Thai And Cambodian Troops Clash Again

[Lite Beer]

Fresh clash at Thai-Cambodian border: officials

by Janesara Fugal.

PRASAT, April 24, 2011 (AFP) - Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged

heavy weapons fire for the third straight day on Sunday, officials

from both countries said, after clashes on their joint border left 10

dead.

Thousands of civilians have fled both sides of the disputed jungle

frontier because of the fighting, which shattered a tense two-month

lull in hostilities.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire and said

the neighbours should launch "serious dialogue" to resolve the

dispute, according to a spokesman on Saturday.

Thai villagers sheltering in makeshift tents in Prasat district, Surin

province, told how they raced from their homes in fear when clashes

began in the neighbouring border district of Phanom Dong Rak on

Friday.

"First I thought it was a military exercise, but when a shell fell

next to my house, I knew I had to run away," said Somjai Lengtamdee

from Baan Khaotoh village.

"I was so worried about my three children. We were separated and it

took me all day to locate them all. I still don't feel safe here at

the camp. I can only hope that the war ends soon. I'm so scared,"

added the 37-year-old.

Somdee Suebnisai, a local administrative officer for Phanom Dong Rak

said there were 16 camps in the area providing refuge to more than

18,000 people and the number was expected to rise to 20,000 by Sunday

evening.

Heavy shelling was fully audible 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the

fighting on the Cambodian side early Sunday, according to an AFP

photographer, as those evacuated from their homes took refuge in

schools and temples away from the clash.

Six Cambodian troops and four Thai soldiers have been killed since

fighting restarted on Friday.

Both countries have accused each other of sparking the violence, which

is the first serious outbreak of fighting since February, when 10

people were killed in clashes near the 900-year-old Hindu temple Preah

Vihear.

The latest clashes have taken place near a different group of temples

more than 100 kilometres away from Preah Vihear.

A statement from Cambodia's ministry of defence accused Thai forces of

firing hundreds of heavy weapons into civilian areas and attempting to

occupy the Ta Moeung temple in the area.

Thai military officials gave a special television address Sunday

afternoon to rebut the claims and argue that Cambodia had fired first

after trying to "seize" temples at the site.

"We have responded with machine guns and artillery, not gas or an

invasion of Cambodian airspace," said Thai army spokesman Sunsern

Kaewkumnerd, responding to earlier Cambodian claims that Thailand used

"poisonous gas" and flew aircraft "deep into Cambodia's airspace".

Thailand recently admitted using controversial Dual Purpose Improved

Conventional Munitions, designed to burst into bomblets, during the

February fighting but insisted it did not classify them as cluster

munitions.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand was willing to hold

bilateral talks and accused Cambodia of trying to "internationalise"

the conflict.

Phnom Penh has asked for outside mediation to help end the standoff,

but Thailand opposes third-party intervention.

The two countries agreed in late February to allow Indonesian

observers in the area near Preah Vihear, but the Thai military has

since said they are not welcome and they have yet to be deployed.

Indonesia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, has called for an immediate end

to the violence.

Ties between the neighbours have been strained since Preah Vihear --

the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside

Cambodia's Angkor -- was granted UN World Heritage status in July

2008.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia,

but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8

square mile) surrounding area.

THAILAND-CAMBODIA-CONFLICT - 04/24/2011 14:45 - AFP

--

Service: World News (ASI)

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2022-04-24

[elcent]

Thailand has strongly rejected accusations that it used chemical weapons against Cambodian troops in a clash that killed 10 soldiers and forced thousands of civilians from their homes.

Earlier, a statement Cambodian Defense Ministry had accused Thailand of firing 75 and 105 mm shells "loaded with poisonous gas" into Cambodian territory.

A Cambodian field commander said that Thailand used both cluster shells, anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries and artillery shells that gave off a debilitating gas.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=773405&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Edited April 24, 2011 by metisdead
Edited for fair use.

