Latest news with #WinthaiSuvaree
Bangkok Post
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Army condemns Cambodia for repeatedly breaking ceasefire agreement
The spokesman of the Royal Thai Army denounced Cambodia for repeatedly breaking the Thai-Cambodian ceasefire agreement reached early this week. Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the army, told the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand that the Cambodian attack with rifles and hand grenades happened in Phu Makhuea in Thailand's Si Sa Ket province at about 9pm on Tuesday. 'The use of weapons was inappropriate because it is the time of ceasefire and the period that we must have mutual trust. The army must condemn this kind of action. This is the second time for the use of weapons during the ceasefire agreement,' the spokesman said. 'Cambodia has not observed the agreed rule,' Maj Gen Winthai said. The army spokesman also said that Thai forces remained along the border for surveillance and did not use their weapons. He denied the rumour that drones were used to attack Wing 21 in nearby Ubon Ratchathani province. The spokesman said that some roof tiles were blown by strong winds. Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said via the Facebook page of Government House Wednesday morning that Cambodian troops fired rifles and threw hand grenades at Thai soldiers in Phu Makhuea area in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday that Cambodian attacks in Phu Makhuea area continued until Wednesday morning and they happened after both countries' ceasefire agreement had taken effect at midnight on Monday night. 'Such act of aggression constitutes once again a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement by Cambodian forces and their apparent lack of good faith,' the ministry said. 'Thailand reiterates its full commitment to the ceasefire and the peaceful resolution of the current situation and strongly calls on Cambodia to immediately cease all violations and return to full compliance with the said ceasefire agreement,' it said.
Japan Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Fragile Thailand-Cambodia truce faces challenges on day one
Fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border came to a halt Tuesday after military commanders from both countries met to enforce a ceasefire agreement reached a day earlier. The military officials agreed not to target civilians or deploy more troops along the border, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree. The meeting was delayed after the Thai army accused Cambodian troops of triggering clashes across their disputed border after the ceasefire officially went into force at midnight. Phnom Penh denied the charge. Thailand and Cambodia agreed to the ceasefire following a push by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened to halt trade deals with either country as long as the fighting continued. The truce came after five days of clashes that included airstrikes and artillery shelling, which left at least three dozen dead and displaced over 300,000 people along the roughly 800-kilometer border. The in-person military meeting was arranged during Monday's talks between Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Premier Hun Manet, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Envoys from the U.S. and China also attended. Thailand said there was gunfire in several locations just hours after the ceasefire took effect, casting doubt on whether the deal would hold. Thai officials said they would gather evidence of the violations and inform the U.S., China and Malaysia. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata denied the allegations. Lim Menghour, director general of the National Assembly of Cambodia, said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that military officials from Cambodia and Thailand held two rounds of talks Tuesday, agreeing to improve communication and stop sending troops to the border. He added that Cambodia fully implemented the agreement. "There are no more armed clashes. There's no more fighting along the border,' he said. Thailand's benchmark stock index jumped as much as 1.5% to a five-month-high on signs of easing border tensions. The baht weakened 0.2% to 32.45 per dollar amid broad greenback strength. The truce will remain "tentative and fragile' without neutral observers, according to Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. "There's so much hostility, so much anger, and nationalism is running high on both sides,' Thitinan said. It will take strong leadership to make people understand the ceasefire was worth pursuing despite the distrust, but that remains a "vulnerability' for both countries, he said. The Thai-Cambodia conflict traces its roots to long-standing disputes stemming from colonial-era maps and treaties that defined boundaries. Relations had remained relatively stable since a 2011 clash that left dozens dead, before erupting into intense fighting last week. As part of measures to enforce the ceasefire, Thai and Cambodian troops will set up teams to resolve any new conflicts and prevent their recurrence, Winthai said. A meeting of the General Border Committee — a bilateral forum to address security issues — will be held as agreed on Aug. 4. Following the ceasefire agreement, Trump announced that the U.S. would resume trade negotiations with Thailand and Cambodia, both of which currently face 36% tariffs. Thai leader Phumtham said Bangkok expects to get a "very good' trade deal from the Trump administration. Thai Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said Tuesday the country was "very close' to securing a U.S. deal.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Fragile Thailand-Cambodia truce faces challenges on day one
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A person rides a motorbike on an empty street in Samraong, the capital of Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia, on July 29. Fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border came to a halt on July 29 after military commanders from both countries met to enforce a ceasefire agreement reached on July 28 . The military officials agreed not to target civilians or deploy more troops along the border, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree. The meeting was delayed after the Thai army accused Cambodian troops of triggering clashes across their disputed border after the ceasefire officially went into force at midnight. Phnom Penh denied the charge. Thailand and Cambodia agreed to the ceasefire following a push by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened to halt trade deals with either country as long as the fighting continued. The truce came after five days of clashes that included airstrikes and artillery shelling, which left at least three dozen dead and displaced over 300,000 people along the roughly 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. The in-person military meeting was arranged during the talks on July 28 between Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Premier Hun Manet, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Envoys from the US and China also attended. Thailand claimed there was gunfire in several locations just hours after the ceasefire took effect, casting doubt whether the deal would hold. Thai officials said they would gather evidence of the violations and inform the US, China and Malaysia. