New fighting claims more lives

Cambodian soldiers prepare a BM21 rocket launcher near the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey.

Thai soldiers in military trucks head toward the Thai-Cambodia border.

CAMBODIA SAYS THAI SIDE DROPPED CHEMICAL WEAPONS; KASIT CALLS FOR TALKS

24/04/2011

Bangkok Post

Up to 10 soldiers from both sides have so far been killed after a second day of fighting with Cambodia on the border in Surin province, with no apparent end to the conflict in sight.

An area near Ta Muen and Ta Kwai temples along the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district was rocked by five hours of gunfire and heavy artillery exchanges which killed one Thai soldier and injured 11 more yesterday morning.

Three Thai soldiers were killed and 13 others injured when fighting broke out on Friday, the first clashes between the two sides since February.

Cambodia says it has lost six troops since the border conflict erupted.

It yesterday accused Thailand of using chemical weapons against Cambodian troops in the fighting, which has forced the suspension of border trade and triggered the evacuation of thousands of residents. Firing by both sides had ceased by noon, but Cambodia's defence ministry said at nightfall that the situation was "still tense".

The ministry earlier charged that Thailand had fired 75mm and 105mm shells "loaded with poisonous gas" into Cambodian territory, but did not elaborate.

A Cambodian field commander said separately that Thailand used both cluster shells _ anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries _ and artillery shells that gave off a debilitating gas.

The defence ministry said Thai aircraft supported the attacks, including reconnaissance planes that "flew deep into Cambodia's airspace".

In Bangkok, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya denied the claims, and called on Cambodia to enter talks.

"I'd like to categorically deny that the Thai military has used any kind of aircraft," he said. "What they said about us using poisonous gas was not true either."

He called on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to quickly bring his country to the negotiating table.

The fighting, mostly a long-distance artillery duel, began shortly after 6am.

Their Majesties the King and Queen yesterday sent wreaths to the funeral rites of the dead soldiers.

Mr Kasit said Thailand and Cambodia had existing bilateral mechanisms, such as the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), the General Border Committee (GBC) and the Regional Border Committee (RBC), for settling the dispute.

Mr Kasit said Thailand had also agreed with Indonesia's request, as the incumbent Asean chairman, for both sides to cease fighting and turn to negotiations, after troops of the two countries clashed at Preah Vihear temple on Feb 4-7.

Indonesia held a meeting of Asean foreign ministers in Jakarta on Feb 22 in an attempt to solve the dispute.

Indonesia asked the two countries to allow its observers into the disputed area and to host bilateral talks.

The Asean chairman then hosted a JBC meeting in Bogor, Indonesia, on April 7 and 8.

Mr Kasit said the two countries had further GBC and RBC meetings tabled but Cambodia had repeatedly tried to avoid them because it wants to involve external countries in resolving the dispute. "If [Cambodia] has good will, why does it want to avoid such talks?" he asked.

The Foreign Ministry also issued a second protest letter and statement to the Cambodian government to clarify the facts about the border conflicts.

Thailand refuted the Cambodian military's accusation that Thai troops had opened fire at Cambodian soldiers first.

"I want to ask Cambodia to stop fighting in other areas and I want the Cambodian leader to stop making troubles or antagonising us," he said.

Mr Kasit said Thailand is now ready to sign the terms of reference for sending Indonesian observers to the border next week after receiving confirmation from the Defence Ministry.

But Thailand will not allow any Indonesian observers into the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area around Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, adjacent to Preah Vihear temple.

"When Indonesia observers come, they should have nothing to do with the border negotiations and Cambodia can't proceed with the [Preah Vihear] management plan because we have to finish the border demarcation first," insisted Mr Kasit.

He told the Bangkok Post that the Indonesian observers will be stationed in four Thai locations in Thailand and three locations in Cambodia.

They will be stationed after both sides had cleared the military from the disputed area as well as the pagoda, said Mr Kasit.

He would travel to Surin to observe the situation, while Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will today talk to local officials in the province via video conference.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said about 30,000 residents have been evacuated since the border skirmishes erupted in Phanom Dong Rak district.

Border trade has been suspended.

The 2nd Army has closed the Chong Chom border checkpoint in Kab Choeng district of Surin, opposite O-Samet in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province since Friday.

No vehicles are allowed to pass the checkpoint, so returning Cambodians had to walk about two kilometres back to their country.

Returning Thai tourists were permitted only to travel in cars belonging to Cambodian casinos and were dropped about 500m from the border.

Chong Sa Ngam Pass border crossing in Phu Sing district of Si Sa Ket has also been closed, officials said.