Thailand’s claim of helping Cambodia is a deliberate distortion and falsification of history for two reasons.
First, this narrative helps the Thai military justify its actions against its neighbor to the Thai people. The Thai military and government require this narrative to ensure the Thai people’s continued support for the military campaign against Cambodia.
The second reason is this narrative plays a crucial role in helping the Thai government shape the international community’s understanding of the border conflict.
Thailand’s actions against Cambodia do not seem so illegitimate and illegal if they can put them in a context of this false narrative of Thailand’s “selfless” support for Cambodia. It is important to remember that information is an equally important dimension of warfare and history is a crucial component of the information battle space.
The Thai military and government recognize this strategy of using information to shape the battlefield and admittedly they use it (sometimes) very effectively.
YOUK CHHANG
Director
Documentation Center of Cambodia
April 28, 2026
Photo by U.S. Embassy, Phnom Penh
