Thai, Cambodian forces clash as escalating border dispute leaves 11 dead

Eds Adds details updates death toll Jul 24 AP The toll in the border clash between Thailand and Cambodia has surged to 11 news agency AP reportedThai and Cambodian soldiers clashed in several areas along the border of their countries on Thursday in a major escalation of their conflict Most of the victims are civilians The two sides fired small arms artillery and rockets and Thailand also called in airstrikesVideos have emerged of Thai villagers fleeing their homes to seek shelter as the clashes began in the morning AP reportedFighting was ongoing in at least six areas along the border Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said The trigger for the clashes was a mine explosion along the border on Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers and led Bangkok to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia and expel Cambodias AP reportedThailand has also sealed all land border crossings while urging its citizens to leave CambodiaThe Southeast Asian neighbours have longstanding border disputes that periodically flare along their 800kilometre500milefrontier and usually result in brief confrontations that sometimes involves exchanges of gunfireHowever relations have deteriorated sharply since a confrontation in May that killed a Cambodian soldier and Thursdays clashes were far bigger in scale and intensity than usualBoth sides indulge in allegations and counterallegationsThe first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Thailands Surin province and Cambodias Oddar Meanchey provinceA video from the Thai side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker as explosions soundedThe Thai army said its forces heard a drone before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thai military positions at the border It also claimed that Thai soldiers tried to shout at them to defuse the situation but the Cambodian side started to open fireCambodias Defense Ministry however said Thailand deployed a drone first before opening fire and that Cambodia ldquoacted strictly within the bounds of selfdefense responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrityrdquoCambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote to the United Nations Security Council asking for an urgent meeting ldquoto stop Thailands aggressionrdquoThe Thai army said it later launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia while the Cambodian Defence Ministry said the Thai jets dropped bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple which has been the site of some of the most prominent and violent past conflicts between the countriesThailands Foreign Ministry accused Cambodia of attacking both military and nonmilitary sites in Thailand including a hospitalldquoThe Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our selfdefence measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailands sovereignty in accordance with international law and principlesrdquo said Nikorndej Balankura the ministrys spokespersonActing Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said of the 11 casualties one is a soldier Meanwhile 28 have also been injured four of whom were soldiersCambodia has not revealed the details of casualties or injuries on its sideRelations deteriorated even before the clashesOn Wednesday Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian ambassador to protest the mine blast that wounded its soldiersThai authorities alleged the mines were newly laid along paths that both sides had agreed were supposed to be safe They said the mines were Russianmade and not of a type employed by Thailands militaryCambodia rejected Thailands account as ldquobaseless accusationsrdquo pointing out that many unexploded mines and other ordnance are a legacy of 20th century wars and unrestCambodia also downgraded diplomatic relations recalling all Cambodian staff on Thursday from its embassy in BangkokThe border dispute in May that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier has had political fallout in Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra came under fire for being too fawning in a phone call with her Cambodian counterpart when she tried to defuse the situation She has since been suspended from office pending an investigation into possible ethics violations over the matter