Thai, Cambodian troops in fresh fight

Heavy fighting broke out again on Saturday between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, a day after six died in the bloodiest border clash since the UN appealed for a permanent ceasefire in February. The two neighbours have fought a series of deadly gunbattles in recent years in disputed jungle near ancient temples strung out along the frontier, which has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines. The two countries regularly accuse each other of starting the clashes.

“All of sudden they fired at us,” Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon told AFP after fighting resumed on Saturday. It could be that they wanted to internationalise the situation to attract a third country (to intervene). We do not want to fight but have to retaliate when they fire at us,” he said, calling for the resumption of bilateral talks to resolve the territorial dispute.

“We have to put pressure on them to go back to the meeting table,” he said. Thai media reported that four Thai troops were wounded on Saturday but there was no official confirmation. The fighting resumed at about 6am (2300 GMT Friday) with rifle fire and shelling in the same area as Friday’s deadly standoff, according to spokesmen on both sides. Friday’s clash was the first serious outbreak of hostilities since February when 10 people were killed in fighting near the 900-year-old Hindu temple Preah Vihear, prompting UN Security Council members to call for a lasting ceasefire.

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