Hundreds of Thai troops and riot police entered Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey province on Wednesday, dispersing protesting villagers and leaving at least 28 Cambodians, including monks, injured.
The Thai forces reportedly began their attack just minutes after members of the ASEAN Interim Observer Team (IOT) had departed the area.
Cambodia has accused Thai forces of violating the spirit of the current ceasefire, as well as international law, following the incident, which took place in Prey Chan village, in O Chrov district’s O Beichoan commune.
According to the Ministry of National Defence, Thai forces employed tear gas, long-range acoustic devices, rubber bullets, and slingshots to disperse Cambodian villagers who were protesting peacefully, as well as some unarmed Cambodian soldiers who were observing the protest.
“The actions of the Thai forces are a serious violation of the spirit of the ceasefire and the principles agreed upon by both sides in all past GBC and RBC meetings,” said defence ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata.
“The enforcement of Thai martial law on Cambodian soil amounts to a grave breach of our sovereignty, as well as international law,” she added.
The clashes left 28 injured, some seriously, including monks.
Local residents, many of whom have lived on the land for generations, insisted their protest was driven by fears of losing their farmland to unilateral Thai military actions.
“In the face of the violent and illegal actions of the Thai side, the landowners and other citizens have jointly protested and responded peacefully. These actions stem from their concerns about the impact and threat of the Thai military’s unilateral use of force and intrusion on Cambodian territory and the legitimate assets that they have controlled and benefited from for many years,” said the ministry.
“Cambodian forces and authorities, who were not armed, were also present at the scene to protect the safety of our citizens by adhering strictly to the respect and implementation of the ceasefire, based on the peaceful, just and consistent resolution of all issues in accordance with international law,” it added.
The defence ministry described Thailand’s actions as not only contravening the July 28 ceasefire, but also the joint minutes of the Cambodian-Thai General Border Committee (GBC) special meeting held in Koh Kong on September 10, which explicitly required both sides to refrain from escalating tensions.
Cambodia reaffirmed its willingness to resolve disputes peacefully through the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Committee (JBC) under the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU 2000) on border demarcation.
The ministry also appealed for a “firm and consistent” respect of ASEAN-brokered agreements to prevent further clashes and noted that the government will continue to prioritise dialogue and the use of international law to settle border disputes.
The Malaysian-led ASEAN observer team returned to inspect the site of the clashes later the same evening.
As they continue to monitor the tense border situation, the ministry reiterated: peace and stability must not be undermined by unilateral actions that put both civilians and regional cooperation at risk.
