Trat: The commander of Trat’s Marine Task Force has criticized Cambodia for allegedly using deceptive tactics, involving a fake ASEAN Observer (AOT) team, to defame Thailand. According to Captain Thammanoon Wanna, the Cambodians set off firecrackers and spread false rumors about Thai soldiers to create tension in the area.

According to Thai News Agency, Captain Thammanoon Wanna disclosed the incident occurred after Cambodia claimed that an AOT team had arrived and heard explosions from the Thai side, prompting the cancellation of their mission. Captain Wanna, who was in the area inspecting the clearance of a mine at Ban Chamrak, Chamrak District, recounted that approximately 30 Cambodians, wearing blue hats, gathered at their base. Using binoculars and a drone, he observed the group, which was followed by a loud noise.

Captain Thammanoon elaborated, stating, “In short, it was a situation created by bringing people wearing blue hats to gather at his base of operations, setting off loud firecrackers, and then reporting that Thai soldiers had thrown grenades.” He questioned the authenticity of the AOT team by noting that a genuine team would have approached the Thai lines, yet the group remained about 200 meters away. He added that footage was manipulated to include old clips of the real AOT team on the ground.

Furthermore, he emphasized that a real AOT team would have coordinated their inspection plans, unlike the alleged staged scene by Cambodia. The incident, described as a tactic reminiscent of terrorist methods, was intended to spread rumors and tarnish Thailand’s image.