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United News of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Border tensions intensify as Thailand rules out dialogue with Cambodia amid conflict escalation
Bangkok/Phom Penh, July 24 (UNI) Thailand has suspended diplomatic talks with Cambodia as deadly clashes continue along their shared border, escalating a tense standoff that has already claimed multiple civilian lives and strained regional stability. Caretaker Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ruled out all negotiations, stating that no dialogue could take place 'until the fighting stops,' reports CNN. He stressed that while no formal war has been declared, Cambodian forces had fired heavy weapons into Thai territory 'without clear targets,' resulting in civilian deaths. 'We are not in a state of war,' he added, 'but we are not ignoring the reality on the ground.' Tensions between the two countries have been simmering since May, when a brief clash in the disputed Emerald Triangle border region—where Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet—left a Cambodian soldier dead. Both sides blamed each other and said their forces had acted in self defence. Despite pledges by military leaders to de-escalate, border reinforcements have increased and tit-for-tat economic measures have followed. Cambodia has blocked Thai imports including fresh produce, and halted purchases of electricity and internet services. Thailand has responded with similar restrictions. Violence spiked this week when a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion near the border. In retaliation, Thailand launched airstrikes, with an F-16 fighter jet dropping bombs on what Bangkok said were Cambodian military targets. Phnom Penh condemned the strikes, accusing Thailand of hitting a road near the historic Preah Vihear temple—calling it 'brutal and illegal military aggression' and a violation of international law. At least 11 Thai civilians and one soldier have been killed in the crossfire. Cambodia has not released an official death toll, but damage on both sides is mounting. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called on Cambodian nationals in Thailand to 'maintain their dignity' and return home if they face discrimination. 'Avoid any actions that could affect the Royal Thai Embassy, Thai companies, or citizens in Cambodia,' he said in a Facebook statement. The crisis has also shaken Thai politics. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended earlier this month following a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, in which she appeared to criticise her own military's actions. With both sides reinforcing positions and public rhetoric hardening, hopes for a quick resolution appear slim. Thailand maintains that no talks will resume until the border is calm—an increasingly uncertain prospect as the standoff deepens. UNI ANV SS
Business Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Times
Thailand F-16 jet bombs Cambodian targets as border clash escalates
[BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH] A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia on Thursday (Jul 24), both sides said, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes that have killed at least nine civilians, including a child. Of the six F-16 fighter jets that Thailand readied to deploy along the disputed border, one of the aircraft fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target, the Thai army said. Both countries accused each other of starting the clash early on Thursday. 'We have used air power against military targets as planned,' Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Thailand also closed its border with Cambodia. Cambodia's defence ministry said the jets dropped two bombs on a road, and that it 'strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia'. The skirmishes came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia late on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia's envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently in the disputed area. Thailand's foreign ministry said Cambodian troops fired 'heavy artillery' on a Thai military base on Thursday morning and also targeted civilian areas including a hospital, leading to civilian casualties. 'The Royal Thai government is prepared to intensify our self-defence measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand's sovereignty,' the ministry said in a statement. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Thai residents including children and the elderly ran to shelters built of concrete and fortified with sandbags and car tires in the Surin border province. 'How many rounds have been fired? It's countless,' an unidentified woman told the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) while hiding in the shelter as gunfire and explosions were heard intermittently in the background. Cambodia's foreign ministry said Thailand's air strikes were 'unprovoked' and called on its neighbour to withdraw its forces and 'refrain from any further provocative actions that could escalate the situation'. For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-km land border, which has led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Tensions were reignited in May following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, which escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis and now has triggered armed clashes. Landmines The clashes began early on Thursday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple along the border between Cambodia and Thailand, around 360 km east of the Thai capital Bangkok. Thailand's military said in a statement that nine people have been killed across three border provinces, including an eight-year-old boy in Surin. 'Artillery shell fell on people's homes,' Sutthirot CharoenthaNasak, district chief of Kabcheing in Surin province, told Reuters, adding that district authorities had evacuated 40,000 civilians from 86 villages near the border to safer locations. 'Two people have died,' he added. Video footage showed a plume of thick black smoke rising from a gas station in the neighbouring Thai Sisaket province, as firefighters rushed to extinguish the blaze. Six people were killed and 10 wounded at the site, the military said, adding another person was killed in the border province of Ubon Ratchathani. 'The Thai Army condemns Cambodia for using weapons to attack civilians in Thailand. Thailand is ready to protect sovereignty and our people from inhumane action,' it said in a statement. The military said Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending troops with heavy weapons to an area near the Ta Moan Thom temple. Cambodian troops opened fire and two Thai soldiers were wounded, a Thai army spokesperson said, adding Cambodia had used multiple weapons, including rocket launchers. A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry, however, said there had been an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops and Cambodian forces had responded in self-defence. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the situation was delicate. 'We have to be careful,' he told reporters. 'We will follow international law.' An attempt by Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra to resolve the recent tensions via a call with Cambodia's influential former Prime Minister Hun Sen, the contents of which were leaked, kicked off a political storm in Thailand, leading to her suspension by a court. Hun Sen said in a Facebook post that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from the Thai military. Thailand this week accused Cambodia of placing landmines in a disputed area that injured three soldiers. Phnom Penh denied the claim and said the soldiers had veered off agreed routes and triggered a mine left behind from decades of war. Cambodia has many landmines left over from its civil war decades ago, numbering in the millions according to de-mining groups. But Thailand maintains landmines have been placed at the border area recently, which Cambodia has described as baseless allegations. REUTERS
