Cambodia rally image falsely linked to Thailand conflict

Published on August 6, 2025 at 10:18
Updated on August 6, 2025 at 10:21
3 min read
By Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE, AFP Thailand

Bangkok has urged Phnom Penh to retrieve the bodies of its soldiers killed during five days of clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours, but an image posted on social media does not show Cambodian protesters making the same demand of their leaders. The picture predates the conflict by a fortnight and depicts market vendors protesting a provincial government crackdown on their stalls.

"Khmer people revolt!! Protest continues," reads part of the Thai-language text superimposed on an image viewed more than 40,000 times on TikTok since it was posted on August 3, 2025.

"Cambodians urge Hun Sen to search for frontline soldiers who cannot be contacted. Martyred for the country but left as a corpse without family."

Hun Sen is Cambodia's former leader, who retains an influential role in government. His son, Hun Manet has led Cambodia since 2023.

The image shows a group of people holding up photos and signs.

Screenshot of the false TikTok post captured on August 4, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

The same image also circulated in similar TikTok posts.

It surfaced after Thailand and Cambodia agreed a truce on July 29, following five days of clashes that killed at least 43 people on both sides -- the latest eruption of a long-standing border dispute (archived here).

The conflict also drove more than 300,000 from their homes, and kicked off a disinformation blitz as Thai and Cambodian partisans alike sought to boost the narrative that the other was to blame (archived link).

The Bangkok Post reported that Thailand's Deputy Defence Minister Nattapon Narkphanit had called on Cambodia to retrieve the bodies of its fallen soldiers left at the border -- adding that any delay would "demean their honour and dignity" as well as pose a health risk to nearby villages (archived link).

The circulating image, however, does not show Cambodian protesters also demanding their government retrieve the bodies.

Market vendor protest

A reverse image search on Google led to footage posted on YouTube on July 11 -- two weeks before the latest border clashes (archived link).

The falsely shared image appears to be a still from this footage.

Its Thai-language caption reads: "Livestream from a Cambodian market. Merchants protested aggressively, asking Hun Sen to help with an incident at Chhnuk Trou Market … Kampong Chhnang on July 11, 2025."

Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared image (left) and the YouTube clip shared on July 11 (right)

A further keyword search led to a similar clip shared on the Facebook page of Cambodian news website CJ News on July 11 (archived link).

"Citizen Journalist Report: Vendors in Chhnuk Trou Market asked Hun Manet for help as Kampong Chhnang authorities forcibly dismantled their stalls," the Khmer-language post reads.

Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared image (left) and the CJ News post (right), with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP

AFP has also debunked other misinformation related to the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.

August 6, 2025Corrected headline to say "image" instead of "clip"

August 6, 2025 Corrected headline to say "image" instead of "clip"

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