This morning, the Thai military fired 33 artillery shells into Ta Lei village, killing one civilian and injuring seven others, even as a meeting of the Secretariat of the General Border Committees (GBC) of Cambodia and Thailand began taking place at the Prum border checkpoint.
According to the Ministry of National Defence, shelling hit Ta Lei village, Kouk Romiet commune, Thma Puok district, Banteay Meanchey province, from 7am until just before 11am.
The Thai military fired 33 rounds of 155mm artillery, destroying and devastating the homes of Cambodian civilians in a manner described as “most brutal and inhumane”. The shelling resulted in the death of one innocent Cambodian civilian and injuries to seven others.
Concurrently, the meeting of the Secretariat of the General Border Committee (GBC) Cambodia-Thailand continued for its second day at the Prum-Phak Kat International Border Checkpoint in Pailin province, Cambodia, opposite Chanthaburi province, Thailand.
The ministry noted that on this second day, the meeting continued further discussions to push for a cessation of hostilities and to seek solutions to restore stability between the two countries, as well as a return to normalcy.
Correction: The Ministry of Interior retracted an earlier report that a civilian was killed by Thai shelling in Banteay Meanchey province’s Ta Lei village, today, December 25. An earlier statement said one person was killed and seven injured. The ministry urged all media outlets to correct the casualty figures to one injured.
