Thailand launches fresh air strikes against Cambodia despite ‘peacemaker’ Trump’s mediation

Thailand launched fresh air strikes against Cambodia on Monday (Dec 8), the Thai army said, as both sides blamed each other for border clashes in which a Thai soldier was killed. This comes after US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim brokered a peace agreement between the two neighbours in October.

Earlier the same day, Thai Army spokesman Winthai Suvaree said in a statement that Cambodian troops fired on Thai forces in Ubon Ratchathani province, following which “the Army received reports that Thai soldiers were attacked with supporting fire weapons, resulting in one soldier killed and four wounded.” He added that Thailand had begun “using aircraft to strike military targets in several areas” to suppress attacks by Cambodian forces.

Cambodia’s defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata confirmed that attacks targeting their forces launched by Thai forces in the border provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey early Monday morning. She also accused Thailand of “firing multiple shots with tanks at Tamone Thom temple” and other areas near Preah Vihear temple. She added that Cambodia did not retaliate.

Cambodian spokesman for the Oddar Meanchey provincial administration, Met Measpheakdey, said that gunfire was reported in the areas of the centuries-old temples of Tamone Thom and Ta Krabei, adding that a “number of villagers who live near the border are fleeing to safety.”

Meanwhile, the Second Army Region of Thailand stated that about 35,000 people were evacuated from areas along the border since fresh clashes broke out. On Sunday (Dec 8), both sides reported brief fighting after which Thailand’s military said two soldiers were injured. The Thai army also accused Cambodia of firing BM-21 rockets towards civilian areas in Buri Ram province, although no casualties were reported.

Earlier this year, five days of military conflict erupted between the two neighbours, killing 43 people and displacing around 300,000 people. In October this year, Trump co-signed a joint declaration between Thailand and Cambodia with China and Malaysia at the ASEAN summit. However, the truce was broken last month when several Thai soldiers were wounded following a landmine blast.