Thai heavy artillery shells fell deep inside Cambodia

28 April 2011
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Paul Ossdey

Thai troops have increased their attacks on Cambodia by using heavy artillery on Thursday morning. Several shells fell deep inside Cambodian territories. Report at 7:30AM indicated that artillery shells fell on Phnom Sruoch, near O’Smach town, and they also fell in Samrong town’s Kaun Kreal commune, Oddar Meanchey province. In Kaun Kreal commune, about 20 artillery shells fell over it, forcing the residents to flee from the area. Report indicated that one Thai shell fell on a tractor belonging to a refugee from Kauk Mon commune, causing one seriously injured and two lightly injured. They were all sent to Siem Reap hospital for urgent medical care.

Thai military commanders brought an apology letter to Cambodia

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) shakes hands with Dusit Kruayai (R), the Thai military's chief of communication for neighbouring countries, as Jeradej Kotcharat (2nd L), vice commander of the Thai military, and Viboonsak Neepan, the Thai military commander of its second region, watch during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Phnom Penh February 20, 2009. The Thai military commanders brought a letter to apologise for Tuesday's accidental firing of a mortar shell onto Cambodian land, government TV reported. REUTERS/Stringer
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) shakes hands with Viboonsak Neepan (R), the Thai military commander of its second region, as Jeradej Kotcharat, vice commander of the Thai military, watches during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Phnom Penh February 20, 2009. Thai military commanders brought a letter to apologise for Tuesday's accidental firing of a mortar shell onto Cambodian land, government TV reported. REUTERS/Stringer
Jeradej Kotcharat (L), vice commander of the Thai military, shakes hands with Cambodia's vice military commander Chea Savorn (R) after offering a letter of apology as Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) smiles during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Phnom Penh February 20, 2009. Thai military commanders brought the letter to apologise for Tuesday's accidental firing of a mortar shell onto Cambodian land, government TV reported. REUTERS/Stringer
Jeradej Kotcharat (L), vice commander of the Thai military, offers a letter of apology to Cambodia's vice military commander Chea Savorn (R) as Prime Minister Hun Sen watches during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Phnom Penh February 20, 2009. Thai military commanders brought the letter to apologise for Tuesday's accidental firing of a mortar shell onto Cambodian land, government TV reported. REUTERS/Stringer
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks to the media after a meeting with Thai military commanders at the Foreign Ministry in Phnom Penh February 20, 2009. The Thai military commanders brought a letter to apologise for Tuesday's accidental firing of a mortar shell onto Cambodian land, government TV reported. REUTERS/Stringer

Hun Sen Wants Thai Rocket Investigation

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 February 2009

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday called on a Thai military delegation to open an investigation into the firing of Thai rockets over the Cambodian border earlier this week.

Hun Sen met with a delegation led by Gen. Jeradej Kotcharat, deputy commander of the Thai army, which carried a message of apology for the firing of six to eight rockets into Cambodia on Tuesday.

The Thai side has said the rockets, which fell near Ta Krabey temple, in Odar Meanchey province, were fired on accident, but Hun Sen told reporters after the meeting he would like an extended investigation.

“The first rocket, no problem,” Hun Sen said. “But it’s not only one. It’s the second or third rocket in Cambodian land.”

Hun Sen said it was fortunate the rockets were fired into sparsely populated Cambodia, as a similar incident from Cambodia to Thailand would likely “kill Thai people.” “The Thai side should correct this mistake,” he said.

Jeradej declined to comment following the meeting.

Deputy army commander Lt. Gen. Kun Kim told VOA Khmer that debris from the rockets, which appeared to be 106 mm, had been found scattered in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey.

Thailand says sorry for mortar shell landing in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Thailand on Friday sent a letter to Cambodia to apologize for the wrong shooting of mortar shell into Cambodian land on Feb. 17, according to a press release from the Cambodian foreign ministry.

"I am writing to express to you my sincerest apology for the unfortunate incident that took place on Feb. 17, 2009," said Anupong Paojinda, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, in the letter.

"The mortar shell that landed in the Kingdom of Cambodia was a result of the miscalculation during one of our training exercises. We have since launched a full investigation into the incident," he said.

"Please be assured that the Royal Thai Army has been strictly following the Kingdom of Thailand's policy to maintain peaceful and cordial relationship with all our neighbors. I would like to reassure you that we will use all means to prevent such an incident from happening again in the future," he added.

According to the press release from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the letter was addressed to Meas Sophea, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

Also on Friday, English-language daily newspaper the Phnom Penh Post quoted a RCAF military commander based in the border region as saying that in this week's incident the shells landed two kilometers inside the Cambodian territory.

The 81mm and 106mm shells came down near the Ta Krabey temple and the Bos Thom village, 6 shells exploded in the forest, another2 failed to go off, no one was injured, and no property was damaged, the commander said in condition of anonymity.

