it yesterday, Thai Rath newspaper said.
Ambassadors and deputy chiefs of mission from 11 countries, military attachés from 23 countries and Thai and international media were taken to Ubon Ratchathani and Sisaket provinces where they were shown the impact of long-range rockets and artillery fired by Cambodian troops on Thai civilians.
Army Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvari, led by Lt. Gen. Anupap Sirimondol, deputy army chief of staff, and accompanied by Mr. Rasm Chalichan, assistant to the Foreign Minister, told the diplomats that two prisoners of war were repatriated via Chong Chom permanent border crossing in Surin in accordance with humanitarian principles under the Geneva Convention and international law.
The Thai side will provide the best possible care for the remaining 16 prisoners of war in accordance with human rights principles.
Maj. Gen. Winthai also mentioned the Cambodian authorities had taken military attachés stationed in their country on a tour of Chong-arnma and To Om Monument yesterday despite the area still remaining unsafe.
He confirmed that Chong-arnma area is sovereign Thai territory which Cambodia had encroached upon and built structures for civilians to live in.
This distorted the facts and is in violation of an international agreement with Thailand having repeatedly protested the encroachment under the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), but has not received a response from Cambodia.
Construction, particularly monuments, continued to increase, with Cambodian authorities using them as a tool to leverage against Thailand’s sovereignty. The damage shown yesterday was caused by fighting in the area, with the Thai side fighting off Cambodian attacks, while the latter used the civilian structures as cover. However, no civilians were injured or killed in the incident.
CAPTION:
Ambassadors and diplomats from 23 countries being taken to the border area and being briefed by the Thai army today, August 1, 2025. Photos: Thai Rath
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