Cambodian Information Minister Urges National Unity and Reliance on Official Sources Amid Tensions with Thailand

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - In the morning of December 15, 2025, Neth Pheaktra, Cambodia's Minister of Information, issued a robust public appeal for national unity and extreme vigilance, calling on media professionals and the Cambodian public to rely exclusively on official Royal Government of Cambodia sources for updates regarding the ongoing tensions with Thailand.

In a statement posted to his official Facebook page on  December 15, Pheaktra accused Bangkok of deploying a "provocative information warfare strategy" designed to justify "armed aggression" and deflect from its own domestic issues.

The Minister called on journalists, content creators, and social media users to exercise extreme caution in verifying information, specifically warning against sharing unverified reports or content originating from Thai media outlets.

"We must stand together to protect Cambodia from armed aggression by the Thai military," he asserted, describing the current climate as an intense "information and psychological war."
Pheaktra also squarely laid the blame on Thailand, alleging that its strategy involves "distortion, fabrication, and incitement" aimed at inflaming tensions, provoking public anger, and misrepresenting facts to the international community. He stated that while repeated accusations and provocations have been directed at Cambodia, the global community is becoming increasingly skeptical of what he labeled as Thailand's "false narratives."

To combat the alleged disinformation campaign, Pheaktra outlined several specific directives for media and the public:

1. Rely on Official Sources: He emphasized monitoring information released solely by official Cambodian authorities, describing reports from Thai sources as "propaganda and emotionally driven content" that requires thorough verification.
2. Document and Disseminate Impact: The public and media were urged to share verified information detailing the impact of the alleged armed aggression on Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to appeal to international bodies to intervene and halt hostilities.
3. Promote National Unity: The minister encouraged artists, influencers, and content creators to produce material supporting Cambodian troops, bolstering national morale, and calling for an immediate end to the conflict.
4. Combat Misleading Accounts: He specifically warned against the proliferation of fake Khmer-language social media accounts allegedly created to spread misleading content, asking users to actively block and report them on platforms like Facebook and TikTok.

"I am confident that the public, journalists, and content creators will unite so that Cambodia prevails against this war of aggression," the minister concluded. "Each of us is a soldier in defending the nation."