PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian and Thai soldiers engaged in a brief gunbattle in a disputed border area Saturday, with Cambodia accusing its neighbor of instigating their latest clash. No injuries were immediately reported.
Troops fired rifles, machine guns and rockets in the 15-minute gunbattle near the Ou Smach checkpoint in northern Cambodia, said Pech Sokhin, governor of Oddar Meanchey province where the border is located.
The countries accuse each of encroaching on the other's territory.
Pech Sokhin said the Thai soldiers fired shots after Cambodian troops ignored a demand to shift their location deeper into Cambodia.
"Once the Thais got back to their side, Thai forces opened fighting and Cambodia had to respond," Pech Sokhin said, adding that no Cambodian soldiers were wounded.
Thai authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Gen. Chea Tara, Cambodia's deputy military commander, said commanders from both sides met and called a truce.
Relations between Cambodia and Thailand have been strained over the status of land at a historic temple at another spot along their border. The International Court of Justice in 1962 recognized the Preah Vihear temple as belonging to Cambodia, a decision only grudgingly accepted by Thailand and still challenged by Thai ultra-nationalists.
Deadly clashes have occurred near the temple.
Thailand also was angered last year when Cambodia named fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser on economic affairs. Tensions worsened after a subsequent visit by Thaksin, and Cambodia's rejection of a formal request from Thailand to extradite him.
Troops fired rifles, machine guns and rockets in the 15-minute gunbattle near the Ou Smach checkpoint in northern Cambodia, said Pech Sokhin, governor of Oddar Meanchey province where the border is located.
The countries accuse each of encroaching on the other's territory.
Pech Sokhin said the Thai soldiers fired shots after Cambodian troops ignored a demand to shift their location deeper into Cambodia.
"Once the Thais got back to their side, Thai forces opened fighting and Cambodia had to respond," Pech Sokhin said, adding that no Cambodian soldiers were wounded.
Thai authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Gen. Chea Tara, Cambodia's deputy military commander, said commanders from both sides met and called a truce.
Relations between Cambodia and Thailand have been strained over the status of land at a historic temple at another spot along their border. The International Court of Justice in 1962 recognized the Preah Vihear temple as belonging to Cambodia, a decision only grudgingly accepted by Thailand and still challenged by Thai ultra-nationalists.
Deadly clashes have occurred near the temple.
Thailand also was angered last year when Cambodia named fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser on economic affairs. Tensions worsened after a subsequent visit by Thaksin, and Cambodia's rejection of a formal request from Thailand to extradite him.
8 comments:
Kill them all son of bitch siem
How come the Khmer soldiers never take the initiative in the battlefield, why wait until they shoot at us first ?
Because Khmer soldiers are men in military gear where as Thai soldiers are little kids with guns, they will almost always take the first reckless shot.
Where is that big mouth khmer 1-star general who claimed to have killed 88 siems so far.
We want to see him kill another 88.
Thai have no moral. They would do anything to get what they want regardless. If they do the would not steal our land in the first place. E.g they knew we were the victims of genocide but still they helped to kill us by dumping our people on the foot of the mountain full of mines and most of us been killed by them. We must remember this. we must increase in population growth because the more people we have the better. please try to migrate more professional people as they are the foundation to rebuilding our homeland. Aust
It is Thai Surin vs Khmer. Khmer in Thailand have lost all their good brain.
Siam tried to fear the tours from visiting and spending their money to Cambodia via this issues.
Khmer must unite to stand for country development! We are full enough of war, so let siam does it now.
Let kill all those Siam crazy dogs aka Thai thieves!!!
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