Fighting on Thai-Cambodia border

By Agencies

At least one Cambodian soldier was reported killed in the fighting [AFP] Troops from Cambodia and Thailand have been holding ceasefire discussions after they exchanged fire on the disputed border between the two countries. A Thai army spokesman said that one Cambodian soldier had been killed and four Thai troops had been wounded in Wednesday's fighting, while an AFP news agency photographer said he witnessed the surrender of 10 Thai soldiers. Hor Namhong, Cambodia's foreign minister, said that the prisoners would be returned to Thailand if Bangkok requested. "The prime minister has ordered that the 10 soldiers be treated well," he told a news conference in Phnom Penh. The Cambodian military said that the two sides exchanged fire for about two hours Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, a Thai army spokesman, blamed the Cambodians started the battle, which he said only lasted for about 40 minutes. "It was triggered by a Thai patrol unit's encounter with their Cambodian counterpart ... the Cambodian side ignited fighting with rifles," He said. Sunsern said that he believed the ongoing talks between the two armies would prevent the situation from escalating. Evacuation appeal Sompong Amornvivat, Thailand's foreign minister, called on Thai nationals in Cambodia to leave as soon as possible. "Thai businessmen who have no need to be in Cambodia now, please rush back to Thailand ... We have our evacuation plan ready," Sompong said. The border clash came after Cambodia had said that 500 Thai troops had started to deploy close to the area containing the ancient Preah Vihear temple. Thai television on Wednesday showed military lorries loaded with tanks heading toward the border and troops setting up mortars, while the Thai air force said their fighter jets were on stand-by. "Normally we have fighter jets on stand-by at various regional headquarters ready for operation within five minutes, but under the current circumstances we have increased our readiness," Group Captain Montol Suchookorn, the Thai air force spokesman, said. Before the fighting broke out on Wednesday, Somchai Wongsawat, the Thai prime minister, gave assurances that Thailand would not resort to violence and that talks would resume. "If there is a problem, we will use peaceful means with an emphasis on negotiations," he said. "I want to insist that we will use peaceful negotiations. We will not be an invader. We will not use violence." Sovereignty Civilians left the disputed border area as tension mounted [Reuters] On Tuesday morning, Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister, said Thai troops had tried to advance into Cambodia's territory but that Cambodian soldiers had "waved them back". "They must withdraw," he had told an economic conference in Phnom Penh, giving a noon deadline and warning of "armed clashes" if Thai troops continued to "trespass" across the border. Brigadier-General Yim Pim, a Cambodian army commander, later said all Thai troops had retreated about 90 minutes before the deadline and returned to camp. A Thai army spokesman initially denied Yim's claim but General Viboonsak Neepan, the Thai army's regional commander, later said that troops on both sides had pulled back slightly. At the centre of the dispute is Preah Vihear, a 11th century Hindu temple which the UN listed as a World Heritage Site in July, a ruling that re-ignited a decades-old feud. Both countries have long claimed the temple but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.