Sihasak responded to Tom Andrews' UN report, accusing it of lacking neutrality and siding with Cambodia by criticizing Thailand. He pointed out the report overlooks Thai casualties, noting the clashes began on Cambodia's side. Thailand is preparing a protest letter to submit to the UN Human Rights Council.
On 3 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Sihasak Puangketkaew, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement addressing the dissemination of the human rights situation report on Cambodia by Mr. Tom Andrews, the Special Rapporteur. He clarified that the report is not an official United Nations (UN) document but a personal report under mandate, which must undergo review and allow member states, including Thailand, to discuss and raise observations in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mr. Sihasak said that Thailand's main concern is that the Special Rapporteur must act with impartiality and fairness. However, this report references Thailand on several issues without verifying information or consulting Thai authorities beforehand. Importantly, the Cambodian government has distorted and selectively amplified parts referring to Thailand for political propaganda, violating agreements made between the two countries’ leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Cebu, which called for refraining from attacks in international forums to restore relations.
Regarding inaccurate information that Thailand strongly disputes, the report cites 650,000 internally displaced persons, which is incorrect as it includes Cambodians who established villages encroaching on Thai territory during the civil war 50 years ago. These individuals do not qualify as "internally displaced persons within Thailand."
The report completely neglects Thai losses, despite the clashes being initiated by Cambodia, resulting in Thai civilian deaths and attacks on schools and hospitals. Meanwhile, Thailand had to manage the evacuation of over 400,000 people from the affected areas.
Mr. Sihasak affirmed that Thailand has never forcibly repatriated Cambodian workers; rather, it was the Cambodian authorities who requested their workers return, creating challenges in managing employment opportunities.
In conclusion, Mr. Sihasak noted the report ignores critical global concerns such as scammer gangs, transnational crime, human trafficking, and forced labor in Cambodia. Thailand plans to submit an official protest and clarification letter to the Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and to push for anti-scammer measures to be adopted under the UN framework at the next session.