Abhisit says Thailand acting in self-defence

25 Apr, 2011

Fighting erupted on the border for a third day between Thai and Cambodian troops in Surin province yesterday, leaving three more Thai soldiers hurt. Five Thai soldiers have been killed so far and 27 wounded in the latest round of clashes.

The Army said Cambodian troops fired at Thai soldiers stationed at Ta Muen Thom Temple, forcing Thai troops to return the fire. Sporadic gunfights took place on four occasions yesterday.

'Cambodians to blame'

Lt General Thawatchai Samutsakhon, commander of the Second Army Area which covers the areas of operation, blamed Cambodian soldiers for initiating the gunfights. The Cambodians suffered a large but unspecified number of casualties, and damage to military hardware, he said.

Thawatchai said local Thai and Cambodian commanders had negotiated a ceasefire after every gunbattle. "But local Cambodian commanders keep telling me they are not authorised to order ceasefires independently. I speculate that it all depends on [Cambobian prime minister] Somdej Hun Sen who calls the shots," he said.

The general said several B21 multirocket launcher units had been deployed by Cambodia near the Preah Vihear Temple in Buri Ram, in violation of UN protocols barring deployment of troops and weapons near historic sites. He dismissed media reports that Thai troops faced food and water shortages.

Thai sovereignty violated

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in his weekly television programme yesterday, said Thailand had acted in selfdefence after Cambodia violated Thailand's sovereignty under international protocols.

He said there were 22 shelters now open for around 27,000 local residents in Surin, in addition to six others in Buri Ram. More shelters may be built, depending on an emergency budget.

There have been no civilian casualties and no damage to homes or private property as a result of artillery and mortar fire by Cambodian troops, provincial governor Serm Chainarong said. Buri Ram authorities reported gunfights five kilometres away from the main fighting areas and later four rounds of artillery fire landed on Thai soil three kilometres away.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said he had spoken to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who he said expressed concern over the fighting. Indonesia is current Asean chair.

Kasit said he had also talked with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Num Hong on Saturday, but did not give details of the conversation.

"I will possibly meet him in the next four or five days. In the meantime, the situation will be reported to the world community - in Paris where the World Heritage Committee and Unesco are located, and in New York to the UN Security Council - to repeat Thailand's stance that all its military actions have been in self defence," he added.

UN chief's plea

United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Kimoon has called on Cambodia and Thailand to halt fighting along their disputed jungle border as troops exchanged fire for a third day.

He called on both countries to "exercise maximum restraint" and urged them to resolve the issue through "serious dialogue" rather than military means, according to a UN spokesperson on Saturday. He urged the two neighbours to take immediate measures for an effective and verifiable ceasefire.

Military installations targeted

Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Thailand's artillery fire had landed only 22 km into Cambodian soil and had not targeted anything but military installations and fire support bases. Official casualties suffered by the Thai military still remain at four deaths, and 17 injuries, contradicting higher media figures.

"A ceasefire will be respected and sustainable only when Cambodia stops any military action and withdraws its troops from the buffer zone. Talks over total withdrawal from other disputed areas can continue," he added.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said no attack sorties, nor chemical or gas attacks had been used by the Thai military against Cambodian targets as claimed by the Cambodian government. "Helicopters are deployed only in medevac operations," he added.

-The Nation/Asia News Network