The Ministry of Defence reiterated that the military is neutral during the election period, pointing out the abundance of fake news after being asked about rumors of no election. It noted that an open letter from a Cambodian senator referencing the Thai institution was inappropriate and assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to handle the response.
On 22 Jan 2026 GMT+7, at the Veterans Assistance Organization, Gen. Natthaphon Nakpanich, Minister of Defence, spoke about opening military areas for political parties to present campaign policies. He said he had stressed since the last Defence Council meeting the importance of maintaining neutrality and supporting the election process. Regarding opening spaces for political parties or the Election Commission (EC) to coordinate, each case will be considered individually. On border security and the three southern border provinces, Gen. Natthaphon said he has consistently emphasized this, not only before elections but especially as the election approaches, with increased intensity. Border areas fall under the Defence Ministry and military responsibility, while interior areas fall under the Ministry of Interior and local administration, with the Prime Minister also emphasizing this.
When asked about rumors that there will be no election and if there are any causes, Gen. Natthaphon said there are many rumors currently, but urged confidence in state agencies, especially security units responsible for border areas under the Defence Ministry, to maintain peace and order so that the situation improves and the election environment is favorable. He asked for cooperation in filtering information and presenting facts based on official data. He noted that he has been repeatedly attacked on social media, sometimes with baseless claims, and that his legal team had filed complaints, but withdrew them upon learning the page owner was disabled and claimed to be earning income. He warned the public that fake news and distortions on social media are numerous and urged people to listen carefully with reason and facts.
Gen. Natthaphon was interviewed about a Cambodian senator publishing an open letter referencing the Thai monarchy. He said the Ministry of Defence had discussed this with the Cambodian Defence Minister and ASEAN observers (AOT). He stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued clarifications opposing the inappropriate content. When asked if further action by the Defence Ministry was necessary, he said it was unnecessary and entrusted the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
When asked if the Cambodian senator's actions were inappropriate, Gen. Natthaphon said it was certainly so and that all Thais understand this well. He declined to comment further to avoid escalating the issue.