Thai-Cambodia border tensions escalate, at least one dead

BANGKOK: At least one person was killed in Cambodia amid a flare-up of conflict with Thailand on Wednesday as the neighbours accused each other of opening fire along a disputed part of their border, threatening a U.S.-brokered truce.

AI Brief

Thailand accuses Cambodia of laying new landmines and suspends a recent ceasefire agreement.
Border clash near disputed village leaves one dead and three wounded, while both sides blame each other.
Tensions follow July clashes that killed 48 and displaced 300,000 amid century-old border dispute.

Earlier on Wednesday Thailand's foreign ministry said it had demanded an apology from Cambodia after accusing it of laying fresh landmines that maimed a Thai soldier on Monday.

On Tuesday, Thailand said it was suspending an enhanced ceasefire agreement that the two nations signed last month in the presence of President Donald Trump.

Cambodia denies the charge that it has laid new mines and has urged Thailand to adhere to the October deal, which built on an initial ceasefire negotiated by Trump to end five days of fighting in July.

FIRING NEAR DISPUTED BORDER VILLAGE

Cambodia's Defence Ministry said Thai troops opened fire near a disputed border village at around 3:50 p.m. local time (0850 GMT) on Wednesday.

One person was killed and three wounded, the ministry said in a statement.

Thai Army spokesman Major General Winthai Suvaree said Cambodian soldiers initially fired shots into Thailand.

"Thai forces took cover and fired warning shots in response, following rules of engagement," he said, adding that there were no casualties on the Thai side. "The incident lasted about 10 minutes before calm was restored."

The disputed frontier settlement, which Thailand says is part of its Ban Nong Ya Kaew village in Sa Kaeo province, but which Cambodia says is part of Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey province, has been the site of previous confrontations.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told reporters on Wednesday that Thailand was calling for an apology from Cambodia for Monday's landmine incident.

"We asked them to find the facts on what happened and who is accountable, and with it, asked them to put in place measures to prevent the future recurrence of the situation."

A Cambodian government spokesman declined to comment on Thailand's demands.

At least 48 people were killed and an estimated 300,000 temporarily displaced during the July clashes, which saw the exchange of rocket fire, heavy artillery and airstrikes.

Landmine blasts along disputed frontier areas were among the catalysts behind the border clashes, with at least seven Thai soldiers severely injured in as many mine-related incidents since July 16.

Some of these mines were likely newly laid, Reuters reported in October, based on expert analysis of material shared by Thailand's military.

The Southeast Asian neighbours have contested sovereignty for more than a century over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, first mapped in 1907 by France when it ruled Cambodia as a colony.