Hun Sen wants to stay in power, creates war to fuel nationalism

Cambodia war against Thailand, for stoke nationalism and tighten political control to keep itself in power.

After Cambodia tried to provoke, both by secretly placing bomb funds into Thai territory or creating a situation that became more violent, and finally succeeded in creating a war with Thailand.

Cambodia war against Thailand

Despite initiating tension at the Thai-Cambodian border, former strongman Hun Sen blames Thailand on the global stage using nationalism as a shield to secure influence amid growing domestic challenges.

Though he formally stepped down from the prime ministership, Cambodia’s longtime leader Hun Sen remains a central force in the country’s politics pulling the strings behind the scenes as his son Hun Manet assumes the official post. Now, a fresh wave of tension at the Thai-Cambodian border appears to bear his fingerprints once again.

According to multiple reports, Cambodian forces have increased military presence and made unusual movements in disputed border zones near Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom temples located in Thailand’s Surin and Buriram provinces. While the Thai military has responded with caution, choosing not to escalate, the Cambodian side has taken a different approach ramping up rhetoric and broadcasting claims of Thai aggression to domestic and international audiences.

Hun Sen, speaking through state-run media and diplomatic channels, has accused Thailand of violating Cambodia’s sovereignty and acting provocatively. Yet eyewitness accounts and satellite monitoring suggest the escalation originated from the Cambodian side.

Analysts believe this is a familiar political maneuver from Hun Sen’s playbook: when domestic legitimacy is threatened by economic slowdown, rising youth discontent, or weakening support he manufactures an external threat to unite the population under nationalist fervor. This strategy was similarly deployed during the Preah Vihear Temple conflict from 2008 to 2011, a period that saw lives lost and bilateral relations damaged.

By redirecting public focus to the “𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫,” Hun Sen attempts to suppress criticism at home and reinforce the image of a nation under siege thus justifying tightened control and militarization.

Closing Thought

As Thailand flatly rejects the accusations and ASEAN watches in diplomatic silence, the world is forced to confront a deeper question:

Why did Hun Sen and his son have to start a war?

It is well known that the popularity of Hun Sen and Hun Manet has been declining continuously. Both the boycott from the Western countries has caused the country’s economy to suffer. But he and his family are comfortable with the hardships of the Cambodian people. They rely on the dark business, drugs, call centers, and criminal gangs in the country to support their financial path until they were banned by the Western countries.

Therefore, creating nationalism through war is the easiest thing because it was done to Thailand in the past by his father, Hun Sen.

The Cambodia-Thailand war seems to be going as Hun Sen hoped.

The world is starting to understand the situation and what is happening more, making the creation of fake news from the Cambodian leader no longer effective. What will happen next remains to be seen.

Reference: Verster Community

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