Temples, Hackers, and Leaks: The Thai-Cambodian Crisis in the Age of Information Warfare

Thailand and Cambodia are caught up in a heated border dispute over an ancient temple that dates back to the 11th century. This isn’t just about land — it’s about the heritage of colonialism, national pride, and tensions between two powerful political dynasties.

Thailand recently faced a serious hacker attack targeting its government systems, highlighting just how vulnerable countries are to digital threats these days. And then came a leaked phone call between Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen, which shook Thai politics and made an already delicate situation even worse. It’s a clear example of information warfare — where cyberattacks, leaked information, and political pressure all work hand in hand to destabilize governments. And this kind of hybrid threat isn’t unique to this region, as digital and political pressures are being used to challenge national security.

The border dispute over Ta Moan Thom temple

At the heart of the current tensions between Thailand and Cambodia lies the Ta Moan Thom temple, an 11th-century Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated along a contentious stretch of the Thai-Cambodian border, the temple has long been a flashpoint in a broader dispute over sovereignty and historical claims. Both nations claim ownership over the temple and its surrounding area, citing cultural and historical ties — a conflict rooted not only in religious heritage but also in the geopolitical legacy of colonial rule. The border in question was largely drawn during the era of French Indochina (1887–1954), when France administered Cambodia. Borders were drawn using maps created by French officials, often without any local input or on-the-ground accuracy. These maps placed several temples within Cambodian territory despite their cultural and geographic ties to Thailand. The result: an 800 km border with poorly demarcated zones and overlapping claims.  Following independence, these colonial maps became the basis for recurring legal and military clashes, turning sacred sites into flashpoints of nationalist pride and political tension. Despite various diplomatic attempts to resolve these uncertainties, competing interpretations of historical maps and legal agreements have repeatedly led to skirmishes.

The Thailand-Cambodia border has seen multiple clashes throughout the 21st century, including significant violence in 2008 near the Preah Vihear temple. These incidents often stemmed from unresolved border disputes rooted in colonial-era mapping. In fact, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, a decision reaffirmed in 2013 after further clashes. Despite these rulings, sporadic skirmishes continued, fueled by nationalist sentiments on both sides.

Tensions flared again in February 2025 when a group of Cambodian tourists sang their national anthem at the Ta Moan Thom temple (another disputed territory). The act was labelled by Thai authorities as a provocation. The situation deteriorated further on May 28, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a gunfight between the Thai and Cambodian military in the so-called „Emerald Triangle”, where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos converge. Each side blamed the other for initiating the violence. In response, Cambodia has announced its intention to again bring the dispute before ICJ, even if Thailand refuses to recognize the court’s jurisdiction. This legal move echoes Cambodia’s previous appeals to the ICJ in 1962 and again in 2013, both of which resulted in rulings favourable to Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Manet appears confident of a similar outcome in 2025. Meanwhile, Thailand’s government has rejected the ICJ’s authority in the current dispute.

Hacktivism and national vulnerability

As the tensions in the Emerald Triangle rise, the conflict spills over into the cybersphere. Between late May and mid-June 2025, Thailand faced a sharp escalation in cyberattacks attributed to a Cambodian hacktivist group known as AnonSecKh—also operating under the aliases ANON-KH and Bl4ckCyb3r. The group launched a wave of politically motivated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting a broad range of Thai entities. Overall, the group claimed 73 attacks between May 28 and June 10. Approximately 30% of attacks hit government websites, 26% targeted military institutions.  Manufacturing and financial sectors also were affected. The group shared proof-of-impact reports via Telegram, emphasizing their focus on retaliation against nations perceived as hostile to Cambodia.

The attacks immediately raised questions about Thailand’s cyber defense capabilities. Public concern grew as critical infrastructure—such as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs —were reportedly affected.

Cyberattacks as the bread and butter of Thai cyberreality

These cyberattacks are nothing new to the Thai government. The country has seen a surge in cyberattacks over the past few years, culminating in a sharp escalation in both frequency and sophistication in 2025. Thailand faced over 1,000 cyber incidents between January and May 2025 alone. These attacks ranged from data leaks and ransomware to AI-driven DDoS assaults. Notably, more than 63% of Thai organizations reported experiencing data breaches, and over half admitted to paying ransoms—underscoring the urgent threat to national digital infrastructure.

Even before, between 2018 and 2023, Thailand was hit by a series of high-profile cyberattacks that exposed widespread vulnerabilities. These included the massive 9near hack in 2023, which leaked the personal data of 55 million citizens; the TCAS breach in 2022, sharing data of over 23,000 students on the dark web; and ransomware attacks targeting Bangkok Airways, Saraburi Hospital, and the Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute, among others. Many of these attacks exploited outdated systems, unsecured cloud storage, or poor encryption standards. In the case of the TrueMove H data leak (2018), sensitive identification documents (such as passports) were exposed on an unprotected Amazon Web Services S3 bucket.

Public concern over Thailand’s cyber defense readiness has increased significantly, particularly as AI-powered attacks become more prevalent. The government has declared 2025 the „Year of Cybersecurity” and emphasized the need for executive-level involvement in cyber resilience. Thailand’s cyber vulnerabilities are further complicated by geopolitical tensions, particularly as state-sponsored and politically motivated attacks rise in the region, such as a hacker attack due to the border conflict with Cambodia. While the government has stepped up its cybersecurity agenda, the growing scale of attacks suggests that reactive approaches may no longer be enough.

