(Preah Vihear): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of Cambodia, publicly accused Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of committing an act of national treason. The accusation stems from her alleged heavy criticism of Thailand’s Second Army Region Commander during past discussions with Samdech Techo Hun Sen regarding the Cambodia–Thailand border issue.

During a meeting with local council members in Preah Vihear province, Samdech Techo elaborated that when a head of government speaks with a foreign figure, especially one not of Thai nationality, and uses the opportunity to disparage their own military in order to win favour with the foreign party, such behaviour amounts to treason.

He stated, “To win over Hun Sen, Her Excellency [the Thai prime minister] willingly insulted her own military commander. How is this perceived in Thailand, I wonder? If it were in Cambodia, it would unquestionably be considered treason—conspiring with foreigners to denigrate one's own military [...] Perhaps in Thailand this is seen as normal, as Thailand’s own affair, but in Cambodia, no one is allowed to insult or belittle our armed forces.”

According to Samdech Techo Hun Sen, this is the first time he has ever commented on Thailand’s Second Army Region Commander. Until now, he had refrained from such remarks out of respect for the role of military commanders in defending their nation, regardless of whether they are from Cambodia or another country, as he believes all soldiers must maintain dignity and strength.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen further revealed that, through his own advisors, he had learned that Thai authorities had privately acknowledged that if Prime Minister Paetongtarn’s power became more consolidated, the commander in question could even face imprisonment. However, Samdech Techo insisted that he himself had never insulted or attacked any Thai military officer. What puzzled him, he said, was why the Thai prime minister would go so far as to criticize her own military merely to please him, especially when he had no interest in Thailand’s internal affairs.

On the occasion, Samdech Techo Hun Sen also addressed a direct message to the Thai Prime Minister, saying, “Your Excellency should not use petty language or political strategy in negotiations with Cambodia regarding the border issue, just to justify things to your own citizens. It’s unacceptable to criticize your own military like that.” He added, “You know too little about Hun Sen to think you can fool me with such tactics in negotiations.”
=FRESH NEWS