The Prime Minister rebutted foreign media belittling Thailand, affirming it as a land of opportunity, and vowed to select honest individuals for government positions, while immediately scrapping MOU 44.
On 12 February 2026, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, addressed foreign media dubbing Thailand the “Sick man of ASEAN,” stating this was a biased perspective and countered that Thailand is a land of opportunity amid global crises.
The Prime Minister added that in global competition, rivals naturally seek to belittle each other, but Thailand will not follow that path because its culture is rooted in the national anthem’s words: “Thailand loves peace but is not cowardly in battle.” He emphasized that Thailand does not provoke others first, but will respond firmly to any invasion. Confident that post-election Thailand will enter a golden era, he said the Bhumjaithai Party is ready to build stability and improve quality of life, stressing the new government will have no MPs involved in corruption or shady business.
Regarding the incident of a Thai soldier stepping on a landmine near the Thai-Cambodian border, the Prime Minister clarified that it occurred in Thai-controlled territory. It was not a clash but an old landmine buried long ago that remains uncleared. He ordered troops to increase patrol vigilance and prohibit crossing the border line, and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send a protest letter to Cambodia.
On the issue of overlapping territory, Anutin confirmed that the Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Defense, National Security Council, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite the cancellation of MOU 44, using Cabinet authority to act immediately without parliamentary approval. Regarding provocations by Cambodian youth on social media, the government is taking the matter seriously, moving forward with border fence construction and boosting military weaponry to ensure maximum strength.