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata denied the allegations. Lim Menghour, director general of the National Assembly of Cambodia, said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that military officials from Cambodia and Thailand held two rounds of talks Tuesday, agreeing to improve communication and stop sending troops to the border. He added that Cambodia fully implemented the agreement. 'There are no more armed clashes. There's no more fighting along the border,' he said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business No clarity yet on baseline or pharmaceutical tariffs with US: DPM Gan Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Opinion Nobel Prize? Maybe not, but give Asean credit for Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire Singapore Facts and myths intersect at the National Museum's new glass rotunda installation Singapore Liquidators score victory to recoup over $900 million from alleged scammer Ng Yu Zhi's associates Multimedia Making a splash: Picture-perfect moments from the World Aquatics Championships in S'pore Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Thailand's benchmark stock index jumped as much as 1.5 per cent to a five-month-high on signs of easing border tensions. The baht weakened 0.2 per cent to 32.45 per dollar amid broad greenback strength. The truce will remain 'tentative and fragile' without neutral observers, according to Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. 'There's so much hostility, so much anger, and nationalism is running high on both sides,' Prof Thitinan said. It will take strong leadership to make people understand the ceasefire was worth pursuing despite the distrust, but that remains a 'vulnerability' for both countries, he said. The Thai-Cambodia conflict traces its roots to long-standing disputes stemming from colonial-era maps and treaties that defined boundaries. Relations had remained relatively stable since a 2011 clash that left dozens dead, before erupting into intense fighting last week. As part of measures to enforce the ceasefire, Thai and Cambodian troops will set up teams to resolve any new conflicts and prevent their recurrence, Mr Winthai said. A meeting of the General Border Committee – a bilateral forum to address security issues – will be held as agreed on Aug 4. Following the ceasefire agreement, Trump announced that the US would resume trade negotiations with Thailand and Cambodia, both of which currently face 36 per cent tariffs. Thai leader Phumtham said Bangkok expects to get a 'very good' trade deal from the Trump administration. Thai Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said on July 29 the country was 'very close' to securing a US deal. BLOOMBERG
The Star
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Calm returns to disputed border
I'm going home: A child sitting at the back of a vehicle as the family heads back with their belongings in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia. — Reuters Military commanders from Thailand and Cambodia held talks as calm returned to their disputed border and displaced residents began trickling back, following the South-East Asian neighbours announcing a truce to end five days of fighting. Thai and Cambodian leaders met in Malaysia on Monday and agreed to a ceasefire deal to halt their deadliest conflict in more than a decade that has killed at least 40 people, mostly civilians, and displaced over 300,000 in both countries. Although Thailand's military said that there had been attacks by Cambodian troops in at least five locations early yesterday, violating the ceasefire that had come into effect from midnight, commanders from both sides met and held talks, a Thai army spokesperson said. Cambodia denied the charge, insisting that its troops have strictly abided by the ceasefire since midnight and continue to uphold it, according to a statement by Defence Minister Tea Seiha. Negotiations so far include those between the general leading Thailand's second region army, which oversees the stretch of the frontier that has seen the heaviest fighting during the conflict, and his Cambodian counterpart, Thai Maj-Gen Winthai Suvaree told reporters. The commanders, who met at the border, agreed to maintain the ceasefire, stop any troop movement and facilitate the return of the wounded and dead bodies, he said. 'Each side will establish a coordinating team of four to resolve any problems,' Winthai said. Waiting to leave: Thai residents resting at an evacuation centre in Surin province, Thailand. — AP Both militaries have agreed not to deploy more troops along their disputed border, said Lim Menghour, director-general of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the National Assembly of Cambodia, who also underlined the need for international observers to monitor the ceasefire. 'That is the key to monitor all the terms and agreements from the meeting yesterday,' he said. In Bangkok, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said his government had filed complaints with Malaysia, the United States and China over Cambodia's alleged ceasefire violations – but calm had returned to border areas. Vehicular traffic and daily activity resumed in the Kantharalak district of Thailand's Sisaket province yesterday, about 30km from the frontlines, where Thai and Cambodian troops remain amassed. Chaiya Phumjaroen, 51, said he returned to town to reopen his shop early yesterday after hearing of the ceasefire deal on the news. 'I am very happy that a ceasefire happened,' he said. 'If they continue to fight, we have no opportunity to make money.' In Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, 63-year-old Ly Kim Eng sat in front of a makeshift tarpaulin shelter, waiting for directions after hearing of the ceasefire deal. 'So, if the authorities announce that it is safe for all of the refugees to return home, I would immediately return,' he said. The South-East Asian neighbours have wrangled for decades over their disputed frontier and have been on a conflict footing since the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish late in May, which led to a troop buildup on both sides and a full-blown diplomatic crisis. — Reuters
Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Border calm as talks held
Military commanders from Thailand and Cambodia held talks yesterday as calm returned to their disputed border and displaced residents began trickling back, following the announcement of a truce to end five days of fighting. Thai and Cambodian leaders met in Malaysia on Monday and agreed to a ceasefire deal. Although Thailand's military said there had been attacks by Cambodian troops in at least five locations yesterday, violating the ceasefire that had come into effect from midnight, commanders from both sides met and held talks, a Thai army spokesperson said. Cambodia denied the charge, insisting its troops had strictly abided by the ceasefire and continued to uphold it, Defence Minister Tea Seiha said. Negotiations so far include those between the general leading Thailand's 2nd region army, which oversees the stretch of the frontier that has seen the heaviest fighting during the conflict, and his Cambodian counterpart, Thai Major-general Winthai Suvaree said. The commanders agreed to maintain the ceasefire, stop any troop movement, and facilitate the return of the wounded and dead bodies. Both militaries have agreed not to deploy more troops along their disputed border, Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of the National Assembly of Cambodia director-general Lim Menghour said. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said his government had filed complaints with Malaysia, the United States and China over Cambodia's alleged ceasefire violations — but calm had returned to border areas.
