On August 5, the Thai government strongly refuted the rumors widely circulated on Cambodian social media that "Thailand plotted to assassinate Hun Sen and Hun Manet," describing them as "baseless and malicious fabrications." The aim is to deliberately stir up discord and undermine bilateral relations before the high-level border talks between the two countries.
The rumor was initially put forward by the Cambodian Minister of Information, citing "foreign intelligence reports," and quickly spread through Cambodian media and online platforms, attracting widespread attention. In response, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikhonde Barankura stated that such baseless accusations are political manipulations intended to create tension and severely affect the efforts of both sides to resolve border disputes diplomatically.
He emphasized that Thailand is always committed to maintaining regional peace and called on the Cambodian side to remain rational and not to be misled by incited emotions.
As of now, Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, former Prime Minister Hun Sen, have not publicly responded to the incident. However, the event has raised concerns about renewed tensions in Thai-Cambodian relations. The two countries have had several tense relations in recent years due to border and historical disputes, and this "assassination conspiracy theory" may further exacerbate the crisis of mutual trust.
