Rumors surrounding the ongoing border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have taken a misleading turn with a photograph of Israeli soldiers circulating on social media. The image, falsely claimed to depict military reinforcements for Thailand, actually shows Israeli officers involved in search and rescue operations in Bangkok following a devastating earthquake in March 2025.
This photograph gained traction on platforms like TikTok, where it was shared alongside a claim in Khmer stating, “Thousands of Israeli soldiers have arrived to help Thailand in its operations to invade Cambodia.” The post was reshared over 2,800 times since its publication on December 15, 2025, coinciding with renewed hostilities that resulted in numerous casualties on both sides.
The current conflict, which reignited in December 2025, has led to the displacement of around one million individuals due to longstanding border disputes. A fragile truce was established on December 27, 2025, but tensions flared again when Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of ceasefire violations on January 6, 2026. In this incident, Thailand reported that cross-border mortar fire injured a soldier, while Cambodia claimed that a “pile of garbage” had exploded, injuring two of its troops.
Despite the circulation of the misleading photograph, Colonel Ritcha Suksuwanon, deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, stated in a report to AFP, “There has been no Israeli reinforcement.” Furthermore, there have been no verified accounts of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) participating in the ongoing conflicts with Cambodia.
A reverse image search confirmed that the photograph in question was initially published in an article by the Jewish News Syndicate on April 9, 2025. This article detailed an Israeli humanitarian mission in Thailand, where an expert delegation was aiding local authorities in locating individuals trapped after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025. The tremors were also felt in Thailand, resulting in the collapse of a building intended to house the State Audit Office in Bangkok.
The tragic event claimed at least 95 lives, according to reports from CNN. The original caption accompanying the photo in the article specified, “IDF soldiers arrive on site at the building collapse on March 31, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand.” The image was credited to Lauren DeCicca for Getty Images. DeCicca confirmed to AFP on January 6, 2026, that the photo was taken during the aftermath of the March 2025 earthquake.
The same photograph is available on the Getty Images website, with a description that reiterates the context of the rescue efforts following the earthquake. As misinformation continues to circulate regarding the Thai-Cambodia border conflict, agencies like AFP remain vigilant in debunking false claims and providing accurate information to the public.
