Thai Army Demolishing Cambodian Homes
A video widely circulated on Facebook, TikTok, Threads, and YouTube in August 2025 claims to show the Thai army demolishing Cambodian homes at a disputed border village. The clip was shared with captions alleging that Thai authorities had ordered the destruction of “80 Cambodian households and a market” at Chong An Ma, shortly after deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.
However, this claim is false. The footage is not from Thailand or Cambodia but rather from Tanjung Pamah village in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The demolition was part of a local law enforcement action linked to alleged drug trafficking and illegal activities.
Context Behind the Claim
The misinformation emerged in the aftermath of intense border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in July 2025. The five-day conflict claimed the lives of at least 43 people and displaced over 300,000 civilians. On July 29, both countries agreed to a fragile truce, with Thailand subsequently installing barbed wire fences near Ban Nong Chan. The Thai government justified the move by accusing Cambodian settlers of crossing into Thai territory, while Phnom Penh condemned the action as “unlawful.”
Against this backdrop of heightened tensions, the misleading demolition video quickly gained traction online. By framing the footage as evidence of Thai aggression against Cambodian civilians, the posts tapped into regional grievances and fueled anti-Thai and anti-Cambodian narratives on social media.
Evidence From Verification
CyberPoe conducted a detailed verification of the viral video. A reverse image search of keyframes traced the footage back to TikTok uploads on August 16, 2025, where it appeared with the caption: “Demolition this morning in Tj. Pamah village.” This directly referenced Tanjung Pamah, a village in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.
Further investigation revealed that on August 14, 2025, local authorities in North Sumatra demolished a building known as Diskotik Marcopolo an entertainment venue alleged to be connected with drug trafficking and illegal operations. Multiple Indonesian media outlets reported on the demolition, confirming its domestic law enforcement context.
Additionally, a close analysis of the footage shows the word “Polisi” (Indonesian for Police) clearly visible on the helmets of officers present at the scene. This detail confirms the involvement of Indonesian police, not Thai military forces.
The Spread of Misinformation
Despite these verifiable facts, the video was repurposed and shared with misleading captions across several platforms. Its spread coincided with ongoing narratives of distrust and hostility between Thailand and Cambodia, making it a powerful but false piece of propaganda. The recycling of unrelated visuals to misrepresent ongoing conflicts is a common disinformation tactic, often used to inflame tensions and manipulate public perception.
Verified Reality
The viral demolition video does not depict the Thai army destroying Cambodian homes. Instead, it shows an Indonesian police operation carried out in North Sumatra against facilities allegedly tied to criminal activities. The clip has no connection to the Thai-Cambodian border clashes.
This case highlights the urgent need for critical verification of viral media, especially during times of heightened political or military conflict. Misattributed videos, when left unchecked, can escalate tensions, distort international narratives, and mislead public opinion on sensitive cross-border disputes.
✅ CyberPoe’s Conclusion: The claim that the Thai army demolished Cambodian homes at a border village is false. The footage originates from Indonesia and is unrelated to regional conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia.
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