Thai acting PM says Cambodia clashes ‘could develop into war’
Thailand’s acting prime minister warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia “could develop into war” amid the second day of trading strikes.
Phumtham Wechayachai, cited by AFP, told reporters in Bangkok:
If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.
He also said the exchanges had affected people’s lives and that the government had “protected our nation and sovereignty”.
Key events
What exactly is the Cambodia-Thailand dispute about, what’s the political situation in the two countries and how could the escalating clash affect them? Also, how can the crisis be resolved?
See our explainer here for the answers:
Here are some of the latest images coming in from Thailand and Cambodia over the newswires amid the continuing cross-border clashes.
A Cambodian civilian has been killed and five more wounded in cross-border strikes by Thailand, a Cambodian provincial administration official has told AFP.
Cambodia had earlier not yet commented on casualties on its side.
Meth Meas Pheakdey, the spokesperson for the border province of Oddar Meanchey, said on Friday that “so far one civilian was killed and five people were injured during fighting” in the jurisdiction, adding that the death was a 70-year-old man.
Thailand says 138,000 civilians evacuated from clashes
Thailand is saying 138,000 civilians have now been evacuated from the continuing border fighting with Cambodia, AFP reports.
Earlier on Friday it put the number at just over 100,000.
The Thai ministry of health said in a statement that 138,013 civilians and 428 hospital patients had been evacuated from the border region since clashes began on Thursday.
The clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have taken place in 12 locations along their disputed border, a Thai military official said on Friday, indicating a broadening of the conflict that erupted a day earlier.
R Adm Surasant Kongsiri, a military spokesperson, told a press conference Cambodia had continued to use heavy weapons, Reuters reported.
The Thai military on Thursday had reported clashes in six locations.
Thai acting PM says Cambodia clashes ‘could develop into war’
Thailand’s acting prime minister warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia “could develop into war” amid the second day of trading strikes.
Phumtham Wechayachai, cited by AFP, told reporters in Bangkok:
If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.
He also said the exchanges had affected people’s lives and that the government had “protected our nation and sovereignty”.
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the clashes along the border of Thailand and Cambodia.
Thailand’s military has accused Cambodia of using of long-range weapons to “target civilian areas” and of committing “barbaric acts” that “have senselessly claimed the lives and inflicted injuries upon numerous innocent civilians” as the two countries exchange fire for a second day.
Phnom Penh’s landmine authority has, meanwhile, accused Thailand of using cluster munitions, calling it a “serious violation of humanitarian norms”.
Thai authorities say 15 people have so far been killed, including 14 civilians, while a Cambodian official said one civilian had been killed, although the Cambodian government has yet to give any official update on casualties.
The long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday after weeks of tensions. More than 100,000 Thais have fled the fighting, Bangkok said on Friday.
We’ll bring you more on that soonest. In other developments:
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The UN security council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday over the Cambodia-Thailand border clashes, diplomatic sources told AFP. The meeting, requested by Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet, would be held behind closed doors at 3pm (1900 GMT), the sources said.
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Britain’s foreign ministry advised against all but essential travel to parts of Cambodia and Thailand, both popular destinations for foreign tourists, after the fighting.
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Fighting was focused on six locations, the Thai army said on Thursday. Six Thai air force jets were deployed, hitting two “Cambodian military targets on the ground”, according to Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon.
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Cambodia has not yet commented on casualties on its side. Defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata refused to answer when asked about the issue at a news conference.
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Both sides blame the other for starting the fighting. On Wednesday, Thailand had expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine.
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Cambodia downgraded ties to “the lowest level” on Thursday, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh.
