Rear Adm Surasant Kongsiri. Video screenshot

 

Thailand's Defence Ministry has accused Cambodia of employing foreign lobbyists to sway global opinion amid tensions between the two nations. Rear Adm Surasant Kongsiri stated that these lobbyists are portraying Cambodia as the victim in the ongoing conflict, stirring international sympathy against Thailand.

 

The Ministry highlighted that social media is rife with war-related reports shared by western lobbyists. These lobbyists are seen in videos alleging Thai aggression, framing Thailand as impacting civilian areas rather than military targets. Surasant pointed out that Thailand does not have any foreign lobbyists representing it; instead, it depends on its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to shape the international narrative.

 

The Defence Ministry asserts that Thailand's actions solely target the military, refuting claims made by lobbyists about their impact on civilians. Maratee Andamo, of the Department of Information, emphasised that Thailand counters misinformation with facts and official communications to global organisations, suggesting these informative tactics have limited longevity without substantive backing.

 

In early incidents, a US PR consultant falsely posing as a journalist spread dubious reports to gain sympathy for Cambodia. The STRONG Anti-Corruption Thailand Club has identified documents showing Cambodia hired multiple lobbying firms. Among them, National Consulting Services Inc was engaged specifically to tarnish Thailand's image for a fee of $38,000 a month, part of a larger strategy led by Phnom Penh.

 

Images associated with the lobbyists' campaign purportedly show Cambodian villagers injured by rubber bullets, further inflaming the situation. The Anti-Corruption group calls this "full-scale information warfare," cautioning about the legal implications of such tactics under international laws.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Cambodia reportedly hires foreign lobbyists to shape global perceptions against Thailand.
• Thailand counters lobbyist narratives through its Foreign Affairs and factual dissemination.
• Documents reveal Cambodia’s active PR campaign to reposition itself amid tensions.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-12-17

 

 

 

But what is the conflict about????? Thailand can't accept the border as it given in 1907 already. They have lost every case to change it... So if Thailand accept the border, all problems are solved and maybe talks could start to find a solution. But Thailand does not recognize any verdict that says that the border is correct since 1907... That is what gives less sympathy for Thailand

Its all about the upcoming election trying to rally the thais behind him ithink hopefully cool heads prevail

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

But what is the conflict about????? Thailand can't accept the border as it given in 1907 already. They have lost every case to change it... So if Thailand accept the border, all problems are solved and maybe talks could start to find a solution. But Thailand does not recognize any verdict that says that the border is correct since 1907... That is what gives less sympathy for Thailand

The Thais learnt that from the Chinese