Thai villagers who fled Cambodian border clashes returning home

11 Feb, 2011
(MCOT online news)

BANGKOK, Feb 11 -- The Thai-Cambodian border situation remains calm with some villagers who earlier fled the cross border fighting to stay at makeshift camps provided by Si Sa Ket province gradually start to return to their homes, according to Royal Thai Army commander-in-chief Gen Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Gen Prayuth stressed that time was needed to resolve the border disputes, but that they could be achieved by bilateral talks.

The army chief said until now the situation at the border was calm and there has been no fighting for quite a while so that villagers have started returning to their homes. The governor of Si Sa Ket and the 2nd Army Area headquarters would coordinate to safely return people to their homes.

Initially, he believed that only a few villagers would return home as experts were inspecting the areas to retrieve and clear the bombs or unexploded ordnance fired from the Cambodian side.

He also affirmed that if fighting re-erupted, the army had already prepared an evacuation plan to protect the lives of people live along the border.

As for the reinforcement of Cambodian troops and arms, Gen Prayuth said the Thai military has reinforced its troops for several days but both Thai and Cambodian solders would move cautiously and had agreed earlier to avoid the risk factors leading to future clashes.

Thailand's armed forces will act with the utmost restraint in response to any provocation and will undertake their duty to protect Thailand’s national interests to the best of their ability.

He said solving border problems needs more time and that talks were effective tools. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would give an accurate account of recent developments as well as provide information to the international community while the military would protect the lives and property of Thai citizens living along the border.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the ministers of defence, foreign affairs, and interior on Friday met by video conference with government officials and local residents in Si Sa Ket and Surin about the problems of those affected by the Thai-Cambodia border situation.

Mr Abhisit ordered ministers and agencies concerned to help local residents in full rehabilitation work for their houses and farms damaged by clashes. The Thai-Cambodian border problem is not involved with domestic politics and the government and the opposition are ready to help local residents, he said.

Thailand did not invade Cambodia, but that Khmer troops fired into Thai territory, and the Thai army fired back at Cambodia’s military zone to protect the country under international standards of practice, he added.

Cambodia troops also fired at a civilian zone. The government feels sorrow for the deaths of soldiers and the civilian and proud of armed force in their mission in protecting the country’s sovereignty. The prime minister said the government will help border residents to its utmost.