BANGKOK: Lt Gen Kanok Netrawatthanasena, a former senior commander in the 2nd Army Area, says a third round of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia is likely, citing signs of strengthened defensive preparations such as trench-digging and bunker construction.
Lt Gen Kanok Netrawatthanasena, former deputy commander of the 2nd Army Area and former commander of the Suranaree Task Force, said he believes a third round of fighting is inevitable, pointing to what he described as clear signs of defensive preparations along the border.
He made the remarks on Jan 28, 2026 during an interview at the Faculty of Political Science, Ramkhamhaeng University.
‘Preparations show a third clash is coming’
Lt Gen Kanok said recent activity—particularly the digging of trenches and the construction of bunkers—suggests an effort to build stronger fortified positions.
He said the trenches appear to be an initial stage of establishing a defensive line and are not yet complete. Once finished, he said, soil would be piled in front to provide protection from gunfire.
He also referred to images of bunkers with triangular concrete structures, saying these were also unfinished and would ultimately be covered with soil.
He argued that such preparations are typically carried out when forces are positioning themselves for combat, including decisions on where to defend and where to fight. “If there was not going to be a third round, they would not be doing this,” he said.
Border standoffs remain in overlapping areas, he says
Lt Gen Kanok said that while Thailand controls most high-ground areas in the 2nd Army Area, Cambodian forces are positioned on lower ground, and confrontations persist at several points.
He said disputed or overlapping areas remain, citing locations such as Chong An Ma, Hill 677, Hill 500, Hill 350, and Ta Kwai Temple. He also singled out Ta Muen Thom Temple as a flashpoint where tensions escalated into a second round of fighting, which he said lasted longer than the first and spread across multiple areas.
Without withdrawal or sustained efforts to push opposing forces back, he warned, further incidents and provocations could recur—reinforcing his view that a third clash is likely.
Trenches and bunkers opposite Trat cited as key signals
Lt Gen Kanok said Cambodia has been digging zig-zag tactical trenches opposite Trat province. He also cited images of bunker works featuring triangular concrete slabs near the border opposite Hill 350, about one kilometre from Thailand’s border line.
The visible concrete, he said, suggests the positions are not yet complete, but would be strengthened once covered with soil.
US–Cambodia drills and big-power balancing
Asked about reports of renewed US–Cambodia joint combat-readiness drills, Lt Gen Kanok noted that such exercises had been suspended for a long period before resuming.
He pointed to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s military education at the US Military Academy at West Point, saying that could help explain renewed military ties.
He also linked the question to wider pressures and competing interests involving major powers, saying Cambodia seeks benefits from both China and the United States, while each power also pursues its own strategic objectives.
Call for a future government to bolster readiness
Looking ahead to the period after 8 February 2026, when a new government may be formed, Lt Gen Kanok urged political leaders to deepen their understanding of the military and the border situation, and to ensure the armed forces have what they need for national defence.
He argued Thailand must move quickly to keep pace with developments, noting that the Thai military depends on formal budget and procurement processes, while Cambodia could move faster through less transparent channels, in his view.
On volunteers and conscription
On debates over volunteer soldiers and conscription, Lt Gen Kanok said the issue should be approached realistically. He said volunteer forces have existed for decades, but systems must allow for proper development and organisation.
Asked whether conscription could be abolished, he questioned how Thailand would maintain sufficient combat troops to defend the country without it. - The Nation/ANN
