No ceasefire, says Thai PM as fighting with Cambodia spreads

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has restated Thailand’s rejection of a ceasefire with Cambodia, amidst calls from the international community for both Thailand and Cambodia to exercise restraint and to adhere to tenets of the joint declaration signed in Malaysia in late July.

“Thailand’s position remains the status quo. No ceasefire,” wrote the prime minister in his Facebook post today.

Border villages reclaimed

Thai troops raised the national flag in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages in Khok Sung district of the eastern province of Sa Kaeo, after they reclaimed full control of them, according to the ‘Army Military Force’ website.

The troops sang the national anthem while they raised the flag in Ban Nong Chan, after they succeeded in driving out Cambodian soldiers from the disputed village today.

At 4pm yesterday, the operations centre of the First Army Region reported that troops from the Burapha Task Force have taken partial control of Ban Klong Faeng in Ta Phraya district.

Army sources say that Thai troops will erect a new barbed-wire border fence in the villages, using a map of 1:50,000 scale.

Artillery fire in Trat

Exchange of artillery fire continued today in the border area of Trat province. Thai Marines, based in Ban Nong Ree, Muang district, fired artillery shells at three houses in Cambodia believed to be equipped with a jamming system for disrupting wireless communications.

Thai Marines yesterday reported that their shelling had destroyed an oil depot near the three houses.

Clashes intensifying in Northeast

Meanwhile, fierce fighting erupted on several fronts throughout today along the Thai-Cambodian border in northeastern provinces.

More than 5,000 BM-21 rockets and several suicide drones rained down on Thai army positions, particularly in Chong Bok and Chong An Ma in Ubon Ratchathani, Kiang Ta Mok in Si Sa Ket and Prasart Ta Kwai in Surin, according to the Second Army Region’s summary report on the fighting today.

The report claimed that 61 Cambodian soldiers were killed, with the number of injured not known, while four Thai soldiers died and 68 were injured. The Thai troops had retaliated against the Cambodian attacks proportionately and will take all necessary actions to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.