Moreover, recently, Thai cybercrime authorities have launched a major investigation into a financial network funnelling scam proceeds into Cambodia’s Huione Group, a company suspected of laundering money from online gambling and call centre fraud targeting Thai citizens. According to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), there is also a possibility of a connection between the scam and Hun To – the nephew of Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. However, this link remains unconfirmed. In light of rising tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, CCIB Commissioner Lieutenant General Trairong urged the public to be cautious in sharing unverified information, warning against AI-generated fake news and emphasizing that inciting unrest online is a criminal offense under Thai law.

Private words, public crisis: Thailand’s political turmoil

Amid an escalating hacker attack targeting Thai government systems and heightened tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, the leaked 17-minute phone call between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Hun Sen, who discussed the border crisis, has triggered a political firestorm in Thailand. Paetongtarn, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, carries the legacy of a politically polarizing family whose influence continues to shape Thai politics. Her ties to Cambodia are rooted in years of close relations between the Shinawatra and Hun families. Moreover, Hun Sen, Cambodia’s longtime former Prime Minister and now Senate President, was once a key ally of Thaksin. Today, Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manet, serves as Cambodia’s Prime Minister, continuing this dynastic political thread.

In the leaked phone call, Paetongtarn Shinawatra spoke openly with Hun Sen about the sensitive border dispute between their countries. She addressed Hun Sen as “uncle” and offered to handle any issues he might raise, saying, “Just let me know, I’ll take care of it”. However, she also criticized Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, a senior Thai military commander, calling him an “opponent” who “just wanted to look tough”. The recording leaked as Hun Sen shared it with some of his political allies, and then one of them made it public. The phone call sparked public outrage, as many saw Paetongtarn’s remarks as undermining Thailand’s military and sovereignty. Paetongtarn apologized for the leak and said her comments were part of negotiation tactics, but the damage was done.

The fallout was immediate and severe: the Bhumjaithai Party, the second-largest in her coalition, withdrew its support, citing damage to national sovereignty and the military’s reputation. This departure fuelled public protests and calls for her resignation. Conservative senators swiftly filed a petition to the Constitutional Court, seeking her removal from office—a move that can potentially lead to her suspension in the coming days. This also fuels the fear of a potential coup, as the country has a long history of military coups when a political crisis arise. For some, it also raises cautious hope that the resulting destabilization could pave the way for more democratic parties, such as the People’s Party to come to power.

In response to the escalating crisis, Paetongtarn made a visit to the contentious Thai-Cambodian border, where tensions have been simmering since a deadly clash on May 28. However, Hun Sen publicly rebuked the visit, accusing her of betraying both him and the Thai people. He publicly accused former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his family of betrayal, revealing a deep political rift. Hun Sen criticized Paetongtarn Shinawatra for border closures, disrespect, and deceptive tactics while calling for stronger regional cooperation to combat online crime.

As internal pressure mounted and fears of regional instability grew, Paetongtarn arranged an emergency call with French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking international mediation. It was followed by Hun Sen’s threat to reveal alleged secret plans involving former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The leak has effectively weaponized personal diplomacy, turning private dialogue into a tool of political sabotage that has destabilized Thailand’s leadership and left its prime minister fighting to retain power.

Lessons from the edge of borders and web

The Thai-Cambodian crisis over the Ta Moan Thom temple is far more than a regional border dispute — it is a revealing case study of the complexities of modern hybrid warfare. Blending conventional military tensions with cyberattacks, digital propaganda, and weaponized personal diplomacy, this conflict illustrates how 21st-century power struggles are no longer confined to physical borders. Instead, they now extend across data centers, messaging apps, and political backchannels. The cyberattacks launched against Thai institutions and the explosive leak of a sensitive phone call between national leaders demonstrate the growing power of non-traditional threats — where hacker groups, state-sponsored cyber operations, and strategic information leaks can disrupt governance, undermine public trust, and destabilize entire regions. These tools of information warfare are increasingly used alongside — or instead of — traditional force, posing a direct challenge to national sovereignty and political legitimacy.

Importantly, this is not just a Southeast Asian problem. The same vulnerabilities exist globally, from Bangkok to Brussels to Warsaw. As Poland and other nations face rising cyber intrusions, election interference, and the spread of disinformation, the Thai-Cambodian case highlights a shared global dilemma: how can governments defend themselves in an age when power is exercised as much through code and covert leaks as through armies and treaties?

In an era where temples, servers, and private phone calls can all become battlegrounds, the Thai-Cambodian crisis is a warning. What’s unfolding in Southeast Asia today could unfold anywhere tomorrow.

Andżelika Serwatka Ukończyła studia azjatyckie licencjackie oraz stosunki międzynarodowe magisterskie na Uniwersytecie Łódzkim. Brała udział w wielu projektach badawczych, m.in. w ramach modułu Jean Monnet "Europe as an Actor in Asia", podczas którego prezentowała wyniki swoich badań na Uniwersytecie Fulbrighta w Ho Chi Minh City, w projekcie "Transcultural Caravan" realizowanym przez Zeppelin University, a także w projekcie "Wietnam 2022" organizowanym przez Uniwersytet Łódzki. Jest członkinią Forum Młodych Dyplomatów, a obecnie angażuje się w działania dyplomatyczne w ramach stażu w Instytucie Polskim przy Ambasadzie RP w Nowym Delhi. Jej zainteresowania obejmują neokolonializm, ekologiczną antropologię, zrównoważony rozwój oraz relacje międzykulturowe. W zespole Boyma zajmuje się redakcją kwartalnika.