Cambodia rejects Thai accusation of triggering clashes at border area

Xinhua
24 April 2011

PHNOM PENH, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Sunday rejected the accusation of Thai diplomatic notes that Cambodia triggered the unprovoked deadly clashes on Friday and Saturday at the disputed border area in Oddar Meanchey province.

The Thai diplomatic notes and a statement were sent to Cambodia on April 22-23, claiming that Cambodia started unprovoked armed attacks on Thailand on April 22-23.

"Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically rejects the above slanderous and false allegation which is aimed at misleading the public opinion," said Cambodian foreign ministry's statement.

"The allegation contained in the above document is only intended to masquerade the deliberate act of aggression against Cambodia, which started in the early hours of April 22, 23, and 24. "

The statement said that even at 9:40 a.m. on Sunday, Thai armed forces launched a fierce armed offensive on Cambodian territory at Thmor Daun area, with the support of thousands of rounds of heavy gunfire.

Concurrently, Thai armed forces fired hundreds of heavy weapons into the heavily populated village of Kork Morn area in Banteay Ampil district of Oddar Meanchey province, forcing thousands of villagers to flee their homes, said the statement.

Five minutes later at 9:45 a.m., Thai forces pounded the area of Tamon temple with heavy gunfire, before Thai infantry forces pushed ahead with fierce attack in a bid to take control over the Tamon temple of Cambodia, it added.

The latest three-day clashes occurred at the 13th century Ta Moan and Ta Krabei temples in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which stands at Cambodia's border with Thailand's Surin province.

Cambodia reported none of its soldiers were killed or injured in Sunday's fighting, but in the armed clashes on April 22-23, six Cambodian soldiers were killed and 16 others injured.

While on the Thai side, four soldiers were dead and 17 others injured, according to the report from Bangkok.

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated.

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. But Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 sq km of scrub next to the temple. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand had a border conflict, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in deaths on both sides.