The Cambodian Elephant Conservation Foundation issued a statement condemning the Thai military, alleging that Thai military operations in border areas have killed rare wildlife and caused severe ecological damage in Preah Vihear province.
The Airavata Elephant Foundation issued a statement condemning the Thai military, claiming that military operations in border areas have caused rare wildlife deaths and severe ecological damage in northern Preah Vihear province, despite a lack of evidence.
According to the Phnom Penh Post website, it cited statements by Neth Paktra, Cambodia's Minister of Information and Honorary President of the Airavata Foundation, who said in a statement on 26 December that Thai military attacks—including air bombings, artillery fire, and the use of advanced weaponry—have not only taken human lives but also seriously damaged wildlife and conservation areas.
Neth Paktra, as Honorary President of the Airavata Foundation, also known as the Elephant Conservation Association (ECA), condemned the Thai military's actions as deliberate attacks on nature and called on environmental conservationists worldwide to take a stand and jointly denounce the destruction of wildlife. He added that the use of advanced weapons and toxic smoke spreading into forest areas, causing wildlife deaths, constitutes an environmental and ecological crime. He claimed that a female wild elephant and her newborn calf died from shrapnel from Thai military explosions within the forests of Preah Vihear province.
Neth Paktra's statement aligns with the position of Eng Sophal, Cambodia's Minister of Environment, who previously said that the Thai military's actions constitute violations of international law and environmental crimes. He made these remarks while delivering a lecture on "Leadership and Environmental Governance in Cambodia" at the Cambodian Academy on 23 December, alleging that the incursions have caused severe damage to natural resources and biodiversity, violating international law and human rights.
The Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodia's Ministry of Environment has established 14 monitoring teams, totaling 60 officials, to investigate air, water, and soil pollution along the Cambodia–Thailand border both inside and outside refugee centers, collecting samples for laboratory analysis.
Meanwhile, forest rangers and local communities reported that on 23 December, a female wild elephant and her newborn calf were found dead in the Preah Roka–Cheb Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province. Both elephants were found in the Oska Stream; the mother had severe wounds from shrapnel, and there was evidence of a miscarriage before her death. Cambodian authorities blamed the deaths on artillery fire or air attacks by the Thai military.
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