24/09/2025
Anutin Backs Out of UNGA, Fears Cambodia’s Exposure of Border Aggression
PM Anutin Skips UNGA Amid Fears of Cambodia Exposing Border Violations
Bangkok– Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has reportedly decided not to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, citing domestic priorities. However, diplomatic insiders suggest the real reason stems from growing fears that Cambodia will use the global platform to highlight ongoing tensions along the border.
The decision comes in the wake of a firm address by Khuon Sodary, President of the Cambodian National Assembly, at the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). While she did not explicitly name Thailand, Sodary stressed Cambodia’s unwavering position that “the might is not always right”, rejecting the notion that smaller nations must “suffer in silence” when confronted with aggression.
Her remarks, widely understood as a reference to Cambodia’s border struggles, reinforced Phnom Penh’s determination to voice its concerns at both regional and international levels.
Analysts say the timing of Anutin’s withdrawal from the UNGA is striking. With world leaders focusing on peace, sovereignty, and multilateral cooperation, Cambodia was expected to bring these unresolved border issues into the spotlight—an embarrassment Bangkok may have sought to avoid.
“Thailand knows that if Cambodia speaks openly about its suffering, the international community will pay attention. Prime Minister Anutin may have calculated that avoiding New York spares him direct confrontation,” a regional analyst commented.
While Thai officials continue to insist Anutin’s absence is due to scheduling conflicts, critics in Bangkok argue it reflects unease about facing global scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Phnom Penh maintains that peace must prevail, but warns it cannot remain silent in the face of aggression. Sodary’s words at AIPA—rejecting silence in the face of injustice—signal Cambodia’s resolve to ensure the international community is aware of Thailand’s actions.
The conflict itself began on 28 May, when a Thai soldier fatally shot a Cambodian soldier, sparking escalating clashes that quickly grew into five days of heavy exchanges of fire. A ceasefire was eventually reached on 28 July in Malaysia, but tensions persisted. Just hours after the truce came into effect, Thai forces arrested more than 20 Cambodian soldiers; 18 remain in captivity to this day.
Cambodia continues to demand their release, calling the arrests unlawful and urging Thailand to stop its provocations. Officials have also condemned Thailand’s laying of barbed wire and tires inside Cambodian territory, the use of sound systems to harass border communities, and repeated firing of tear gas and other means that have injured Cambodian civilians. Villagers along the frontier remain defiant, resisting Thai incursions in defense of their land.
As the standoff lingers, Cambodia’s leaders insist the truth must be told. Whether Thailand’s diplomatic retreat eases the pressure—or gives Phnom Penh greater momentum at the international stage—remains to be seen.
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