[coma]

I really cannot see why the Thais, or any country in the same situation, would go to using gas in a border clash. Too small an AO to be dumping gas munitions in. And a real good way to becoming a ' world vilan ' .

[rubl]

I really cannot see why the Thais, or any country in the same situation, would go to using gas in a border clash. Too small an AO to be dumping gas munitions in. And a real good way to becoming a ' world vilan ' .

Thailand has signed and ratified the "Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)" which is about the prohibition of use and production of chemical weapons, as well as the destruction of all chemical weapons. Thailand is not listed under the countries still having stockpiles of chemical weapons (no idea if they ever had, maybe the USA had some stored here during the Vietnam War times).

Of course the smoke from exploding grenades is chemical and may cause respiratory problems. Mind you if you stand that close that would probably be the least of your worries

Edited April 24, 2011 by rubl

[JAG]

They may be using smoke rounds to blind Cambodian Observation Posts. The shells burst in the air, and chuck out several small canisters which lie on the ground spewing out smoke. The stuff is not a chemical weapon per se, but you don't really want to breathe it in!

[rubl]

They may be using smoke rounds to blind Cambodian Observation Posts. The shells burst in the air, and chuck out several small canisters which lie on the ground spewing out smoke. The stuff is not a chemical weapon per se, but you don't really want to breathe it in!

Smoke grenades are still used regularly at military exercises worldwide as are teargas grenades. Without a gas-mask really awful as I remember.

Apart from the real border clash we also have a propaganda clash. The other side is the villain. Describing smoke grenades as 'chemical weapons' would be part of that

[ChristopherBrown]

Interesting topic, very useful to have all the stories aggregated like this. I'm an expat based in Cambodia for eight years now and just wanted to point out some of the inaccuracies in some of the previous posts:

Such a tragic shame that this is happening in Surin, where 70% of the population is made up of the ancient Khmers residing on land the Thais colonized...

Here! Here!

The land belongs to the Khmer people, not the Cambodians or the Thais. Similar situation to Wales in the UK. The people of this area speak Khmer, and not Cambodian or Thai as a mother tongue. Cambodian is only 20% similar in language to Khmer. I say that Thailand and Cambodia should give all the lands back to the Khmer people.

Khmer and Cambodian are not different things, they are one and the same and are interchangeable. 95% of the population of Cambodia identify themselves as Khmer, the remaining 5% are Vietnamese, Chinese and smaller numbers of Europeans. Khmer is the language of the country and spoken by all of the 95% who are Cambodian and also my most of the 5% who are not. The Khmer language is also spoken in parts of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. Although Thai Khmer speakers have their own distinct dialect called 'Northern Khmer', both sides can understand each other, think of it like a Texan speaking with a Scot, they are speaking the same language and can understand each other, but may struggle with the accent and colloquialisms.

As for Hun Sen, love him or hate him, he's been democratically elected by a landslide. The last two elections were generally considered to be free and fair. The media especially TV is biased towards the government in it's coverage, but no one believes for a second that if the opposition parties had fair access to the media that they would actually win an election. Both the Royals and Sam Rainsy are a shambles.

Also no one except lunatics at ki-media.com think Hun Manet is being groomed as a successor to Hun Sen, this isn't some North Korea type state where power can just be transfered. For it to happen Hun Manet would need to become the head of CPP (Cambodian Peoples Party) and win an election. If anything were to happen to Hun Sen or if he were to step down, the likely candidates to succeed him would be Sar Kheng or Sok An, both of whom are deputy prime ministers and very influential in their own right.

Hun Manet is a West Point graduate and has a PHD in economics from Bristol University. By all accounts he's a very clever cookie and is no doubt being bumped up through the ranks because he's trusted and his thinking isn't stuck in the guerrilla warfare of the 70's and 80's that the rest of the Cambodian top brass are so familiar with.

Shows pretty good how Cambodians think.

