GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Thailand’s foreign minister used a speech at the UN Human Rights Council to denounce global online fraud networks as a growing human rights threat and to sharply criticise Cambodia over a simmering border dispute.
Thailand’s role in the UN Human Rights Council
Veteran diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow, who had led the UN Human Rights Council as its president more than a decade earlier, recalled a past retreat in Bangkok where fundamental reforms of the body had been discussed. He said those talks had helped strengthen structures despite political and regional divides.
According to his remarks, this earlier process allowed the Council to fulfil its mandate to protect human rights more effectively. He linked that experience to current debates over how the body should respond to today’s crises.
Sihasak argued that the performance of the Human Rights Council should not be judged by the number of resolutions it adopted. Instead, he said, the true benchmark was whether people’s lives on the ground actually improved.
In light of what he described as the current crisis of multilateralism, he urged states to act collectively. He said countries had to, as he put it,
“think and act as a community”
to achieve tangible results.
Call for impact over resolutions
The minister stressed that simply passing more texts would not resolve deepening rights concerns. He insisted that international mechanisms needed to deliver measurable change.
He warned that political rifts were undermining confidence in multilateral institutions. In this context, he pressed for a renewed focus on implementation rather than rhetoric within the UN system.
Sihasak framed the discussion as a test of global political will. He said governments had to demonstrate that cooperation could still produce real outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Online fraud as a global human rights crisis
Sihasak issued a particularly urgent warning about the rapid spread of cross-border online scam operations affecting millions of people worldwide. He described these schemes as a mounting human rights danger rather than just a criminal or financial issue.
He detailed how abducted individuals were held in isolated compounds, pressured, abused and forced to take part in criminal activities. This, he said, was creating what he called a
“global human rights crisis”
complex.
The minister said these operations thrived in countries where the rule of law was weak and perpetrators faced few consequences. He argued that this environment enabled criminal syndicates to expand with impunity.
Thailand, he said, stood both on the front line as a country affected by these networks and at the forefront of international efforts to dismantle them. He called for expanded cooperation to combat such transnational crime.
Weak rule of law as breeding ground
According to Sihasak, inadequate rule of law in affected states allowed scam networks to flourish. He linked this directly to systemic failures in justice systems and law enforcement.
He suggested that without stronger institutions, international initiatives would struggle to gain traction. The lack of deterrence for offenders, he argued, encouraged further abuses.
Thailand, he said, was seeking to build on existing collaboration with partners to disrupt these gangs. He portrayed the fight against online fraud as part of a broader human rights agenda.
Sharp criticism of Cambodia over border tensions
The second major focus of his speech was the conflict with Cambodia, after a representative from the neighbouring country had earlier delivered strong criticism of Thailand. Sihasak responded directly to those remarks.
He described the statements from Phnom Penh as
“absurd remarks”
and accused Cambodia of repeatedly demonising Thailand with false accusations and distorted portrayals. He said this approach did nothing to contribute to peace.
The minister argued that such rhetoric fuelled tensions instead of fostering dialogue. He maintained that Thailand had exercised restraint despite ongoing disputes.
Accusations of provocation and interference
According to Sihasak, the tensions along the border were the result of years of border violations and repeated provocations. He said these actions appeared designed to test Thailand’s restraint.
From the Thai perspective, he added, this also included attempts by Cambodia to influence domestic political developments in Thailand. He presented these alleged moves as part of a broader pattern of interference.
Sihasak said these incidents had undermined trust between the two countries. He called for an end to what he characterised as deliberate escalations.
Civilian casualties despite ceasefire
He said the escalation of these tensions had ultimately led to indiscriminate attacks in which civilians were killed. Sihasak described this as a tragic chapter in relations between the two neighbours.
At the same time, he underlined that Thailand had previously given refuge to Cambodian refugees. He also highlighted Thai humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support after Cambodia’s civil war.
The minister used these examples to argue that Thailand had a record of supporting its neighbour in times of crisis. He contrasted this history with the current accusations from Phnom Penh.
Territorial dispute and ongoing incidents
Cambodia, he noted, accused Thailand of occupying territory. However, from Bangkok’s standpoint, a ceasefire was in place under which both sides had agreed to keep their troops in their respective positions until a final solution was reached through dialogue.
Despite this arrangement, Sihasak said there had been continued, planned provocations after the ceasefire. He cited the discovery of landmines and gunfire across the border as factors keeping tensions high.
He argued that these incidents undermined the spirit of the ceasefire. According to his account, they also complicated efforts to find a negotiated settlement.
Appeal to Cambodia and definition of peace
Sihasak reaffirmed that Thailand was firmly committed to dialogue. At the same time, he stressed that the country would defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the security of its people, under all circumstances.
He called on Cambodia to choose between a path of peace and a path of further tension. In his closing remarks, he linked this choice to internal governance.
Real peace, he said, began within a state where the rule of law, responsible leadership and comprehensive human rights protection were guaranteed. He framed these principles as essential foundations for lasting stability between neighbours.