26 Thai solders dead and 34 injured during April border clash

Updated Thai casualties number: 26 dead and 34 injured
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata



The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper quoted a Cambodian commander on the frontline in Veal Entry as saying that there were 26 Thai soldiers who died in the frontline, 34 were injured, and 275 went AWOL (Absent Without Leave). According to this commander, there were some discrepancies with the initial casualty number because recently Thai soldiers came to fetch their dead comrades in the fighting zones, therefore this number increases to 26.

This number does not include those soldiers who were injured and died in Thai hospitals yet. General Srey Doek, commander of Battalion 3, said that during the fight on that day, Thailand launched numerous rockets toward the Veal Entry zone, located at the foothill of Preah Vihear temple.

Srey Doek said that Thai troops truly wanted to damage Cambodian temple, a case in point is the deliberate destruction of the market located at the foothill of Preah Vihear temple. During the day of the clash, Thailand wanted to kill Cambodian villagers living in that market, however, it was sheer luck that these villagers left the area about one hour before the rocket shelling by Thailand.