Cambodia's human rights commission has accused Thailand of using loudspeakers to broadcast 'haunting sounds resembling wailing ghosts' along their disputed border, describing the tactic as psychological warfare. The complaint, addressed to the UN human rights chief, warns that the 'intense, high-pitched noises' could escalate tensions between the neighbours.
Former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, now senate president, shared the commission's letter on Facebook. It states that Thai military units have been playing the eerie sounds, followed by aircraft engine noises, throughout the night in villages along the border. The commission says these prolonged broadcasts have disrupted sleep, provoked anxiety, and caused physical discomfort among civilians.
The allegations come despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by Malaysia in July, which ended the worst fighting in over a decade. That conflict killed at least 38 people and displaced more than 300,000. The ceasefire was announced after US President Donald Trump threatened to pause trade negotiations unless the fighting stopped.
Thailand has separately accused Cambodia of laying new landmines along the border, a claim Cambodia denies. Six Thai soldiers have been maimed by mine explosions since July, which Cambodia attributes to ordnance from its decades-long civil war. A formal peace deal is expected at an ASEAN summit later this month, with Trump overseeing the signing.
