Cambodia has continued firing heavy weapons at Thai border areas, prompting Thailand to question Cambodia’s sincerity ahead of planned truce negotiations.
Rear Adm Surasant Kongsiri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, said on Wednesday afternoon that Cambodian forces fired at Thai military personnel in Ban Nong Chan village of Sa Kaeo province at 3pm on Tuesday. One Thai soldier was killed and four others were injured. The death toll among Thai military personnel in border clashes with Cambodia has risen to 23.
According to the spokesman, at 5pm on Tuesday Cambodia fired rockets at the Pha Mo E Dang area in Khao Phra Wihan National Park in Si Sa Ket province, damaging the park office.
At 10.15am on Wednesday, Cambodia fired more than 80 rockets at Ban Klong Pang village in Ta Phraya district of Sa Kaeo after its troops had been expelled from the area.
“Cambodia continues its attacks with heavy weapons. If Cambodia were sincere, such attacks would stop. Although negotiations are about to begin, the attacks continue. Thailand has to retaliate in self-defence in accordance with international principles,” Rear Adm Surasant said. He was referring to the truce negotiations under the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee scheduled to begin at 4pm on Wednesday in Chanthaburi province.
Col Richa Suksuwanon, deputy spokesman for the Thai army, said Thai forces had regained control of Ban Klong Pang and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages in Sa Kaeo province that had previously been encroached upon by Cambodian troops. Thai soldiers had yet to fully retake Ban Nong Chan village.
He added that heavy clashes also continued in the Phu Makua and Huai Ta Maria areas of Si Sa Ket province.
Along the border, Thai troops secured control over more battlefields and consistently found PMN-2 anti-personnel landmines and anti-tank mines modified to function as powerful anti-personnel devices in areas previously occupied by Cambodian forces.
“Anti-personnel mines have been continuously used along the border since July. This is evidence of violations of the Ottawa Convention,” Col Richa said.
Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai, spokesman for the Royal Thai Air Force, said Cambodia had continued firing not only at military bases but also at civilian areas in Thailand.
“Peace comes with sincerity. Cambodia has not demonstrated any sincerity for a truce,” he said.
He said air strikes were carried out on Cambodian arsenals on Wednesday morning to reduce Cambodia’s warfare capabilities and protect Thai military personnel and civilians.
A map from the Royal Thai Army shows the latest status of Thai military operations in battlefields along the Thai-Cambodian border as of Wednesday afternoon.
