Thai military fires warning shot into Cambodia after border security alarm was triggered

Thai troops, stationed at a border outpost in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province, fired a warning shot into Cambodia after a flare alarm was set off on Friday night.

The Second Army Region, which is responsible for overseeing security along the Thai-Cambodian border in the northeastern region, reported that, less than an hour after the flare alarm was triggered, a rocket explosion, believed to be a 40mm RPG round, was heard near the border at Phu Pha Lek. This prompted Thai troops to fire a warning shell into Cambodia in response to the unprovoked incident.

There was no further exchange of fire between the two sides, as the field commanders of the two countries rushed to diffuse the situation before it escalated.

Commenting on today’s incident, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul offered an assurance that the matter has been settled and there is nothing to worry about. He added, though, that the flare alarm installed by Thai troops would not have been triggered if Cambodian troops had not wandered too close to the Thai border.