Japan has expressed its opposition to escalating actions and urged Thailand and Cambodia to observe the ceasefire agreement, exercise maximum restraint and seek a peaceful resolution through dialogue, following the spirit of the Joint Declaration of October 26. Japanese foreign ministry press secretary Kitamura Toshihiro explained Japanese concerns in a statement released this afternoon, December 8, as tensions mount with the Thai military expanding military action from Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces to Banteay Meanchey. “The Government of Japan expresses deep concern over the situation where tensions between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand are growing…
Author: Niem Chheng
The Thai military has reportedly destroyed the conservation building of the Preah Vihear Temple’s Gopura V Conservation and Restoration Project, a Cambodia-India cooperation project, along with other conservation infrastructure in the temple area, according to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. The ministry issued a statement, saying that the Thai military had opened fire in and around the temple sites at approximately 7am, after they had attacked Cambodian territory in the An Ses area, and at Ta Mone Thom Temple and other locations along the border, with heavy weapons from 5am. According to the ministry, since Preah Vihear Temple…
Senate president Hun Sen has released several photos and a video clip of Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul appearing to join friendly social occasions with Cambodian officials, including Ban Sreymom, the governor of Pailin province. Along with the photos, he wrote: “I never imagined that Thai Prime Minister Anutin, for the sake of votes in the upcoming election, would dare to risk the lives of soldiers and citizens by declaring war on Cambodia, especially when the Cambodian army has not yet retaliated. “When he wasn’t prime minister, he was a friend, but upon becoming prime minister, he forgot that friendship.…
This afternoon of December 8, Thai troops launched an attack on the Cambodian villages of Prey Chan and Chouk Chey, in O Beichoan commune, Ou ‘Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province, expanding on earlier attacks in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, vehemently condemned the Thai military forces for expanding the scope of their attack into Banteay Meanchey province and for indiscriminately firing heavy and small arms at civilian populations. She said that shooting occurred at 1.36pm, after armed clashes in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces began at 5am. “The defence ministry…
The Ministry of National Defence has issued a timeline of Thai military strikes on Cambodia today, December 8, starting from around 5am. Thai forces carried out attacks in the areas of An Seh, Ta Mone Thom Temple, the Preah Vihear Temple region, 5 Makara, Chamkar Chek, Mum Bei, Phnom Kmoch, Koul 8, Ta Krabei Temple and Prasat Knar. The attacks followed shots fired by Thai troops yesterday afternoon at 2:15pm. Below is the December 8 timeline supplied by the defence ministry 04:00: Two heavy Thai military trucks transport troops from Phnom Rung to the front of the An Seh area.…
ASEAN chair Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, expressed his concerns over reported breaches of the ceasefire and joint peace declaration between Cambodia and Thailand with the latest armed clashes along the borders on December 7 and today, December 8. “I am deeply concerned by reports of armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces along their common border. I offer my condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured. The renewed fighting risks unravelling the careful work that has gone into stabilising relations between the two neighbours,” he posted on social media. “Thailand and Cambodia are…
Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Senate, has instructed all frontline forces to continue to exercise patience, as the “invaders” have been using all types of weapons to shell Cambodia since yesterday, last night and again this morning. However, he emphasised that a red line has already been drawn. In a Facebook post this morning, December 8, he stated that Thailand had shelled Cambodia with the intention of provoking Cambodia to retaliate, which would destroy the ceasefire and the Cambodia-Thailand peace declaration. “The red line for retaliation has been set. All levels of commanders should educate all officers and soldiers…
Vitit Muntarbhorn, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, resigned from the position due to “health reasons” some two weeks ago, following widespread criticisms over his inaction on the situation of human rights at the Cambodian-Thailand border. “I regret very much to inform you that, due to health reasons, I resign from my position as Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Cambodia. My resignation is effective with this letter of resignation,” he wrote in a letter to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. The letter, seen by The Post on December 6, was dated November…
From around 5am this morning, December 8, Thai armed forces opened fire on Cambodian military positions in the An Seh area of Preah Vihear province. Later, Thai armoured vehicles fired at the Ta Moan Templle, according to Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence. She added that shots were also fired at the Preah Vihear temple area, as well as the January 5 and Chamkar Chek areas. The attacks were described by the spokesperson as the latest of several provocative Thai activities, including yesterday’s gunfire, all seemingly carries out with “with the intention of instigating a clash”. “Based…
At approximately 2.15pm today, December 7, the Thai military opened fire on Cambodian forces at Prolean Thma, in Choam Ksant District, Preah Vihear Province. According to Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, Thai soldiers used small arms, B-40 rocket-propelled grenades, and 60mm mortars during the incident. The shooting ceased at 2.32pm. Cambodian forces did not return fire but immediately contacted the Thais to demand they cease firing, according to the spokesperson. “During the incident, Cambodian forces did not retaliate and are continuing to monitor developments with caution. Cambodia has notified the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) about the…