Troops get no rest in battle at the border

27 Apr, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post

After five days of battle, Thai soldiers are weary but still bent on pushing out Cambodian forces.

With fresh attacks by Cambodian troops continuing day and night, Thai soldiers on the front line at the Ta Kwai temple in Phanom Dong Rak district have had no time to grab any rest over the past five days of fighting.

"It's been seven days [since going on alert] and we've not been able to get any sleep. Last night was worst of all. They started firing and then we returned fire, over and over," said Captain Wichian Chinno, head of a rapid deployment unit deployed in an area near the temple.

The fatigued captain was yesterday rushed to Phanom Dong Rak Hospital, his uniform dirty after a long night of battling with Cambodian troops.

He was suffering chest and back pains after the impact of an explosion.

His unit, comprising eight military rangers from the 26th ranger regiment of the Pak Thong Chai military camp in Nakhon Ratchasima province, had been deployed to the area east of Ta Kwai temple on April 22 which was the first day of the new round of border fighting.

"The bombs hurled at our raised barriers by the Cambodian troops threw us in different directions. That was the most painful part of all and we survived only because we wore metal helmets and had body armour," said Capt Wichian.

"Seven days without sleep was tough and physically draining. By day, the weather was extremely hot, but at night it was very cold out there," said the soldier, adding he would return to the battlefield if he recovered in time.

The Cambodian troops were stationed in a better location which was higher up and they also had a natural rock barrier, said Capt Wichian.

As such, it was easier for the Cambodian troops to keep launching attacks on the Thai soldiers by throwing grenades downhill, he said, adding that the Thai troops were trying hard to accomplish their mission of forcing the Cambodian forces out of their current position.

"Not to mention the lack of sleep, we didn't even have time to have a quick bite of the food we brought with us," said Sgt Thinnakorn Changsao, a member of the ranger unit who was also hospitalised yesterday after being injured in a blast the previous night.

Worse still, he said, in an "emergency" he and his fellow soldiers on the front line had to use a plastic bag and a bottle to go to the toilet.

"One of our achievements so far has been destroying the cable car system Cambodia has built and used in lifting its troops to the Ta Kwai temple and we are now aiming to force them to retreat from that position," said Sgt Thinnakorn.

Ranger Chalong La-iat, who was injured by shrapnel from an explosion, said the 4kg armour he was wearing and the additional weight of 140 rounds of ammunition he had to carry with him all the time were a significant problem - especially when fighting in the searing heat and sunlight.