Cambodia's Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, has said that rival narratives surrounding the border dispute with Thailand must be judged against evidence and international law, arguing that neither media campaigns nor military presence can establish rightful sovereignty.

In a social media post, the minister cited a lesson he attributed to the late Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, who had long experience in diplomacy and in handling border issues with Thailand.

A lesson on perception and diplomacy

According to Pheaktra, Sok An once observed that Thai diplomats were capable of making "an elephant appear as small as a mosquito, and a mosquito appear as large as an elephant."

Pheaktra said the comment was meant to show how wording and the framing of events can influence both domestic opinion and the views of the international community. He emphasized that the observation was about communication tactics and was not intended as a blanket assessment of all Thai diplomats.

"A serious mistake can be made to look insignificant, while a small incident can be magnified into a major issue," he wrote.

Competing claims on the ground

The minister linked this point to the current tensions along the frontier, alleging that Thai forces have occupied sites inside Cambodian territory and altered the situation on the ground by installing razor wire and barricades made of shipping containers in an effort to create a fait accompli.

He said Cambodia has filed several diplomatic protests over the matter and has compiled a dossier of evidence to support its position.

Thailand has denied accusations that it is unlawfully occupying Cambodian land. Its foreign ministry stated that the continued deployment of troops following the ceasefire is in line with agreed arrangements and does not constitute an occupation.

Bangkok has also accused Phnom Penh of planting new landmines along the border, a claim that Cambodia rejects.

Pheaktra criticized what he described as Thailand's focus on landmine blasts that wounded Thai soldiers, saying those incidents were being highlighted to divert attention from other issues. He alleged that damage caused by Thai airstrikes, including bombs identified as MK-82 and MK-84, and claims of territorial encroachment were being overshadowed.

Call for evidence-based resolution

Pointing to Sok An's role in the case concerning Preah Vihear Temple, Pheaktra said that historical records, verifiable evidence, international law and peaceful settlement mechanisms remain the proper basis for resolving the dispute.

He called on the public to differentiate between assertions and what can be proven, adding:

"Words can change perceptions, but they cannot change the truth. The truth must be established by evidence, and borders must be determined by law, not by propaganda or military force."