UBON RATCHATHANI, Thailand – Royal Thai Army Spokesperson Maj Gen Winthai Suwaree has outlined a detailed timeline of the September 27 border clash in Ubon Ratchathani province, alleging that Cambodian forces staged the incident to create the appearance of Thai aggression. The confrontation took place in the Chong Bok area of Nam Yuen district, where multiple Thai positions came under fire.
According to the account, hostilities began at 11:55 a.m. with mortar and machine-gun fire from the Cambodian side near Hill 677. Over the following 40 minutes, Cambodian troops used rifles, grenade launchers, and mortars against Thai positions at Hill 600 and Hill 527. Thai forces returned fire in some instances, while additional rounds were fired from Chong Ahn Ma before the exchange ceased in the early afternoon.
Maj Gen Winthai said the sequence revealed coordinated planning. After the weapons fire, a Cambodian observation team entered the area, and soon after, officials in Phnom Penh issued public statements accusing Thailand of violating the ceasefire. The Thai side maintains that this was structured to support a false narrative that Cambodia was the victim.
The incident was quickly circulated in Cambodian media and amplified by statements from defense officials and senior leaders. Thai authorities argued the operation was staged to manufacture evidence, shape public perception, and present Cambodia as the aggrieved party, according to the international community. The Army also raised concerns over Cambodia’s alleged use of anti-personnel landmines, calling it a serious breach of humanitarian norms and international conventions.
Within Thailand, the September 27 exchange is now viewed as a calculated effort by Cambodia to escalate tensions while undermining trust along the border. Although the ceasefire technically remains in place, the incident has added strain to an already fragile situation. (NNT)