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Thai Embassy urges Thai nationals to leave Cambodia amid escalating tensions
PHNOM PENH: A message from the Facebook page of the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh states that the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh has been closely monitoring the escalating tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. The situation has continued to intensify, with clashes occurring along various areas of the border. There is a growing likelihood that the conflict may prolong and expand further. The embassy advises Thai nationals residing or temporarily staying in Cambodia, and who do not have urgent matters, to leave the country as soon as it is safely possible. The embassy also urges Thai citizens to refrain from travelling to Cambodia at this time unless absolutely necessary, until the situation stabilises. In case of emergencies or if assistance is required, Thai nationals can contact the following: Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh Emergency Phone: (+855) 975 749 682 Royal Thai Consulate General in Siem Reap Phone: (+855) 86 608 999 Thai Consular Call Centre Phone: (+66) 2 572 8442 (Available 24 hours) - The Nation/ANN
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
F-16 jets deployed as Thailand, Cambodia bomb military bases in fresh attack
Thailand has deployed F-16 fighter jets along the border with Cambodia on Thursday. this development comes after the Royal Thai army reported that Cambodia targeted military bases near the northeastern part of the disputed border. In this screengrab, a Cambodian attack on Thailand's military base was recorded by passersby. (Chumchon Khon Surin /Facebook) As per Bangkok Post, the Thai Army stated that by late morning, clashes were reported at six locations along the contested border As per the Thai Army, one out of the six F-16 jets was fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. "We have used air power against military targets as planned," Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters on Thursday. Also Read | Thailand, Cambodia shut borders, expel diplomats as tensions rise | What we know Meanwhile, Thailand has reported that Cambodian soldiers opened fire at a Thai military base in Surin and launched several rocket attacks towards Sisaket. After carrying out its air strikes, the Thai Army has stated that all F-16 jets are back at their bases. "All Thai F-16s have returned home safety and intact, after a rapid deployment to drop bombs on Cambodian battalions," the Thai army wrote in a social media post. Following Thursday's escalation, the Thai interior ministry has stated it is now working towards evacuating citizens along the border areas as a precautionary measure. Cambodia's National Defence ministry has accused Thailand from using heavy weapons, air strikes and rockets as part of an attempt to "seize" Cambodian territory. 'These unlawful and irresponsible actions not only pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability but also undermine the foundation of international order,' said Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata as per the Khmer Times newspaper. The defence ministry further stated that Thai fighter jets dropped two bombs on a road, adding that the Thailand has violated its agreement with Cambodia and opened fire. Tensions escalate between Thailand and Cambodia. After Thursday's clashes, both sides have played the blame game and accused one another of starting the border clash. As per the Thai Army, a Cambodian drone was spotted around 7:30 AM in front of the Ta Muen Thom temple. After this, around six Cambodian soldiers were seen in front of a Thai military base, armed with weapons and grenades. Around 8:20am, the Thai Army said Cambodian military opened fire towards the military base. The 2nd Army region also alleged that Cambodian forces et up artillery in neary communities and used the citizens in border towns as human shileds.
Business Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Times
Thailand claims Cambodia planted land mines, escalating dispute
[BANGKOK] Thailand accused Cambodia of planting new land mines on the Thai side of the shared border, in an escalation of a bitter territorial dispute between the two countries. Three Thai soldiers were injured when they stepped on a land mine during a routine patrol along an established route within Thai territory on Jul 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late on Sunday (Jul 30). The mines were not of a type used by Thailand and were recently laid in a 'blatant violation of international law,' it said. 'The Royal Thai government condemns in the strongest terms the use of anti-personnel mines,' the ministry said, adding that it planned to take action against Cambodia under the United Nations' Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention as a state party while pursuing bilateral channels to resolve the ongoing dispute. 'Thailand calls on Cambodia to cooperate on humanitarian demining efforts along the border of the two countries as bilaterally agreed by both Prime Ministers.' A spokesperson for the Cambodian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The border dispute between the two countries has blown up into a major point of contention, especially since a May 28 exchange of gunfire which killed a Cambodian soldier. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra subsequently sought to calm tensions in a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, but the conversation was leaked, triggering an uproar at home and the Thai leader's suspension as premier by a court. The foreign ministry's statement on the mines represents some of its strongest language towards Cambodia since the Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn pending an ethics probe into her handling of the dispute. The mines were found in Chong Bok, site of the May exchange of fire. Thai officials said that incident occurred because Cambodian soldiers were digging a trench in the border area and opened fire on Thai soldiers, while Cambodia said its troops have long been stationed there and blamed the Thai side for shooting first. Both countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. But since May, both sides have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has said it wants the International Court of Justice in the Hague to help settle the disputed status of Chong Bok and three other disputed border areas. Thailand does not recognise the court's jurisdiction. BLOOMBERG
