Local Thai villagers guard their village in Kab Cherng district in Surin province, northeastern Thailand Saturday, April 23, 2011. Thai and Cambodian troops fired shells and small arms across the countries' border Saturday, killing at least 10 soldiers in a two-day clash.
(AP Photo) THAILAND OUT
By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Fighting broke out again Sunday along Cambodia's border with Thailand following two days of skirmishes that killed at least 10 soldiers and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians.
The dispute between the neighbors stems from their competing claims over small swaths of land along the border, with nationalistic politics fueling tensions. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Cambodia's 11th-century Preah Vihear temple was given U.N. World Heritage status over Thai objections.
The current round of clashes, which began Friday, are the first reported border skirmishes since February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the Preah Vihear temple. The latest fighting has taken place about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of there.
Col. Suos Sothea, a Cambodian commander, confirmed witness accounts that an artillery battle began at the border shortly before 10 a.m. Sunday. In Bangkok, Thai army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd reported the same information.
There were no immediate reports of casualties Sunday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Cambodia and Thailand to implement an effective and verifiable cease-fire.
A U.N. statement late Saturday said Ban believes the dispute cannot be resolved by military means, so the two countries must engage in a serious dialogue to resolve the underlying problems.
Sunday's flare-up came after it seemed that calm might have been restored. Witnesses on the Cambodian side said an important border crossing that had been closed for two days had been reopened, and Thai media said some of an estimated 20,000 civilians who had been evacuated from the battle zone were starting to move back home.
Each side has accused the other of starting the latest fighting, which has involved mainly artillery duels at long range.
Thailand rejected accusations Saturday that it had used chemical weapons against Cambodian troops.
A Cambodian defense ministry statement charged that Thailand had fired 75- and 105-millimeter shells "loaded with poisonous gas" into Cambodian territory, but did not elaborate. A Cambodian field commander said separately that Thailand had used both cluster shells — anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries — and artillery shells that gave off a debilitating gas.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said the allegations were not true, and Col. Tawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thailand's 2nd Army Region, denied that cluster bombs or poison gas had been employed by his forces.
Cluster munitions contain dozens or hundreds of small grenades, or "bomblets," that scatter over vast areas. Some can lie dormant for decades until disturbed, posing enormous danger to civilians.
Thailand acknowledged using cluster-type munitions in border fighting in February, but argued that they were not of the type banned from use by 108 countries under an international treaty. Thailand has not signed the pact, but has publicly pledged not to use such weapons.
Tawatchai said one Thai soldier died Saturday, bringing the casualty toll to four dead and 17 wounded. Suos Sothea said three Cambodian soldiers were killed Saturday, bringing Cambodia's two-day death toll to six. Suos Sothea said he could not give an accurate count of the wounded.
Indonesia, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has called for an immediate cease-fire and further efforts to resolve the border dispute.
The flare-up comes as Thailand's military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of a general election expected to be held by early July. The army had previously effectively vetoed an agreed-on plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit said Saturday that he was ready to formally accept Indonesia's offer of observers, and was waiting for approval from Thailand's defense minister, which was expected to come this week.
___
Associated Press writer Thanyarat Doksone in Bangkok contributed to this report.
(AP Photo) THAILAND OUT
By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Fighting broke out again Sunday along Cambodia's border with Thailand following two days of skirmishes that killed at least 10 soldiers and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians.
The dispute between the neighbors stems from their competing claims over small swaths of land along the border, with nationalistic politics fueling tensions. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Cambodia's 11th-century Preah Vihear temple was given U.N. World Heritage status over Thai objections.
The current round of clashes, which began Friday, are the first reported border skirmishes since February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the Preah Vihear temple. The latest fighting has taken place about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of there.
Col. Suos Sothea, a Cambodian commander, confirmed witness accounts that an artillery battle began at the border shortly before 10 a.m. Sunday. In Bangkok, Thai army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd reported the same information.
There were no immediate reports of casualties Sunday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Cambodia and Thailand to implement an effective and verifiable cease-fire.
A U.N. statement late Saturday said Ban believes the dispute cannot be resolved by military means, so the two countries must engage in a serious dialogue to resolve the underlying problems.
Sunday's flare-up came after it seemed that calm might have been restored. Witnesses on the Cambodian side said an important border crossing that had been closed for two days had been reopened, and Thai media said some of an estimated 20,000 civilians who had been evacuated from the battle zone were starting to move back home.
Each side has accused the other of starting the latest fighting, which has involved mainly artillery duels at long range.
Thailand rejected accusations Saturday that it had used chemical weapons against Cambodian troops.
A Cambodian defense ministry statement charged that Thailand had fired 75- and 105-millimeter shells "loaded with poisonous gas" into Cambodian territory, but did not elaborate. A Cambodian field commander said separately that Thailand had used both cluster shells — anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries — and artillery shells that gave off a debilitating gas.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said the allegations were not true, and Col. Tawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thailand's 2nd Army Region, denied that cluster bombs or poison gas had been employed by his forces.
Cluster munitions contain dozens or hundreds of small grenades, or "bomblets," that scatter over vast areas. Some can lie dormant for decades until disturbed, posing enormous danger to civilians.
Thailand acknowledged using cluster-type munitions in border fighting in February, but argued that they were not of the type banned from use by 108 countries under an international treaty. Thailand has not signed the pact, but has publicly pledged not to use such weapons.
Tawatchai said one Thai soldier died Saturday, bringing the casualty toll to four dead and 17 wounded. Suos Sothea said three Cambodian soldiers were killed Saturday, bringing Cambodia's two-day death toll to six. Suos Sothea said he could not give an accurate count of the wounded.
Indonesia, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has called for an immediate cease-fire and further efforts to resolve the border dispute.
The flare-up comes as Thailand's military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of a general election expected to be held by early July. The army had previously effectively vetoed an agreed-on plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit said Saturday that he was ready to formally accept Indonesia's offer of observers, and was waiting for approval from Thailand's defense minister, which was expected to come this week.
___
Associated Press writer Thanyarat Doksone in Bangkok contributed to this report.
2 comments:
Thai have nothing to lose why thai have to care about anything they just caring on what is the criminals do .
fuck the thai
thai villagers guarding thier homes lolz, nope its us khmer tht should be doig tht, do we care about ur shitty ass village no, its our villages tht r really suffering we lost lots of villages already, so fuck you thai bastards.
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