Following a surge in troops on the opposing side, Thailand has increased its military presence at a disputed border with Cambodia, the country’s defense minister announced on Saturday.
Since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief battle in an unmarked border area on May 28, tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations have been building.
The two governments of Southeast Asia have been exchanging well-crafted declarations pledging to engage in discussion for days.
However, Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand’s deputy prime minister, claimed that during Thursday’s bilateral talks, Cambodia had turned down offers that would have resulted in a de-escalation.
In a statement, Phumtham stated, “In addition, the military presence has been reinforced, which has increased tensions along the border.”
“Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it necessary to implement additional measures and to reinforce our military posture accordingly.”
He gave no information about the size of either side’s reinforcements. The Thai army claimed in a separate statement on Saturday that both citizens and soldiers from Cambodia had regularly invaded Thai territory.
According to the Thailand army, “these provocations, and the buildup of military forces, indicate a clear intent to use force,” and it would seize control of every Thai checkpoint along the Cambodian border.
Questions on the Thai army’s announcement were not immediately answered by a spokesman for Cambodia’s foreign ministry.
“This is our stance, not to initiate conflict, but to defend ourselves,” Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia stated during a speech on Saturday.
Respect for international legal systems are our driving values. “These well-founded tactics are essential to protecting our country’s sovereignty,” he stated, adding that its military was prepared to repel any aggression.
The military reinforcements come despite efforts by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is the current chair of the Southeast Asian ASEAN bloc, and China to reduce tensions.
The 817-kilometer (508-mile) land border between Thailand and Cambodia has been the subject of sovereignty disputes at several unmarked locations for over a century. France first surveyed the border in 1907, when Cambodia was a French possession.
An 11th-century Hindu temple caused tensions to rise in 2008, which resulted in years of fighting and at least a dozen fatalities, culminating during a week-long artillery exchange in 2011.
Nonetheless, the current administrations in both nations have had cordial relations. Former leaders Hun Sen of Cambodia and Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand had a tight relationship, and the current prime ministers of both nations are Hun Sen’s son and Thaksin’s daughter.
This week, Cambodia requested cooperation from Thailand and announced that it would refer disputes pertaining to four sections of the border to the International Court of Justice.
In his remarks on Saturday, Phumtham reaffirmed that Thailand does not acknowledge the court’s jurisdiction and suggested that all matters pertaining to boundaries be settled through bilateral talks.
Source: Reuters and other media outlets
