The escalation of military exchanges could lead to a 'state
of war', Thailand's acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai says.
At least 14 people have been killed in Thailand and another
in Cambodia in fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops, authorities say, as
more than 120,000 people living along both sides of their border flee the
ongoing violence.
Deadly fighting continued for a second day on Friday as both
countries traded heavy artillery and rocket fire in the bloodiest military
confrontation between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in more than a decade.
"The situation has intensified and could escalate into
a state of war," acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told
reporters.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said he had backed a
ceasefire proposal put forward by his Malaysian counterpart and chairperson of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Anwar Ibrahim, but added
that Thailand withdrew its backing of the plan after initially agreeing to it.
In a Facebook post, Hun Manet described Thailand's decision
as "regrettable."
"The key to resolving the current armed conflict
between Thailand and Cambodia is the genuine willingness of the Thai side to
accept a ceasefire," Hun Manet said.
Thailand's foreign ministry said later that it agreed in
principle with the Malaysian proposal for a ceasefire and will consider the
plan, but that it must be based on "appropriate on-the-ground
conditions."
"It must be stated that throughout the day, Cambodian
forces have continued their indiscriminate attacks on Thai territory," the
ministry said in a post on X. "Cambodia's actions demonstrate a lack of
good faith and continue to place civilians in danger."
Speaking to GLOBALY.ORG earlier on Friday, a spokesman for
the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikorndej Balankura, said that while
Thailand insists it has the tools to resolve the issue bilaterally, it has not
ruled out future mediation by regional partners.
"Our doors have always been open to talks. ... We are
still waiting for positive reactions from the Cambodian side," Nikorndej
said.
On possible third-party mediation, he added: "It's a
bit too premature for me right now to say that we are ready for any mediation,
... but if we are going to talk about anyone to step in and help, countries in
ASEAN ... would be best suited."
A Thai military official said on Friday that attacks have
been reported in 12 locations along the disputed border, up from six a day
earlier, indicating a widening of the fighting.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a military spokesperson,
said during a news conference that Cambodia had continued to use heavy weapons.
Meanwhile, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health reported at
least 13 civilians and one soldier were killed in Thailand when fighting broke
out on Thursday.
A local official in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey border
province told the Reuters news agency that one person was killed and five
wounded in Thai attacks.
More than 120,000 displaced
Quoting officials in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, the
Khmer Times newspaper said about 20,000 residents have evacuated from the
country's northern border with Thailand.
Meanwhile, Thailand has moved 100,672 people from four
provinces bordering Cambodia to shelters, Thailand's Ministry of Interior was
cited as saying by the AFP news agency. It has also opened more than 300
evacuation centers, according to officials.
Thailand also declared martial law on Friday in eight
districts along the border, effective immediately.
"It is very hard to see how many people are here in the
evacuation center ... because there are people arriving all the time," he
said.
Thai authorities said they are meeting the immediate needs
of those seeking refuge by providing food, water, and medical care at the
temporary shelters. However, local accounts painted a grim picture.
"Some of the older people that we have talked to said
what they have seen in the last 48 hours – the fighting they've seen – has been
the fiercest in this disputed area since the late 1970s when the Khmer Rouge
had complete control of the other side of the border," Cheng reported.
The violence, centered around a contested section of the
Thai-Cambodian border, has prompted calls for calm from regional actors.
"People are trying to talk down both sides, urging leaders to
de-escalate," Cheng added.
UN to hold emergency meeting
Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United Nations Security
Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the border
fighting.
On Thursday, Thailand said it scrambled an F-16 fighter jet
to bomb targets in Cambodia, whose military said its forces launched long-range
rockets towards civilian areas along the Thai border.
Both countries have blamed each other for starting the
fighting.
The United States, a longtime treaty ally of Thailand, has
called for an immediate end to the hostilities.
China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was deeply
concerned about the conflict and hoped both countries "will properly solve
their dispute through dialogue and consultation."
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing is ready to
play a constructive role in helping de-escalate tensions.
"The root cause of this issue lies in the lingering
consequences left by Western colonialists in the past, and it now needs to be
faced calmly and handled properly," he said during a meeting with ASEAN
Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Beijing, according to a statement from the
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The territorial dispute between the two neighbors largely
stems from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule, which was used to
demarcate Cambodia's boundary with Thailand.
Cambodia uses the map to support its claims while Thailand
argues that the map is inaccurate.
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