Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia that have uprooted more than 130,000 people “could develop into war,” as the countries traded deadly strikes for a second day.
A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, and the UN Security Council was set to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis yesterday.
A steady thump of artillery strikes could be heard from the Cambodian side of the border, where the province of Oddar Meanchey reported that one civilian — a 70-year-old man — had been killed and five more wounded.
Photo: AP
More than 138,000 people have been evacuated from Thailand’s border regions, the Thai Ministry of Health said, reporting 15 fatalities — 14 civilians and a soldier — with a further 46 wounded, including 15 troops.
“We have tried to compromise, as we are neighbors, but we have now instructed the Thai military to act immediately in case of urgency,” Wechayachai said. “If the situation escalates, it could develop into war, though for now, it remains limited to clashes.”
In Samraong, Cambodia, families were speeding away in vehicles with their children and belongings as gunfire erupted.
“I live very close to the border. We are scared, because they began shooting again at about 6am,” said Pro Bak, 41.
He was taking his wife and children to a Buddhist temple to seek refuge.
“I do not know when we could return home,” he said.
Soldiers were also rushing to man rocket launchers and speeding off toward the frontier.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country holds the ASEAN chair, said he held talks with both countries’ leaders on Thursday, and called for a ceasefire and dialogue.
“I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward,” he wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
Despite Anwar’s optimism, fighting resumed in three areas at about 4am yesterday, the Thai army said.
Cambodian forces carried out bombardments with heavy weapons, field artillery and BM-21 rocket systems, the army said, and Thai troops responded “with appropriate supporting fire.”
Fighting on Thursday was focused on six locations, including around two ancient temples, the Thai army said.
Ground troops backed up by tanks battled for control of territory, while Cambodia fired rockets and shells into Thailand and the Thais scrambled F-16 jets to hit military targets across the border.
Both sides accused each other of firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, citing a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket.
Thursday’s clashes came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine.
Cambodia downgraded ties to “the lowest level” on Thursday, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh.
The US has urged an “immediate” end to the conflict and France made a similar call.
The EU and China — a close ally of Phnom Penh — said they were “deeply concerned” about the clashes, calling for dialogue.
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