Thailand Denies Plot to Assassinate Hun Sen and Hun Manet
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims that Thai authorities were planning an assassination attempt targeting Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The allegation was first published by Cambodian outlet Fresh News, which cited an unnamed foreign intelligence agency. According to the report, Thai authorities were allegedly preparing to carry out a bombing attack aimed at Hun Sen and Hun Manet using AT6 TH light attack aircraft equipped with small Korean-made GPS-guided bombs.
The same source claimed that these aircraft are harder to detect due to their speed, which is said to be greater than that of F-16 fighter jets, and that they could evade Cambodian air defense systems.
It also alleged that Thailand had recently received eight AT6 TH aircraft and 200 bombs, along with four additional aircraft of unspecified types. These were reportedly obtained from South Korea on July 29, 2025, and have since undergone maintenance and rearming.
According to the report, the bombs are guided by GPS and capable of accurately hitting designated targets with high lethality. The alleged plan involved testing the aircraft in the Phnom Troap area to evaluate their effectiveness before launching further actions from August 4, 2025, based on border assessments.
The source further alleged that if Thailand failed to seize control of eight contested zones inside Cambodian territory, it would launch attacks from Trat Province using the AT6 TH aircraft. It said the operation would rely on internal intelligence sources to identify the residences of Hun Sen and Hun Manet, with the aim of executing targeted strikes.
The claim surfaced shortly after Hun Sen, the former prime minister and now president of the Senate, was reportedly granted direct authority by King Norodom Sihamoni to coordinate with Prime Minister Hun Manet on military matters, particularly those concerning territorial defense in response to recent tensions with Thailand.
In response to the allegations, Thai newspaper The Nation quoted Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura, who on August 5 issued a firm denial. He said the accusation was baseless and intended to damage Thailand’s reputation.
Nikorndej Balankura added that such disinformation was especially harmful given that the two countries were engaged in ongoing discussions under the General Border Committee framework. He warned that the report undermined the spirit of dialogue and efforts to resolve the situation peacefully.
As of now, neither Hun Sen nor Hun Manet has issued a public statement in response to the assassination claims or confirmed any threat originating from Thailand.