Give back all the Land to Khmer people while Cambodia identity's itself as Khmer. So simply give all the provinces to Cambodia and the great old Khmer empire lives again. Thats there dream and thats what many Cambodians hope for.

You can find maps and statements where absolutely good educated Cambodians and even Cambodians living century's in US demand that all provinces that Thailand has colonized are given back.

I live and work with Cambodians and I can assure you that despite what Thai media may try saying to the contrary, this is not what most Cambodians think. I've never heard once anyone suggest that the Khmer speaking provinces of Thailand be returned to Cambodia, but they feel very stronly that Thailand shouldn't be allowed to take any more land. Cambodia is a country being rebuilt from the ground up, it's developing rapidly and clearly growing in confidence and their cutural identity is a big part of that effort. No one here wants war, if ever there was a people who know the cost of war and conflict, it's the Khmer's, but at the same time Angkor and their history is key to their cultural identity and there is no way they are just going to hand these temples over without a fierce and bloody fight.

[Buchholz]

Also no one except lunatics at ki-media.com think Hun Manet is being groomed as a successor to Hun Sen, this isn't some North Korea type state where power can just be transfered. For it to happen Hun Manet would need to become the head of CPP (Cambodian Peoples Party) and win an election. If anything were to happen to Hun Sen or if he were to step down, the likely candidates to succeed him would be Sar Kheng or Sok An, both of whom are deputy prime ministers and very influential in their own right.

From the presumed non-lunatics at Radio Free Asia...

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has made his fast-rising son a two-star general amid pressure to reform the country's tainted military. Hun Manet was appointed deputy infantry commander-in-chief in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). He currently serves as deputy chief of his father’s bodyguard unit as well as head of the anti-terrorist unit at Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense.

A key challenge facing Hun Manet is reforming the Cambodian military, which has been accused of human rights abuses by various organizations and the U.S. State Department. Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division at Human Rights Watch in Bangkok, said Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit itself was involved in rights abuses and that Hun Manet faces an enormous challenge in any bid to clean up the military's tarnished image.

Outspoken Cambodian opposition MP Mu Sochua said she feels the appointment is temporary and a stepping stone for a "higher position," adding that Hun Manet might not seriously consider restructuring the infantry. According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, "Cambodian military personnel are not held accountable for serious rights violations. Instead, Hun Sen has promoted military officers implicated in torture, extrajudicial killings, and political violence," the rights group charged on its website last year. Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia nearly uncontested for the past 25 years and said last year that he plans to serve as prime minister for at least 15 more years.

Continues:

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/promotion-01042011160213.html?searchterm=None

Radio Free Asia / 2011-01-04

============================================================================

Hun Sen family involvement

Graphic: RFA

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/promotion-01042011160213.html?searchterm=None

============================================================================

There's additional information regarding Hun Manet in the thread:

Hun Sen's Eldest Son A Key Man In Thailand-Cambodia Border Fight

.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Buchholz

[citizen33]

On the alleged use of cluster bombs, it looks highly likely that the Thai military has used the so-called dual-purpose munitions that most authorities include under that category.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12983127

[rubl]

On the alleged use of cluster bombs, it looks highly likely that the Thai military has used the so-called dual-purpose munitions that most authorities include under that category.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12983127

True, and a week or two ago also finally acknowledged. What we do not know is if this time round the same munitions have been used. That last time (i.e begin of this month) the RTA drew quiet a bit of flack

[mrparanoid]

Thai - Cambodian Situation

- Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand regarding the unprovoked armed attacks by Cambodian troops on 23 April 2011

With regard to the unprovoked armed attacks on 23 April 2011 by Cambodian troops on Thai soldiers and civilians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand wishes to state the following facts:

1. From 06.15 – 07.30 hours, the Cambodian side started firing heavy weapons and artilleries including mortars, recoilless rifles and rocket propelled grenades into the area of Ta Kwai along the border towards Ta Muen Temples, situated in Surin Province, Thailand.

