Fragile Cambodia-Thailand truce tested as monitors head to disputed border
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
A person riding a motorbike on an empty street in Samraong, the capital of Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia, on July 29.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
BANGKOK - Thailand accused Cambodian troops of unprovoked firing in violation of a ceasefire agreement
Thai military positions at Phu Makua in the north-eastern frontier area came under attack from small arms fire and grenade assaults by Cambodian forces on the night of July 29 and into the morning of July 30, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The Thai army also reported attacks in two other areas on July 30.
“Such acts of aggression constitute once again a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement by Cambodian forces and their apparent lack of good faith,” the ministry said.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry denied reports of any fresh clashes, and said the country remains fully committed to respecting and implementing all terms of the ceasefire.
A delegation of diplomats, foreign military attaches to Cambodia and relevant parties will visit the Cambodia-Thailand border to observe “the actual situation”, Cambodian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement.
The apparent border skirmishes more than 24 hours after the ceasefire went into effect highlight the difficulty civilian authorities face in enforcing the truce on the ground.
The military officials agreed not to target civilians or deploy more troops along the border, said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree.
The clashes had initially subsided following a July 29 meeting between military commanders, which brought a tentative pause in the fighting.
The truce came after five days of clashes that included air strikes and artillery shelling, which left at least 40 dead and displaced more than 300,000 people along the roughly 800km 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.
Malaysia will dispatch two observation teams, led by its military attaches in Cambodia and Thailand, Ms Socheata said, citing the chief of the Malaysian armed forces, who is in Phnom Penh.
To de-escalate the border tension, Thai and Cambodian troops have agreed to coordination teams to resolve any new conflicts and prevent their recurrence.
A meeting of the General Border Committee – a bilateral forum to address security issues – is scheduled for Aug 4.
The Thai-Cambodia conflict traces its roots to longstanding 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. BLOOMBERG
