Conflicting Evidence

Several users, such as Greutbegnenxer, pointed to conflicting evidence from the Thai army that contradicted Cambodia's strike allegations. The Royal Thai Army issued a statement confirming that there was no attack on the Preah Vihear Temple area.

Below is a preview of that statement:

Richard Lionheart and Jacob emphasized that while the Thai statement denied strikes on the Preah Vihear Temple area, it did not address other potential military targets. This is true. However, the absence of evidence, no matter how plausible, does not resolve a market.

Greutbegnenxer focused on the conflicting accounts. He argued that if the Cambodian army allegedly fabricated three out of the four claimed strikes, it raises doubts about the fourth claim as well.

The primary source in question is the Khmer Times article. The argument follows that if part of the report is considered fake news, then the credibility of the remaining claims is also in question. Essentially, there is a disagreement between the Thai and Cambodian narratives.

This would effectively call into question several of the media reports that relied on the Cambodian press conference, including all the ones Jacob listed.

Greutbegnenxer added that no major international outlets such as AP or Reuters reported on the subsequent strikes.

The Use of Cluster Munitions

St4rgard3n claimed that the Thai government acknowledged its use of cluster munitions.

However, the Royal Thai Army Press Release directly contradicts his claim. In the press release, the Thai army spokesperson stated they would consider the use of cluster munitions if necessary, not that they had used them. This refers to a possible future action, not a confirmed past event.

Additionally, Tyler noted that the claim referred to artillery rounds, not air-dropped munitions.

St4rgard3n acknowledged this possibility, but the implication is that there is insufficient evidence to definitively support either side. As it stands, the matter remains speculative.

Summary

Several users highlighted conflicting statements between the Cambodian and Thai governments regarding alleged airstrikes near the Preah Vihear Temple. While Cambodia claimed multiple strikes, the Thai army denied any attack on the temple itself, leading to questions about the credibility of the entire report. Greutbegnenxer pointed out that no major international outlets confirmed the strikes. Additionally, claims that Thailand used cluster munitions were refuted by the Thai army, which only stated they may consider using them in the future.

Coming Up

Next, we look at concerns over cherry-picked sources and the lack of corroboration that fueled further disagreement.