Thailand, Cambodia trade accusations of strikes during border talks

PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK - Thailand and Cambodia on Dec 26 accused each other of aggression at disputed border areas, even as officials from the two countries attend a multi-day meeting aimed at negotiating an end to deadly clashes.

Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said Thailand’s military carried out a heavy bombardment of disputed border areas in Banteay Meanchey province on the morning of Dec 26.

“From 6.08am to 7.15am, the Thai military deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop as many as 40 bombs, to intensify its bombardment in the area of Chok Chey village,” it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Thai media said Cambodian forces had launched heavy attacks overnight along the border in Sa Kaeo province, where several homes were damaged by shelling.

Thailand said Cambodia fired heavy weaponry into its territory early on Dec 26, a move which “forced the Thai side to take necessary self-defence measures”, according to a statement published at a daily media briefing.

One Thai soldier was also “severely injured” on Dec 25 after stepping on what Thailand said was a newly laid landmine.

The two countries blame each other for instigating the fresh fighting, which has spread to nearly every province along their border.

Both countries also claim to have acted in self-defence and accuse the other of attacking civilians.

The neighbours’

long-standing border conflict reignited

in December, shattering an earlier ceasefire and killing more than 40 people, according to official counts. The United States, China and Malaysia brokered a truce to end five days of deadly clashes in July, but it proved short-lived.

Cambodian and Thai officials were in their third day of talks at a border checkpoint on Dec 26, with defence ministers from both countries scheduled to meet on Dec 27.

Earlier on Dec 26, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Facebook that he had spoken by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the two discussed “ways to secure a ceasefire along the Cambodia-Thailand border”.

The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800km-long frontier and a collection of temple ruins situated there.

Around a million people have been displaced during the conflict. AFP, BLOOMBERG