Phnom penh: Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra has called on Thailand to address fundamental questions over territorial sovereignty before discussing 'fact-checking' activities related to online scam operations in border areas. In a message posted on his Facebook page this afternoon, the Minister emphasized the need to determine the territorial jurisdiction of locations allegedly linked to online scams before investigating them further.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Minister's remarks came as Thailand planned to take members of the ASEAN Observer Team as well as Thai and international journalists to border areas, including the O'Smach-Choam checkpoint area, on September 7. The purpose of this initiative was to allow observers to directly witness the situation and independently verify the facts. H.E. Neth Pheaktra stressed that professional fact-checking should not only consider the evidence presented at a specific site but also its geographical location, coordinates, maps, treaties, and the legal basis for the presence of foreign forces.
Regarding the O'Smach area, Cambodia has consistently maintained that the locations currently controlled by Thai forces are situated within Cambodian territory. The country has formally protested the entry of Thai forces and the presence of foreign military attach©s, officials, and journalists in these areas without Cambodian authorization. The Minister emphasized that military presence, the raising of a national flag, or effective control by force cannot establish sovereignty or replace legal documents defining state territory.
H.E. Neth Pheaktra clarified that Cambodia does not shield online scam operations and remains firmly opposed to such crimes, advocating for their resolution through law enforcement, police cooperation, intelligence sharing, and other international mechanisms. However, he stressed that addressing online scams and resolving state sovereignty issues are distinct matters. He argued that suspicions of criminal activity in one state's territory do not grant another state the right to enter, occupy, or exercise authority unilaterally.
The Minister questioned whether online scams were being used retrospectively to justify the presence and control of Thai forces in areas that Cambodia claims were seized through military action. He highlighted the importance of credible fact-checking that considers the chronology of events rather than focusing solely on materials presented during visits organized by one side.
H.E. Neth Pheaktra recalled Cambodia's strong protest on February 2, 2026, against Thailand's actions of bringing foreign military attach©s and law-enforcement officials to two hotels in O'Smach. According to Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, these locations are approximately 397 meters from the O'Smach International Checkpoint and adjacent to Border Marker No. 15, having been taken under Thai military control during the December 2025 fighting.
Cambodia subsequently protested the placement of barriers and infrastructure development in the O'Smach area without its permission. The Minister also cited a June 30 statement by the Ministry of Information, which asserted that the presence of foreign journalists in O'Smach by Thailand does not confer authority or sovereignty over the area.
H.E. Neth Pheaktra concluded that journalists should verify not only the evidence inside a building but also the legality and authority behind their presence at a location. He stressed that journalistic visits cannot create sovereignty, control by force cannot redefine an international border, and online scams must not be used to justify illegal territorial occupation by force.