Cambodia, Nov 13: Hundreds of Cambodian villagers were evacuated Thursday from a disputed border area with Thailand following renewed clashes that left one person dead and three wounded, heightening fears of another major confrontation between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
Officials said fighting erupted Wednesday near Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey province, killing a Cambodian resident identified as Dy Nai. The violence came just days after a Thai soldier lost a foot to a landmine, prompting Bangkok to accuse Phnom Penh of violating the ceasefire agreement and to suspend cooperation under the pact.
“Approximately 250 families from the affected village have been moved to a Buddhist temple about 30 kilometers from the border,” said Ly Sovannarith, vice governor of Banteay Meanchey.
The Cambodian Defense Ministry deployed members of a border-monitoring mission that included representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to assess the situation.
Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday demanded an independent probe into the shooting, accusing Thai forces of provocation. “Thai troops engaged in numerous provocative actions intended to instigate confrontation,” he said, while pledging that Cambodia would continue to honour the ceasefire’s terms.
Thailand’s military disputed those claims, asserting that its forces acted defensively. “Cambodia’s firing from a civilian area constitutes using human shields and violates humanitarian principles,” said Thai army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree. “Our troops only responded with warning shots.”
The confrontation follows months of tension over disputed border demarcations that date back to a 1907 colonial map drawn when Cambodia was under French rule — a map Thailand argues is inaccurate.
Though the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple area to Cambodia in 1962, resentment still lingers among many Thais. In late July, the dispute escalated into five days of armed clashes that killed dozens on both sides.
The truce signed in October aimed to restore calm but left unresolved questions about the contested boundary. Thailand’s decision to suspend its implementation this week has again put the fragile peace at risk.
