BANGKOK — Thailand has rebuked Cambodian leaders’ social media calls for Thai government leadership changes while simultaneously challenging the positioning of border markers around a disputed temple site on Google Maps.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura issued the statement Tuesday following media inquiries about comments made by Cambodian leaders on social media platforms, including remarks on July 1 demanding to see changes in Thailand’s government leadership.
“The Thai government views such matters as interference in Thailand’s internal affairs, which seriously violates the ASEAN Charter, the United Nations Charter, and international law,” Nikorndej said.
The spokesperson said the comments represent a serious breach of diplomatic protocol and international norms governing relations between sovereign nations.
Army Addresses Google Maps Border Concerns
Meanwhile, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Winthai Suwari revealed concerns about news reports regarding the movement of pins and hypothetical border lines around Ta Moan Thom temple area in Google Maps applications from the Thai side to the Cambodian side.
He expressed worry that this could create false evidence to reference in lawsuits with foreign media and international courts, and cause some people to misunderstand that Ta Moan Thom temple is located in Cambodian territory and that Thailand wants to invade Cambodian territory and seize the temple.
Winthai explained that location and border line determinations in Google Earth and Google Maps applications use data from private sectors intended to provide services for general public use for travel purposes.
Many points show some discrepancies from actual locations, especially hypothetical border lines, and importantly, such application data has no legal effect either domestically or internationally.
For incorrect data in applications, users can report to the company to request data corrections. He clearly confirmed that Thailand has exercised sovereignty over the Ta Moan Thom temple area continuously, which is a fact linked to geographical evidence and continuous administrative management by Thai government agencies.
Diplomatic Relations at Risk
Thailand has called on Cambodian leaders to immediately cease such actions, warning that the conduct seriously damages bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.
“Such conduct seriously damages relations between the two countries,” Nikorndej emphasized, urging Cambodia to pursue peaceful resolution of any disagreements between the nations.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on Cambodia to “turn to resolving problems between the two countries peacefully and promptly” rather than making public statements about Thailand’s internal political affairs.
The diplomatic tension marks a significant strain in Thai-Cambodian relations, with Thailand invoking multiple international legal frameworks in its condemnation of the Cambodian leaders’ social media activities.
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