BANGKOK (AFP) — Gunfire broke out briefly Friday between Thai and Cambodian troops in a disputed area on the countries' common border, Thai officials said, raising tensions that erupted into a deadly clash last year.
The exchange of shots took place in the early morning after Cambodian soldiers went to investigate the spot where a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine a day earlier and lost his leg, Thai officials said.
"The brief clash happened at 7:10am when Cambodian troops came to investigate the spot where that Thai soldier stepped on a landmine yesterday," Seni Chittakasem, governor of Si Sa Ket province in Thailand said.
"There is no report of loss (of life) on the Thai side and it's ended now," he said, adding that the trouble flared one kilometre (around half a mile) into the disputed territory.
A Cambodian soldier stationed at the border said the gunfire had raised tensions between troops, but disputed that Thai troops had fired any shots.
"A group of Thai soldiers this morning entered Cambodian territory and Cambodian troops opened fire," Yeim Kheang told AFP by telephone.
"The situation is now tense... the Thai troops did not fire back," he said.
The landmine incident a day earlier had put Cambodian troops on "high alert" they said, two days after their premier Hun Sen warned Thailand that it would face fighting if its troops crossed their disputed frontier.
Tensions over the long-disputed territory flared in July last year after an 11th century temple at the border was granted United Nations world heritage status. Soldiers clashed in the area in October, leaving four troops dead.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute.
The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
The exchange of shots took place in the early morning after Cambodian soldiers went to investigate the spot where a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine a day earlier and lost his leg, Thai officials said.
"The brief clash happened at 7:10am when Cambodian troops came to investigate the spot where that Thai soldier stepped on a landmine yesterday," Seni Chittakasem, governor of Si Sa Ket province in Thailand said.
"There is no report of loss (of life) on the Thai side and it's ended now," he said, adding that the trouble flared one kilometre (around half a mile) into the disputed territory.
A Cambodian soldier stationed at the border said the gunfire had raised tensions between troops, but disputed that Thai troops had fired any shots.
"A group of Thai soldiers this morning entered Cambodian territory and Cambodian troops opened fire," Yeim Kheang told AFP by telephone.
"The situation is now tense... the Thai troops did not fire back," he said.
The landmine incident a day earlier had put Cambodian troops on "high alert" they said, two days after their premier Hun Sen warned Thailand that it would face fighting if its troops crossed their disputed frontier.
Tensions over the long-disputed territory flared in July last year after an 11th century temple at the border was granted United Nations world heritage status. Soldiers clashed in the area in October, leaving four troops dead.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute.
The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
15 comments:
Yes that's what I like. I appreciate the act the Cambodian soldiers counterattack to Siam theft encroachers! Keep on fighting
Don't believe thief Siem. According to deumampilnews.com 2 Siem armies were killed and 3 injured
The soldiers are now free to fire at will -- if Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodian territory -- of course, the order was given by the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen following the Thai foreign minister called the PM a "Thug."
This clash is Siem trick to transfer international community from its internal dispute in Bangkok to Cambodia
NEAK LENG now is becoming NEAK MEN.Yeah! shoot the aggressors.
The evil CPP & Hun Sen are just using the Preah Vihear Temple issue (like they did in the last election) to distract Khmer people from other real important internal issues in Cambodia, such as the upcoming commune election, boarder marking with Vietnam, anti-corruption law, etc.
It's all a setup between the CPP and the Thai military. We (Khmer People - in Cambodia and living overseas) are the "Suckers"
For one thing, we must stop supporting the CPP propaganda machine - CTN television. They are slowly washing our brains.
Jaiyo Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen
Folks, during a brief exchange of gun fire was a direct order from Hun Sen. From here on out, if the Siam encroached into Cambodian border, the soldiers have a direct order to fire at the intruders at WILL -- NOW QUESTIONS ASKED.
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, we thank you for a direct order. You give us the order, we'll carry it.
Some time it is a trick of CPP but we should compare between CPP interest and Khmer nation interest. If CPP gain and Khmer gain over Siem. However we are Khmer same same.
Choy Ah Sdech Ah Monster Sex maniac playboy Toukh-earp Hun Sen!
--I am nobody
12:59 PM
Choy Ah Sdech Ah Monster Sex maniac playboy Toukh-dearp Hun Sen!
--I am nobody
1:02 PM
If you're more Khmer than CPP, why don't you go to the frontline and fight like them? Huh? Or are you just Khmer by words but not action? Call CPP names all you want but we have been seeing who is actually gotten to the action to back up their rhetoric so far. Those soldiers in the front are majorly CPP and they have been there fighting against the Siam.
What have you the all mighty self-proclaimed Khmer warrior done compared to them?
A Khmer from Illinois.
Hun Sen said, if the ECCC indict him and his Khmer Rouge gangs, he will turn Cambodia into a Killing Field again.
Hun Sen threaten a Khmer Rouge war again.
Hun Sen threaten to massacre thousands of innocent Khmer peoples again.
We gotta take Hun Sen's threat seriously.
I am asking the United Nation to come to Cambodia immediately to stop Hun Sen from turning Cambodia into a Killing Field.
Read the response of our PM to the sorry of Mr. Kasit Pirom, Minister of Foreing Affair of Thailand. His response is very soft and thankful to Kasit like kids response to pardon of parents. He should know what level he should respond to person who looked down on Cambodia.
I strongly support the gunfire at the Temple this morning. Thai soldiers always repeat the same mistake again and again and declared themself they did do anything.
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