Thai acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai released a warning because the country remains locked in wild border clashes with Cambodia, saying that the conflict could “develop in war” if the tension continued to escalate. The next day, both sides exchanged a deadly fire and forced more than 130,000 people to run out of their homes and increase the concerns that Thailand’s standoff could develop into a full scale.
“We tried to compromise because we are neighbors, but now we have instructed the Thai army to act immediately in case of urgency,” said the reigning Prime Minister Wechayachai.
He added: “If the situation escalated, it could develop into a war, although it remains limited to clashes for now.”
The border dispute between Thai and Cambodia escalated on Thursday when both countries were involved in intensive combat with nozzles, artillery, tanks and ground units, while on Friday the UN Security Council is expected to perform an emergency meeting.
At least 15 people were injured, of which 14 civilians and a soldier were, while 46 were injured. More than 138,000 people were evacuated from the Thai border regions, reported by the Ministry of Health.
On Friday, the Thai army reported that Cambodian forces were shooting heavy weapons, field artillery and BM-21 missile systems and “with appropriate support fire”.
However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikornda Balankor later said AFP that the attack was released and that Thailand is ready for interviews with the help of Malaysia.
“We are ready if Cambodia wanted to solve this matter through diplomatic channels, bilaterally or even through Malaysia, we are ready for it. But we haven’t had any answer yet,” Nikorndej AFP said.
Malaysia is currently held by the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) of the regional block, whose members are Thailand and Cambodia.
In particular, Cambodia did not reveal the victims, but the report said that four soldiers and three civilians were treated in the Hospital in Zezdar Meanchey.
The ongoing clashes come almost 12 years after the UN decision in 2013 solved the problem with border disputes for more than ten years, but in May the current tension broke out when the Cambodian soldier was killed.
(Tagstotranslate) Thailand
