(Preah Vihear): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian President of the Senate, revealed that he recorded a phone conversation with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra as a precaution, stemming from a past incident in which he said Thailand had deceived him during negotiations over troop adjustments at the Emerald Triangle area.

Samdech Techo recalled that during a previous round of discussions, involving the Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin Shinawatra, and former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Cambodia agreed to adjust its troop deployment. The Thai side thanked him personally. However, once the adjustment was made, Thai media and officials later misrepresented the move as a unilateral Cambodian troop withdrawal. This, he stated, was a betrayal.

Samdech Techo spoke on Friday (Jun. 27) during a meeting with members of the provincial, city, district, commune, and sangkat councils in Preah Vihear province.

He stated: “I realized I had been deceived once already, so this time I had to record. What was the deception? We agreed on troop realignment at the Emerald Triangle area. It was very difficult for me to explain at the time. Both Thaksin and Yingluck, as well as the current Prime Minister [Paetongtarn], all called to thank me. But then, after the prime minister departed, media in Bangkok claimed Cambodia had withdrawn its troops. It wasn’t a withdrawal—it was a realignment.”

He emphasized: “I was tricked. I was manipulated. That’s why I need to be transparent with my people and accountable to the leadership. I recorded the call. My phone records automatically.”

However, Samdech Techo Hun Sen clarified that he had no initial intention of releasing the recording. It was only after Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn publicly accused Cambodian leaders of being “unprofessional”, prompting the leak of the 9-minute phone call.
=FRESH NEWS