Cambodia and Thailand engaged in 5 days of lethal preventing in July and tensions stay excessive two months later, however photos and clips shared on-line alongside claims it reveals “Cambodian troops mobilising” weren’t taken close to the border between the 2 neighbours. Visible clues seen within the circulating photos present it was really taken in Myanmar.
“This time Cambodia deployed many troops close to the border 23/09/2025,” reads a Thai-language Fb publish on September 23, 2025.
It incorporates a photograph displaying army personnel in pickup vans touring down a street.
Screenshot of the false TikTok publish, taken on September 26, 2025, with a purple X added by AFP
Different posts sharing comparable pictures and claims additionally seem on Fb, Instagram, TikTok and Threads.
The Southeast Asian neighbours have traded accusations of ceasefire violations since they agreed to a truce on July 29, ending 5 days of lethal clashes that killed at the very least 43 folks on each side (archived hyperlink).
Thailand has accused Cambodia of mobilizing troops and weapons, whereas Cambodia’s Ministry of Nationwide Protection rejected the allegations (archived hyperlinks right here and right here).
Cambodian and Thai troops clashed on September 27, marking the primary alternate of gunfire and grenades for the reason that July truce. Each side accused the opposite of initiating the assault (archived hyperlink).
AFP additionally discovered the same video of troopers being pushed on the again of a pickup truck shared on TikTok since July 18, 2025 with an Indonesian-language caption saying that it reveals a “Filipino army patrol”.
Screenshot of the false TikTok publish, taken on September 26, 2025, with a purple X added by AFP
Nevertheless, the pictures usually are not associated to both Cambodia or the Philippines.
Though reverse picture and key phrase searches didn’t discover a supply for the picture or the video, they comprise a number of visible clues indicating it was shot in Myanmar.
The pickup within the picture carries a license plate in step with these utilized in Myanmar (archived hyperlink).
Screenshot comparability between the video, with automotive license plate magnified by AFP (L) and Myanmar automotive license plates on worldlicenseplates.com
In the meantime, the video reveals Burmese and Chinese language-language textual content on street indicators.
Screenshot of the video that reveals Burmese- and Chinese language-language street indicators
The folks within the video could be seen carrying patches bearing the Myanmar nationwide flag and the flag of the Karen Nationwide Union (KNU) — an armed ethnic group (archived hyperlinks right here and right here).
The footage additionally reveals a red-and-gold roundabout monument, which bears Burmese-language textual content studying, “Welcome to Shwe Kokko Myaing, Myawaddy province”.
Shwe Kokko, a border city in japanese Myanmar, gained notoriety after changing into a hub for organized crime and cyber rip-off operations. Largely outdoors the management of Myanmar’s central authorities, the city has seen in depth Chinese language-backed growth (archived hyperlink).
Authorities and militia teams have made a present of raiding the centres, linked to drug smuggling and playing, earlier than releasing and repatriating the foreigners inside (archived hyperlink).
Screenshot of the video that reveals the roundabout monument with Burmese textual content
The roundabout and different buildings seen within the video could be discovered on Google Maps satellite tv for pc imagery of Shwe Kokko (archived hyperlink).
Screenshot comparability between the falsely shared video (left and middle) and the Google Maps’ satellite tv for pc imagery (proper), with parts made by AFP to spotlight corresponding parts
AFP beforehand debunked different misinformation linked to the Cambodia-Thailand border battle.
