Thai influencer stopped from septic truck protest at Thai-Cambodian border
Acting PM warns reckless acts risk dragging dispute to World Court
The Acting Prime Minister (PM) stopped a Thai social media influencer from spraying waste collected by septic trucks at the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province, to prevent tensions from escalating.
The Thai military continues to maintain positions in 11 areas across seven provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border to preserve peace and order, particularly at the Ban Nong Chan community in Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo, which previously served as a refugee centre for Cambodian nationals.
Thailand had offered the area to Cambodians fleeing conflict in their own country. However, after the clashes ended, many Cambodians reportedly remained and settled there, forcing the Thai landowners to relocate.
MGR Online reported that the Thai government failed to provide a concrete solution and allowed Cambodians to remain for more than 40 years until the issue resurfaced following recent clashes between the two countries.
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) moved in to control the area and pressured Cambodians to return to their own territory, sparking tensions at the site. Barbed wire fencing was erected to prevent further incursions, but this led to protests by Cambodians, some of whom attempted to damage the fence.
These confrontations escalated into daily protests and disputes between Cambodian nationals and Thai residents in the area, with some Thai soldiers injured while intervening.
Against this backdrop, Thai social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet took to social media to share his views on how to resolve the conflict. He wrote…
“I suggest spraying waste from septic trucks over Cambodians who try to damage the fence and insult Thai soldiers. They will never dare open their mouths and shout at soldiers again.”
Gun later claimed that a Cambodian netizen had mocked him in a video, prompting him to announce on Facebook that he wanted septic truck drivers to gather at Ban Nong Chan.
At around 10am yesterday, August 28, 14 septic trucks arrived at the site, but soldiers prevented Gun from spraying the waste. The military explained that such an act could spark further violence, and Gun expressed his understanding.
Acting PM and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai strongly disapproved of Gun’s actions, urging social media influencers to act responsibly and warning that such behaviour could push the dispute towards the World Court.
Phumtham added that he preferred not to speak extensively on the matter, as he feared being criticised as having “a Thai citizen with a Cambodian heart”, a charge previously levelled at PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Gun later livestreamed to his followers, saying he had always supported the Thai military during the border conflict but had never received recognition from the government.
He stated that he felt insulted by Cambodian netizens but stressed that he had consulted relevant departments beforehand and never truly intended to spray waste, only to demonstrate that he could.
He concluded that he would continue supporting officials at the border, encouraged by his fans and followers. Since the conflict began, Gun and his team have been seen in the border provinces donating much-needed equipment to troops.
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