Bangkok: Mr. Jirayu Huangsap, spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office and the Committee on Border Situation Administration (CBSA), has extended an invitation to Mr. Michael Alfaro, an American national, to visit Thailand with all expenses covered. This invitation arose following a controversial livestream video by Mr. Alfaro from the Cambodian-Thai border.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Alfaro's video, which he later deleted, claimed to be a report from the White House and included accusations against Thailand using inappropriate language. The video led to misunderstandings among Cambodians. However, US media confirmed that Mr. Alfaro is not officially associated with the White House. It was discovered that his trip was funded by Son Sopheap, a PR company owner for the Cambodian government, which covered all expenses and facilitated the production of the livestream, contravening the GBC agreement prohibiting fake news dissemination.
Mr. Jirayu expressed his willingness to pay for Mr. Alfaro's airfare, accommodation, and other expenses to provide him a firsthand experience of the situation in Thailand. He plans to guide Mr. Alfaro through seven provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border, starting with a visit to a Thai soldier injured by a landmine. The tour aims to offer Mr. Alfaro a chance to broadcast live from a landmine field, contrasting the realities on both sides of the border.
The itinerary includes visits to a hospital allegedly targeted by the Cambodian army, a 7-Eleven in a high-risk area, and other significant sites. Mr. Jirayu hopes that this visit will help Mr. Alfaro understand the situation and encourage Cambodia to address issues like human trafficking and landmine clearance as proposed by Thailand.
Mr. Jirayu urged Mr. Alfaro to respond promptly to facilitate travel arrangements and emphasized the importance of broadcasting from the Thai side to offer a balanced perspective on the border situation.