Thailand JIC defends stance on UN reports and border facts

The Director of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Information Center (JIC), Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, has addressed allegations from Cambodian media that Thailand is disregarding the United Nations. Responding to criticisms following the government's questioning of a report by UN official Tom Andrews, Prapas emphasized that Thailand respects the UN and international human rights but maintains the right to verify information that affects its national security and sovereignty.

Regarding the report's figure of 650,000 Cambodian evacuees, the JIC stated that Thailand is not rejecting the data outright but is calling for transparency regarding the methodology, timing, and location of the data collection. Prapas argued that "the word 'UN' should not be used to prevent questioning," asserting that international figures require high verification standards.

Furthermore, Prapas noted that while the UN official conducted field visits, such visits to only one side of the border cannot provide a complete picture, as Thai citizens have also been affected and forced to evacuate. He called for the international community to examine physical evidence, coordinates, and photos from both sides of the border to ensure an impartial assessment of the situation.