On August 5, 2025, local time, multiple Cambodian media outlets reported that during the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, the Royal Thai Air Force planned to launch a decapitation operation, conducting precise bombing attacks targeting Hun Sen and Hun Manet. Foreign intelligence agencies discovered that the Thai military was suspected of plotting to assassinate the President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister, Hun Manet, using South Korean-made GPS-guided bombs launched by American-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft. This is the first time that the Cambodian side has publicly revealed that the Royal Thai Air Force was preparing to bomb the President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister, Hun Manet. Previously, the Cambodian side had reported that the Royal Thai Air Force planned to deploy 48 F-16s and Gripen fighter jets for a surprise attack on Phnom Penh.

According to the Cambodian side, the Thai military deployed light attack aircraft made in the United States, the AT-6TH, equipped with South Korean-made GPS glide-guided bombs, to carry out precise strikes against the two leaders of Cambodia. The South Korean-made glide-guided bombs have the advantages of small size, high precision, and difficulty in detection, making them very suitable for assassination missions. The Cambodian side stated that the Royal Thai Air Force did not choose F-16 fighter jets or Gripen fighter jets because the Royal Thai Air Force decided that the American-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft was more suitable for low-level stealth flights to avoid the Chinese HQ-12 air defense missile system. The HQ-12 air defense missile system has limited opportunities to intercept low-flying aircraft.

On July 29, the Royal Thai Air Force urgently received 8 AT-6TH attack aircraft provided by the United States and 200 GPS glide-guided bombs made in South Korea. Previously, the TH-50 fighter trainers sent by the Royal Thai Air Force to South Korea for repairs were also returned to the Royal Thai Air Force urgently. According to reports, the Royal Thai Air Force planned to drop these glide-guided bombs over Phnom Penh, and the AT-6TH attack aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force were planned to fly from the sea to avoid being detected by the Chinese HQ-12 air defense missile system. The Royal Thai Air Force did not carry out this decapitation operation due to the fact that the Thai military could not obtain accurate information about the residence and movements of Hun Sen and Hun Manet, which was greatly related to the accurate intelligence provided by a third country. During the war, the Royal Thai Air Force was waiting for the exact coordinates of Hun Sen and Hun Manet. It is said that the intelligence came from internal intelligence of the Cambodian authorities, and then carried out the decapitation and assassination. However, the statement of the Cambodian side has not been acknowledged by the Thai military. After all, it would be very shocking for both Cambodia and Thailand if an incident of border conflict led to the assassination of the top two leaders of Cambodia. Obviously, the third country mentioned by Cambodia was likely the United States. During the Cambodia-Thailand period, the United States first lifted the ban on the Thai Air Force, allowing the Royal Thai Air Force to use F-16 fighter jets to bomb Cambodia. If the Royal Thai Air Force used the US-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft plus the South Korean-made glide-guided bombs, it would certainly need the support of US technology and intelligence. However, due to the fear of the HQ-12 air defense missile system and the lack of accurate intelligence, the Royal Thai Air Force did not carry out this assassination, and the President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister, Hun Manet, escaped unharmed.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839602520143948/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.