AFP
THAI and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire, killing a civilian, near a disputed temple on the two countries' shared border.
One Thai villager was killed by artillery shelling, and a Cambodian soldier died in the fighting near the ancient Preah Vihear temple area, authorities said.
Five Thai and four Cambodian troops were injured, while four Thai soldiers were captured.
"I have ordered the hospitals along the border to be on standby," he said.
Chhum Socheat, a spokesman for the Cambodian defence ministry, said that four Cambodian soldiers had been injured, one seriously, and four Thai soldiers had been captured in fighting that lasted for nearly three hours.
The area around the temple is claimed by both sides and Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Phnom Penh planned to complain to the United Nations over what it termed the "Thai invasion".
"We will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council on Saturday," he told AFP, adding that Thai soldiers had fired artillery shells some 18 to 20km into Cambodian territory.
But Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon played down the significance of the incident. "We are negotiating now and I am sure that everything will be fine," he said.
Both Thailand and Cambodia accused the other of starting the fighting, the first since April 2009.
A Thai army official at the border said fighting broke out at Phu Makuea, near the 11th-century temple.
Residents in several villages along both sides of the border have been evacuated, officials said.
Ties between the two countries have been strained since July 2008 by a series of deadly border clashes over land surrounding the temple after it was granted UN World Heritage status.
Both sides have been talking tough on the border issue, which some observers say serves nationalist goals at home on both sides.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear itself belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand.
The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute.
The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
Another border spat has focused on the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is built in the disputed area.
Thailand on Monday demanded that Cambodia remove its flag from the pagoda, which it said was "situated on Thai territory" - a claim Cambodia vehemently rejects.
The fighting erupted just hours after Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held talks with his counterpart in Cambodia.
Tensions between the two countries have flared in recent weeks in the wake of the arrest of seven Thai nationals for illegal entry into Cambodia in late December.
Five of the group were given suspended sentences and have since returned to Thailand.
The other two, high-profile nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid and his secretary, were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for spying, in a case that has caused outrage among Thailand's "Yellow Shirts".
Hundreds of Yellow Shirts have camped out around Government House in Bangkok since last week, demonstrating against its handling of the border dispute, and the group plans a larger rally on Saturday.
Yellow Shirts are a force to be reckoned with in Thailand's colour-coded politics and have helped to claim the scalps of three governments in under five years, including that of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
12 comments:
If you file that longtime ago no body got kill
Your government just want to play with the poeple life.
I heard you say that too many time,howany more life you want waste?
This shoot out is instigated by the the Thai Patriotic Network. Two of its member are in prison in Cambodia.
Cambodia should execute these two idiots so their network would have nothing to cry about.
10:26 pm: You know nonthing... be flexible and smare in your way of thought.
10:44PM
Seem like you know a lot, especially in getting people killed. Why don't become a new recruit and join the fight there? The only reason this highly pro-Viet regime not going to the UN because it knows that it will also affect the Eastern side of the border, idiot. Cambodia had already won the case in Hague once, why played this loosing game? Didn't you hear the Thai didn't want to go there? They have got nothing to loose knowing your Hun Sen is trapped and dumb.
Will Hor Namhong bring this fresh Preah Vihear clash between Khmer and Thai to UN to solve the this chronic conflict by peacefull mean.
No, Hor Namhong or Hun Sen the so-called government will never do that even they know that Khmer will win this Preah Vihear case.
Because yuon behind Hun Sen has been afraid of showing the world that Khmer land has lost a lot to yuon than to Thai.
So Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 sq mi)only on paper in reality a lot lost to yuon and Thai.
So Hor Namhong said yesterday ( Friday 05 January 2011 ) that he will rise this Friday 05 January armed conflict to UN or international court of justice.
In other word yuon and Indochina Federation has been all behind all of these the past , the present and the future of Khmer isssue.
All Khmer wake up and act now and quickly before it is too late like Champa, Lao and last but not lease is Kampuchea-Krom.
you are rihgt 11:13pm hammer 10:44pm.He is VC puppet.he afraid his master will lose land back to Khmer.
I strongly agreed with 10:26pm
Why he waiting for.
what ah sam rainsy doing? sit behind his computer desk and give critics! what a useless, good for nothing hypocrite he is. no wonder cambodia dislike him because he runs and hides overseas all the time. he is not a good fit for khmer leader, really! khmer people don't wan him to be prime minister of cambodia, he is not popular with khmer people, he's only legacy is making trouble for cambodia by inflaming cambodia and dividing cambodia, especially during time of war with thieve siem! how stupid is that for a leader! keep hiding overseas, ok! cambodia can do without sam rainsy, the stupid asshole!
oh ,just shut the fuck up you dumb ass.
Hey 3:40am you just shut the fuck up.don't try to bla bla to Sam Rainsy.If Your boss Hun Sen listen to Sam Rainsy at the first time take this matter to UN it would be end for longtime. Why don't you tell your asshole Hun get the fuck out of the power.let Sam handle it, it will be no blood, peac and win .you fucker.
Rainsy where are your MP or stupid rong chun, and why you are so quiet Rainsy, some kmher soldier deaths now, the whole nation they worry, every one in cambodia they ready to risk their life with siam thugs, why you don't say something or go to EU parlementery, or Franch, or USA or UN to stope Thai invader, Mr Extremist Khmer compatriot, where are you rainsy, say somethings you love khmer right? didn't you?. you are Siamese spy rainsy, in militatry stratergy enemy spy like you shall put to death Rainsy.
To the people who support foreigner such as Thais or Viet to invade our motherland are traitors. These people have no place in Cambodia or elsewhere, what they said it just pro invader Thais or Viet and accuse Khmer for everything so Khmer became the scapegoat of these traitors.
Thais destroyed Preah Vihear Temple. Form now on all Thais citizen will not allow to visit the temple forever.
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