Source: Xinhua
Thailand will protest Cambodia for starting the fresh round of clash in the Thai-Cambodia disputed border area on Friday.
Thani Thongpakdi, director-general of Thai Foriegn Ministry's Information Department, said that the ministry is now in the process of gathering information about the new round of clash along with the Thai Army.
The ministry will later submit a complaint to Phnom Penh via Cambodian Embassy to Thailand, he said.
The official also said that Thai Foriegn Minister Kasit Piromya has already talked with the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this morning to inform him about the fact of the clash.
Thani added that the ASEAN acknowledged the clash and wanted to see the dispute being solved as soon as possible.
Earlier, Deputy Chief of Staff Region 2 Col. Prawit Hukaew said three Thai soldiers were killed in the latest clash and at least a house of Thai resident was damaged by the shelling.
Thai media reported that at least 13 thai military rangers were injured, seven of them seriously wounded.
The clash erupted at around 6 a.m. Friday local time in undemarcated border area near Pa Nom Dong Rak district of Thailand 's Surin province, followed by shelling across the border. Some artillery shells fell in Thai soil.
Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, Thai Army spokesman, said the clash ended at about 8 a.m. local time after high-ranking officers of Thai Army contacted Cambodia Army officers.
Sansern insisted that Cambodia started firing at Thai military after Thai military warned them not to enter the undemarcated area.
Both countries blamed each other for pulling the trigger first.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Thai and Cambodian armies have agreed to stay 100 meters away from the border line.
Thoudsands of Thai vilagers have evacuated to refugee camps set up by the government.
The last border clashes between the two countries took place from February 4 to 7 killing ten soldiers on both sides.
Source: Xinhua
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