Tension between Thailand and Cambodia ratcheted higher in 2008 when troops from both countries clashed at the Preah Vihear temple and soldiers on both sides died in fighting in October, before an uneasy peace was restored.

Cambodia says Thai delegation to apologize for artillery fire

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Thai delegation was to visit Phnom Penh to discuss an incident earlier this week in which Thai soldiers fired at least eight artillery shells into Cambodian territory, national media reported Friday, citing a Foreign Ministry official.

The shells landed near the ancient Ta Krabey temple in Oddar Meanchey province on Tuesday, an RCAF commander said, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

Koy Kuong, a spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the Post Thursday that the local Thai military had apologized to their Cambodian counterparts immediately after the strike and promised to avoid any similar incidents in future.

"Now the delegation will come to Phnom Penh to apologize to the Cambodian government," Koy Kuong said.

"Thailand has agreed to take responsibility for the mistake, so we now consider this matter closed," he said.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said officials from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), the Council of Ministers and the Foreign Ministry had launched an investigation into the incident.

"We will collect all the evidence including the direction of fire to evaluate whether this was accidental or intentional," Siphan said.

"We want to reduce the chances of conflict along the border, but we also need to protect our sovereignty," he said.

Tension between Thailand and Cambodia ratcheted higher in 2008 when troops from both countries clashed at the Preah Vihear Temple and soldiers on both sides died in fighting in October before an uneasy peace was restored.

An RCAF military commander based in the border region told the Post Wednesday that in this week's incident the shells had landed two kilometers inside Cambodian territory.

He said the 81 mm and 106 mm shells had come down near Ta Krabey Temple and Bos Thom village.

The commander, who requested anonymity, said six shells had exploded in the forest and another two had failed to go off. No one was injured, and no property was damaged.

Ministry says Thai delegation to apologise for artillery fire

Friday, 20 February 2009
Written by Vong Sokheng and Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post

Thailand accepts full responsibility for what they deemed accidental fire, Foreign Affairs official says.

A THAI delegation was to visit Phnom Penh today to discuss an incident earlier this week in which Thai soldiers fired at least eight artillery shells into Cambodian territory, a Cambodian Foreign Ministry official said Thursday.

The shells landed near the ancient Ta Krabey temple in Oddar Meanchey province on Tuesday, an RCAF commander said.

Koy Kuong, a spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the Post Thursday that the local Thai military had apologised to their Cambodian counterparts immediately after the strike and promised to avoid any similar incidents in future.

"Now the delegation will come to Phnom Penh to apologise to the Cambodian government," Koy Kuong said. "Thailand has agreed to take responsibility for the mistake, so we now consider this matter closed."

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said officials from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, the Council of Ministers and the Foreign Ministry had launched an investigation into the incident.

"...[I] told him that if they continued to fire on us we would counterattack."

"We will collect all the evidence including the direction of fire to evaluate whether this was accidental or intentional," Siphan said. "We want to reduce the chances of conflict along the border, but we also need to protect our sovereignty."

Tension between Thailand and Cambodia ratcheted higher in 2008 when troops from both countries clashed at the Preah Vihear temple and soldiers on both sides died in fighting in October before an uneasy peace was restored.

An RCAF military commander based in the border region told the Post Wednesday that in this week's incident the shells had landed two kilometres inside Cambodian territory. He said the 81mm and 106mm shells had come down near Ta Krabey temple and Bos Thom village.

The commander, who requested anonymity, said six shells had exploded in the forest and another two had failed to go off. No one was injured, and no property was damaged. His soldiers had collected shrapnel as evidence, he said, and were continuing to look for unexploded shells.

"As soon as the shells were fired, I phoned the Thai military commander and told him that if they continued to fire on us we would counterattack directly with BM-21 rockets," he said.

He said Thai soldiers had told him that at the time of the incident they were conducting a military exercise using tanks and heavy shells in the border area of Thailand's Buriram province.

Sao Socheat, the deputy commander of Military Region 4, said that immediately after the incident officers were sent to the area to investigate.

"We were doubtful of the Thai claim that this was an accident," Sao Socheat said. "It was very strange because this happened twice on the same day at different times."

Shelling at the Khmer-Thai border

18 Feb 2009
By Pen Bona
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French

A dozen of rockets, shelled from Thailand, exploded inside Cambodian territories in the morning of 17 Feb, near Ta Krabey temple, in the province of Oddar Meanchey.

Military sources indicated that Thai soldiers were training on their territory when they shelled the rockets in the direction of Cambodian border. The explosions scared the villagers who had to find refuge under trees or behind rocks. According the same sources, this is the second Thai training organized near the border zone since January.

The operations – which look more like intimidation maneuvers – were aimed at pressuring negotiators in charge of resolving the Preah Vihear conflict. Nevertheless, Cambodian troops did not reply back. From Phnom Penh, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information and spokesman for the government, told the press that the government is waiting for investigation results still underway before reacting through diplomatic channel.