Thailand rejects the UN special report accusing Cambodian lobbyists of stirring up human rights issues along the border. An academic pointed out that the information from Tom Andrews has not yet been officially endorsed and emphasized that Thailand should not just be on the defensive but must respond. The issue also involves Cambodian incursions on land belonging to Thai border villagers who once aided Cambodia during its civil war.
Regarding Cambodia's use of displaced Cambodian citizens to attack Thailand and distort the key points of Tom Andrews' report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that Thailand places great importance on promoting and protecting human rights.
Concerning Tom Andrews' UN special report on the human rights situation in Cambodia, presented on 1 Aug 2026 in Phnom Penh, which referenced Thailand in the context of Thai-Cambodian relations, noting that Cambodia’s next government election might open a more liberal political environment, focusing on respect for freedoms of expression, assembly, and association.
Part of Andrews’ report mentioned more than 20,000 displaced Cambodians living near the border and over 900,000 Cambodian workers who have returned home unemployed. Cambodia has used this portion of the report to criticize Thailand.
On 3 Aug 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew issued a statement regarding Tom Andrews’ report, saying that the conflict between the two countries and its impacts did not originate from Thailand but stemmed from attacks on civilians in Thailand by Cambodia. He added that the issue of the right to return should not be exploited for political gain rather than genuine humanitarian concern. The Cambodian government is responsible for protecting its people affected by the conflict and displaced internally.
Regarding the claim by Andrews that over 900,000 Cambodian workers returned to Cambodia, Thailand clarified that after the Thai-Cambodian border war, Cambodian workers—both legally permitted and those who entered illegally—returned voluntarily following invitations from the Cambodian government. Thailand has never had a policy of forcibly pushing Cambodian workers out. Thailand values the promotion and protection of human rights highly and is ready to move forward to restore relations with Cambodia.
Thairath Online’s special team interviewed Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak Preecharatch, President of the Regional Studies Association and Southeast Asian Studies lecturer at Thammasat University, about Andrews’ report. He said Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew was right to refute the report because the information has not been endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council. Therefore, Thailand must clearly oppose this report.
The report only touches on some points related to Thailand, such as displaced persons near the Thai border. Some issues have caused Thai concern, prompting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond directly. Thailand insists that any UN action must be fair and impartial, reflecting global norms of fairness. Historically, Thailand accepted Cambodian refugees during the Khmer Rouge era but was repaid with land encroachments and Cambodian accusations.
Meanwhile, Thai villagers have had their land seized by Cambodians encroaching across the border, denying them rights to their own land. This raises questions about fairness under global cultural norms. Thailand must clarify and strengthen its position to show it is being treated unfairly.
Additionally, Cambodia uses lobbyists while Thailand does not, creating an imbalance. Strategically, if one country uses lobbying, the other should as well to maintain balance. Since Thailand has not employed lobbying, it must establish its position on the global stage to counter Cambodia’s lobbying efforts effectively.