BANGKOK, THAILAND – The Royal Thai Army rejected reports that Cambodia had been obtaining fuel from Thailand via Laos.
What the army spokesman said on 19 March
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, said on 19 March that there had been no indication of illegal fuel exports or smuggling toward Cambodia.
He added that inspections at relevant border crossings had remained strictly enforced and would continue without interruption.
Focus on the Laos route and the Suranaree Task Force
Winthai referred to measures to control fuel shipments to Laos through permanent border checkpoints under the responsibility of the Suranaree Task Force.
He said these units carried out standard inspections and worked closely with the competent agencies, including the Lao authorities.
No evidence of resale to Cambodia
According to the military, ongoing checks had not uncovered any cases in which fuel from Thailand had been resold in Laos to Cambodia.
The statement contradicted a narrative that had taken hold in parts of the public in recent days.
Interview clip and alleged mistranslation
The clarification followed reports based on a short clip from an interview with Sor Soputra, governor of Cambodia’s Stung Treng province.
According to the military, the Thai translation of this clip that circulated publicly had been inaccurate in key aspects, especially regarding fuel imports from Thailand.
What Sor Soputra actually meant, according to the army
Winthai said the mistranslation had triggered further reports that did not reflect the original remarks.
In the correct version, he said, the issue was that some Thai goods reached Cambodia via Laos, and that Cambodia could not simply block them, partly because of its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Warning about fake news and call for official channels
The army spokesman warned that information should be carefully checked before being shared, as distorted content from unclear sources continued to circulate.
“People should verify information before sharing it, because distorted content from unclear sources is still spreading.”
said Winthai Suvaree, army spokesman.
He urged the public to rely primarily on official government channels in order to receive reliable and clear updates.
“Please follow official government channels first to obtain accurate and clear information.”
said Winthai Suvaree, army spokesman.