Hun Manet’s wife shares false image accusing Thailand of poison gas use

Pich Chanmony, wife of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, has come under fire after sharing a misleading image on Facebook suggesting that Thailand used poison gas in cross-border operations.

The image, originally from a US wildfire suppression mission in California, was falsely cited as evidence of chemical warfare. The photo appeared to have been sourced via a Google search.

This accusation echoed earlier remarks by Lieutenant General Maly Socheata of Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, who alleged that the Thai military had used chemical weapons against Cambodian territory.The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) responded swiftly, posting a clarification on its official Facebook page, describing the claim as "baseless and entirely false" and labelling it "fake news" circulating in Cambodian social media.

A source within the RTAF explained that the pink substance seen in the photo of soldiers mixing chemicals is, in fact, a wildfire retardant.The chemical, produced at the RTAF's Weapon Production Centre under the Defence Industry and Energy Centre, is designed to suppress forest fires. 

The RTAF has also imported Phos-Chek fire retardant in the past for similar purposes.

(2025/07/28-00:00)