Facts documented by independent observers, U.N. Special Rapporteur, National and International Journalists, ASEAN AOT, Diplomatic Corps, cannot be erased by denial. The destruction of civilian homes, the continued displacement of tens of thousands of Cambodian civilians, and the sustained scrutiny of the international media and United Nations human rights mechanisms have ensured that this issue remains firmly on the global agenda.


Following coverage by the world’s three leading international news agencies—AFP, Reuters, and the Associated Press (AP)—the story was widely picked up and republished by media outlets across the globe. As a result, the international community has renewed and intensified its attention to the situation along the Cambodia–Thailand border and to the plight of Cambodian civilians who remain unable to return to their homes.


The extensive international media coverage has also made it increasingly difficult for Thailand’s denials or attempts to divert attention to gain credibility with the international community. Rather than addressing the humanitarian concerns and facilitating the safe return of Cambodian civilians to their homes, Thailand has instead chosen to focus on challenging the findings of the United Nations Special Rapporteur.


Nevertheless, Thailand’s denials cannot erase the documented facts or remove the evidence and enduring scars left by its own armed invasion. The destruction of civilian homes, the continued displacement of tens of thousands of Cambodian civilians, and the sustained attention from the international media and the United Nations human rights mechanisms have elevated this issue into one that the world continues to monitor closely.