Following a Friday afternoon incident in which two Thais and one Khmer soldier were
wounded, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied that Thai soldiers patrolling near the ancient Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border provoked a gunfight with the Cambodian, but accused the Khmers of intruding into Thai territory.
The statement, issued Friday night, quoted Tharit Charungvat, director-general of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department saying that according to Thai military sources the exchange of gunfire which took place at about 3.45 pm erupted when a Thai military unit patrolling the border about one kilometre west of the temple encountered a Cambodian military unit.
The Thai soldiers said the Khmer troops had encroached about one kilometre into Thai territory.
Negotiations asking the Cambodian troops to withdraw as requested by the Thais failed, said the Thai foreign ministry statement.
"As the Thai military unit was moving out of the area to report to their commander, the Cambodian military unit opened fire at them," according to the Thai ministry statement. "The Thai side was therefore compelled to return fire," the statement noted. Two Thai and one Cambodian soldiers were wounded, according to the foreign ministry, which said the Khmer soldier's wound was in his hand.
The situation has now returned to normal and the Thai military had initiated higher-level contact with the Cambodian military, said the statement.
"The Cambodian side agreed to investigate the matter and reaffirmed that the incident would be contained without any further armed confrontation," it added.
The Cambodians affirmed that they would coordinate more closely with the Thais to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents.
Tensions between the two neighbours flared up in July after Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia, was awarded world heritage status by the UNESCO, angering Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the 11th century temple.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the surrounding land remains in dispute. (TNA)
The statement, issued Friday night, quoted Tharit Charungvat, director-general of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department saying that according to Thai military sources the exchange of gunfire which took place at about 3.45 pm erupted when a Thai military unit patrolling the border about one kilometre west of the temple encountered a Cambodian military unit.
The Thai soldiers said the Khmer troops had encroached about one kilometre into Thai territory.
Negotiations asking the Cambodian troops to withdraw as requested by the Thais failed, said the Thai foreign ministry statement.
"As the Thai military unit was moving out of the area to report to their commander, the Cambodian military unit opened fire at them," according to the Thai ministry statement. "The Thai side was therefore compelled to return fire," the statement noted. Two Thai and one Cambodian soldiers were wounded, according to the foreign ministry, which said the Khmer soldier's wound was in his hand.
The situation has now returned to normal and the Thai military had initiated higher-level contact with the Cambodian military, said the statement.
"The Cambodian side agreed to investigate the matter and reaffirmed that the incident would be contained without any further armed confrontation," it added.
The Cambodians affirmed that they would coordinate more closely with the Thais to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents.
Tensions between the two neighbours flared up in July after Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia, was awarded world heritage status by the UNESCO, angering Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the 11th century temple.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the surrounding land remains in dispute. (TNA)
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