Environment

PHNOM PENH – Exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy has blamed Senate President Hun Sen for triggering the border skirmish by leaking a phone call with former Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Rainsy spoke out amid a row which erupted when a Thai media outlet quoted him as saying Cambodia fired first in the border dispute. He has been accused of protecting Thailand by not denying the remarks. Nantiwat Samart, former deputy director of Thailand's National Intelligence Agency, told The Top News that Sam Rainsy had said Cambodia fired the shot first, triggering retaliation from Thailand. A Cambodian government spokesperson called on Rainsy to take responsibility for this claim. Rainsy said he hadn’t given any interview to the media in the past six months, except to Radio Free Asia and Television Free Asia. Instead, he accused former prime minister Hun Sen of fueling the fighting by leaking the phone call. “Some people have deliberately attributed to me statements I have never made about Cambodia’s conflict with Thailand,” Rainsy said. “Hun Sen bears responsibility for escalating tensions with our western neighbor. Government spokesperson Pen Bona said Sam Rainsy did not directly refute the statement attributed to him by Nantiwat Samart but tried to defend himself by claiming he had not talked to the media. Bona said Rainsy misunderstood Samart’s statement that he had made the remarks during a media interview. Samart confirmed that Rainsy had spoken recently and regarded his words as highly valuable to Thailand. “Sam Rainsy did not directly refute the former Thai official's statement, choosing instead to steer the conversation toward a different topic,” Bona said. Bona said Sam Rainsy had employed his typical tactics of deflection, avoiding the truth by engaging in slander and fabricating stories that blame Cambodia while exonerating Thailand. He had remained silent on the “Chakrabongse Phuwanat Plan,” which Bona described as a deliberate scheme for Thailand to invade Cambodian territory. The Thai armed forces devised the plan, which outlines the deployment strategy for land, air, and naval assets in response to potential escalations in clashes with the Cambodian military. Bona added that Rainsy has failed to acknowledge the serious incursion by Thai forces on May 28, 2025, which resulted in the death of Cambodian soldier Suon Ron in Preah Vihear province. “Sam Rainsy has distorted the situation and accused Cambodia of instigating the incident, ignoring the leadership efforts of Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, as well as the dedication of our troops defending territorial integrity,” Bona said. Rainsy has not officially apologized to the Cambodians and shown regrets for what he has said, Bona said, adding that he continues to blame his own country for initiating the conflict. “It clearly shows that he is protecting Thailand and is against the interest of the nation, which the Cambodians cannot accept his action,” he said. “It’s evident that Sam Rainsy is undeniably a traitor.” Bona said the government strongly condemned his act of betraying the national interest and reaffirmed that the Thai side fired first and Cambodia was the victim.