AGENCIES
PREAH VIHEAR — A day after Cambodian Premier Hun Sen threatened to turn a disputed border area into a “death zone”, his troops exchanged fire with their Thailand counterparts, resulting in several casualties.
Although Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat later described the clashes in disputed patches of land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple as “small scale”, the gunfights have increased the risk that long-standing tensions over territorial claims could escalate into a full-blown war.
Both sides said the other fired first and had different versions of what happened at Eagle Terrace, an important strategic point for access to the temple.
According to Cambodian Brigadier Hom Sam Ol, the soldiers began exchanging fire at 2.20pm and finished at 4.40pm, AFP reported.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said: “Thai troops opened fire at our troops first”.
However, Thai army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said the Cambodians started the battle.
“The fighting began at 2.30pm and lasted for 40 minutes. It was triggered by a Thai patrol unit’s encounter with their Cambodian counterpart... the Cambodian side ignited fighting with rifles,” Col Sunsern told AFP.
The Cambodian side reported two deaths and two wounded while five Thai soliders were believed to be injured.
Thai Prime Minister Somchai later said that the situation along the border had returned to normal, but said Bangkok would lodge a complaint with Phnom Penh.
“We are not the ones who ignited the violence,” he told reporters, but added that he was confident that the tensions would be resolved.
A Cambodian government spokesman said the country’s regional military commander will meet with his Thai counterpart today for talks.
In Singapore, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said the Republic is “very disturbed by the turn of events”.
“We urge both sides to resolve their differences through further negotiations.”
WHY THE TENSIONS
Thai TV yesterday showed military trucks loaded with tanks heading towards the border and troops setting up mortars.
In Phnom Penh, General Neang Phat, a Secretary of State at the Defence Ministry, said there were enough Cambodian troops along the border “to protect our territorial integrity”.
The stand-off between the neighbours first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded the United Nations’ World Heritage status, angering some Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the site.
Tensions flared again this week after talks on Monday, aimed at cooling the months-long standoff,failed.
On Tuesday, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen issued an ultimatum to the Thai side after he accused more than 80 Thai soldiers of entering one of a handful of disputed areas. He threatened to turn the area into a “death zone” if the Thai troops did not withdraw.
While Thai Prime Minister Somchai said yesterday’s situation “is not serious” and “has turned to normal now”, some analysts believe that the conflict with Cambodia could have implications for the long-running political crisis in Thailand itself.
In a commentary published in Bangkok Post before the clashes broke out, writer Wassana Nanuam wrote that “mounting tensions between Cambodia and Thailand ... could be used by those in power to unite Thais”.
Mr Somchai’s four-week-old government is under pressure to resign by anti-government protestors, led by the People’s Alliance For Democracy (PAD).
“A war with Cambodia would encourage Thais to turn away from internal divisions and unite them to fight the external enemy. But the threat that the Thai government may be left to fight on two fronts simultaneously, Cambodia and the PAD supporters, cannot be ruled out either,” the writer added.
Although Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat later described the clashes in disputed patches of land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple as “small scale”, the gunfights have increased the risk that long-standing tensions over territorial claims could escalate into a full-blown war.
Both sides said the other fired first and had different versions of what happened at Eagle Terrace, an important strategic point for access to the temple.
According to Cambodian Brigadier Hom Sam Ol, the soldiers began exchanging fire at 2.20pm and finished at 4.40pm, AFP reported.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said: “Thai troops opened fire at our troops first”.
However, Thai army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said the Cambodians started the battle.
“The fighting began at 2.30pm and lasted for 40 minutes. It was triggered by a Thai patrol unit’s encounter with their Cambodian counterpart... the Cambodian side ignited fighting with rifles,” Col Sunsern told AFP.
The Cambodian side reported two deaths and two wounded while five Thai soliders were believed to be injured.
Thai Prime Minister Somchai later said that the situation along the border had returned to normal, but said Bangkok would lodge a complaint with Phnom Penh.
“We are not the ones who ignited the violence,” he told reporters, but added that he was confident that the tensions would be resolved.
A Cambodian government spokesman said the country’s regional military commander will meet with his Thai counterpart today for talks.
In Singapore, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said the Republic is “very disturbed by the turn of events”.
“We urge both sides to resolve their differences through further negotiations.”
WHY THE TENSIONS
Thai TV yesterday showed military trucks loaded with tanks heading towards the border and troops setting up mortars.
In Phnom Penh, General Neang Phat, a Secretary of State at the Defence Ministry, said there were enough Cambodian troops along the border “to protect our territorial integrity”.
The stand-off between the neighbours first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded the United Nations’ World Heritage status, angering some Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the site.
Tensions flared again this week after talks on Monday, aimed at cooling the months-long standoff,failed.
On Tuesday, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen issued an ultimatum to the Thai side after he accused more than 80 Thai soldiers of entering one of a handful of disputed areas. He threatened to turn the area into a “death zone” if the Thai troops did not withdraw.
While Thai Prime Minister Somchai said yesterday’s situation “is not serious” and “has turned to normal now”, some analysts believe that the conflict with Cambodia could have implications for the long-running political crisis in Thailand itself.
In a commentary published in Bangkok Post before the clashes broke out, writer Wassana Nanuam wrote that “mounting tensions between Cambodia and Thailand ... could be used by those in power to unite Thais”.
Mr Somchai’s four-week-old government is under pressure to resign by anti-government protestors, led by the People’s Alliance For Democracy (PAD).
“A war with Cambodia would encourage Thais to turn away from internal divisions and unite them to fight the external enemy. But the threat that the Thai government may be left to fight on two fronts simultaneously, Cambodia and the PAD supporters, cannot be ruled out either,” the writer added.
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