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Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul convened urgent security talks as tensions escalated along the Thai–Cambodian border, following the seizure of advanced Chinese-made missile systems and reports of Cambodian espionage activity.
The prime minister said he had invited National Security Council Secretary-General Chatchai Bangchuad for discussions, citing several pressing security issues. These included proposals to interdict the maritime transport of military supplies, the seizure of a fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system, and intelligence concerns over Cambodian spies and mercenaries believed to have infiltrated Thailand. He said the relevant areas were already under close monitoring and surveillance.
The talks came as the Defence Ministry reiterated that Thailand has the legal right to retain a Chinese-made GAM-102LR guided missile seized from Cambodian forces and is not required to return it to China, despite a request from Beijing. Defence Ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said the weapon was lawfully confiscated during military operations.
The Royal Thai Army seized a significant number of GAM-102LR missiles and related systems after capturing key positions on Hill 500 in the Chong An Ma area of Ubon Ratchathani province. Army sources said the recovery took place on December 14 amid fighting along the border.
The GAM-102LR is a fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system reported to be produced by China’s Poly Defence under the Poly Technologies group, in cooperation with Turkey’s Mediterranean Defence Technology, and manufactured primarily for export. The system was unveiled earlier this year and has been showcased at international defence exhibitions, including an arms show in Cairo, Egypt.
Each missile is a single-use munition, fired once per round, while the launcher and targeting system are reusable. Regional media reports estimate the cost at around US$112,000, or approximately 3.5 million baht per missile, although no official pricing has been publicly disclosed.
The system offers high precision and operational flexibility, with a standard firing range of 6–10 kilometres, and is capable of both anti-tank missions and strikes against other military equipment. Military analysts described the seizure as a significant battlefield find, noting that its capabilities are comparable to the US-made Javelin system used by the Royal Thai Army.
Thai military sources said Cambodian units may have lacked sufficient operational familiarity with the system. When Thai forces advanced rapidly and secured Hill 500, Cambodian troops were believed to have abandoned the missile systems and withdrawn from the area.
The presence of such high-value, advanced weaponry has drawn scrutiny in light of Cambodia’s broader economic conditions, where many communities continue to face hardship and shortages of basic necessities. Questions have been raised over how the missiles were financed and acquired, and whether external or covert support was involved.
Attention has also turned to China’s role as a major regional arms supplier. China has previously supplied the Royal Thai Army with Chinese-made VT-4 main battle tanks under government-to-government procurement agreements, while advanced Chinese-produced anti-tank missile systems have now been found in Cambodian military hands.
The developments come amid two rounds of recent border clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces. The first occurred between July 24 and 28, while a second round began on December 8, intensifying scrutiny of regional arms flows as tensions along the border continue.
