Press Release:By the Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Press Release:By the Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Phnom Penh, July 27, 2025 – Her Excellency LTG Maly Socheata, Under Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense of the Kingdom of Cambodia, categorically rejects and condemns in the strongest terms the baseless and irresponsible accusation by Thailand that Cambodia initiated hostilities.

The Ministry of National Defense of the Kingdom of Cambodia categorically rejects and condemns in the strongest terms the baseless and irresponsible accusation by Thailand that Cambodia initiated hostilities. This false claim is nothing more than a desperate attempt to shift attention away from Thailand’s own flagrant and repeated violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and international law. The facts are indisputable: it was Thailand that launched the first wave of brutal attacks against Cambodian territory. On 27 July 2025, at 02:00, Thai forces shelled Veal Intry location; by 02:30, they expanded the bombardment to Ta Thao, Phnom 333, and Phnom Khmouch; and at 04:50, additional shelling struck Tamone Thom and Ta Krabey. At 06:00, Thai ground troops invaded Phnom Khmouch, An Ses, and Veal Intry location, followed by a large-scale incursion at 06:30 involving tanks and ground troops into multiple areas, including Veal Intry, 5 Makara, Phnom Khmouch, and An Ses.

These deliberate and coordinated acts of aggression occurred despite ongoing efforts led by President Donald Trump to broker a ceasefire—efforts that were publicly and unequivocally supported by Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Thailand’s continued violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty, its aggressive military operations, and its blatant disregard for international norms constitute one of the gravest threats to the rules-based international order and to peace and stability not only along the Cambodia-Thailand border but across the entire region. Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand’s clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict.

Cambodia calls upon the Royal Thai Army to immediately cease its lies and stop using false pretexts to justify its illegal invasion. The international community must hold Thailand fully accountable for its crimes and demand an end to all hostilities. Cambodia reiterates its firm commitment to an immediate ceasefire and to resolving all disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law. At the same time, Cambodia reaffirms its sovereign and inherent right to self-defense, as enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, to protect its territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and the lives of its people against Thailand’s ongoing and unlawful aggression.