Thailand-Cambodia border clashes won't become war: Phumtham
Mr Phumtham said the current incidents had not reached a level that warranted concern over a wider conflict. 'What we are seeing now are armed skirmishes, not war,' he said after chairing a meeting of the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation.
The deputy prime minister, who is overseeing security affairs, is acting as government leader following the suspension of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the premiership.
He said Thailand remained willing to hold talks with Cambodia to bring an end to the cross-border exchange of gunfire and artillery, but insisted that any dialogue must be preceded by a halt to Cambodian military operations, which he said had triggered the confrontation.
The clashes have so far been confined to four northeastern provinces: Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani — all under the responsibility of the Second Army Region.
Mr Phumtham said Thai security agencies were working to prevent the conflict from spreading beyond these areas and to keep the situation under control.
The Thai-Cambodian border also stretches through Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat. Sa Kaeo falls under the jurisdiction of the First Army Region, while the Royal Thai Navy oversees border security in Chanthaburi and Trat.
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Should Thaksin be sent back to prison and Ms Paetongtarn be banned from politics, Pheu Thai could collapse entirely. In such a scenario, many of its MPs could defect to Bhumjaithai since both parties rely on political family networks for support, according to Mr Olarn. "All of this now rests in the hands of the conservative bloc. It depends on which party they choose to trust more -- Pheu Thai or Bhumjaithai," Mr Olarn said.
