Thailand and Cambodia trade accusations but fragile truce holds
The visit took place hours after Thailand's military accused Cambodian forces of breaching the truce at three separate locations along the disputed frontier. The Cambodian government denied this
Highlights:
- Cambodia accuses Thailand of illegal capture of soldiers
- Thailand says Cambodia has breached ceasefire
- Troops still massed at both sides of border
- Top defence officials from both countries to meet on August 4
A fragile truce between Cambodia and Thailand held for a second day on Wednesday, despite mutual accusations of violations, and Cambodia took military attaches and diplomats to a border checkpoint destroyed by fighting to verify the ceasefire.
The visit took place hours after Thailand's military accused Cambodian forces of breaching the truce at three separate locations along the disputed frontier. The Cambodian government denied this.
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The two sides agreed at a meeting in Malaysia on Monday to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to halt the heaviest fighting between the two countries in over a decade.
There have been no reports of any exchange of heavy artillery fire since the truce was announced, but Thai and Cambodian troops were still massed along the frontier where fighting raged for five days at multiple locations.
At least 43 people, many of them civilians, were killed and more than 300,000 people were displaced.
At the checkpoint in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, which was now a pile of concrete, bricks and metal, Cambodian military officials told foreign observers on Wednesday that Thailand had illegally captured 20 Cambodian soldiers, according to a government statement.
"One of our soldiers managed to flee," said Major General Chan Sopheaktra, according to the statement. "We suspect two others may have died, but the rest are still being held by the Thai military, with no signs of release as of this afternoon."
Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said Thailand's military was currently holding 18 Cambodian soldiers who it said surrendered in Sisaket province. They had been provided clothes, food, water and medical care, he said.
"They are expected to be sent back to Cambodia after a permanent ceasefire is reached," he said, adding the bodies of two deceased Cambodian soldiers had been returned on Tuesday.
SAFETY CONCERN
Referring to Cambodia taking defence attaches to the border, Thailand's vice foreign minister, Russ Jalichandra, said Bangkok would soon do the same, when it was safe to proceed.
"Cambodia was able to act more quickly than Thailand because they were the party that initiated the attacks, which gave them immediate command and control over the area," he said
The Thai army accused Cambodian forces of violating the truce overnight, including with small arms, grenade launchers and mortar fire, spread over several hours at multiple locations.
Cambodia called Thailand's allegations baseless.
"Cambodia strongly rejects the ceasefire accusations as false, misleading and harmful to the fragile trust-building process," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chum Sounry said, adding the government supports a monitoring mechanism and independent observation.
The ceasefire, which also agreed to halt troop movement, paves the way for a high-level military meeting that includes defence ministers on August 4 in Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have argued for decades over jurisdiction of various undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border and there have been occasional skirmishes, with ownership of several ancient temples central to the disputes.
In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief gun battle, which led to a troop buildup and a diplomatic crisis.
The full-blown fighting erupted last week following Thai accusations that Cambodia had laid new landlines in the area that had maimed Thai soldiers. Phnom Penh rejects this.