2. At 07.50 hours, the Cambodian side deployed its military force into the area of Ta Muen Temples and fired the BM 21 field rockets into the area of civilian residences in villages of Nongkunna, Phanom Dongrak and Phanom Dongrak hospital, resulting in the death of 1 Thai soldier, injury of many Thai soldiers, and evacuation of more than 16,000 civilians.

3. Consequently, the use of heavy weapons by the Cambodian side into the Thai territory left Thailand with no choice, but to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the unprovoked attacks by the Cambodian forces by using proportionate means with necessity, proportionality under the international law and strictly directed at only military targets. The exchanges of gunfire lasted until 11.00 hours today.

4. Thailand strongly condemns the firing of heavy weapons at innocent Thai civilians, especially in the area of a hospital and local residences. Thailand wishes to protest in the strongest terms the repeated armed attacks of Cambodia which is a blatant and clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Thailand will not tolerate recurrence of such unlawful and indiscriminate attacks.

********************

23 April 2011

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand

Who does he think he is kidding? Unprovoked attacks? How do they explain the interview with the Thai widow explaining she talked to her husband the day BEFORE the first skirmish, and he said "..tomorrow there will be fighting" , "I'm worried" , "Take care of the children if something happens to me" ? A few hours later he was dead..

Thai TV3

The Thais are the ones doing the unprovoked attacking every single time. Why on earth would the Cambodians want another war after 40 years of war and tragedy? It makes no sense. Why would the Cambodians try to steal and hold Thai land? What kind of surrealistic fantasy world does the guy who thought that up live in? How would they keep it? They would be bombed to itty bitty pieces within minutes. And the whole world would be watching knowing they were in the wrong. That's exactly why the Thais never go further into Cambodia or want any Indonesian observers. Because they know without a doubt, that they are in the wrong.

And does this look like military targets?

Come on.. Both sides shell indiscriminately. But at least the Cambodians aren't lying about everything they do. Aren't Thai politicians and generals aware of this phenomenon called "the internet" ? Do they really believe they can just lie and nobody finds out about it? Oh.. I forget. Everything is censored over there in Thailand. This post will probably be deleted before anyone can read it..

[rubl]

begin removed ...

Come on.. Both sides shell indiscriminately. But at least the Cambodians aren't lying about everything they do. Aren't Thai politicians and generals aware of this phenomenon called "the internet" ? Do they really believe they can just lie and nobody finds out about it? Oh.. I forget. Everything is censored over there in Thailand. This post will probably be deleted before anyone can read it..

Personally I see no reason why your post should be removed. I only have a bit of a problem with the anti-Thai, pro-Cambodian bias. In the ongoing border clash neither sides' newsflashes are beyond reproach. Propaganda on both sides. Call a spade a spade where ever it comes from

[Ricci]

she talked to her husband the day BEFORE the first skirmish, and he said "..tomorrow there will be fighting"

here are two "fox-moulder-stories" i've heard today in ban kruat:

guy does his 90 day report at the chong chom border last thursday.

the immigration officer says: "good, you came today. tomorrow the border will be closed"

thai tv team resides in a resort in ban kruat.

saturday they leave the resort at 05:30 ... (fighting starts at 06:00)

sunday they leave the resort at 09:30 ... (fighting starts at 10:00)

seems that some people can time travel in the future

good night

[BuckarooBanzai]

I confess to have been sleeping, but my wife informed me that their was a brief exchange of artillery around 1 am. Even more scary in the dark!

[mrparanoid]

she talked to her husband the day BEFORE the first skirmish, and he said "..tomorrow there will be fighting"

here are two "fox-moulder-stories" i've heard today in ban kruat:

guy does his 90 day report at the chong chom border last thursday.

the immigration officer says: "good, you came today. tomorrow the border will be closed"

thai tv team resides in a resort in ban kruat.

saturday they leave the resort at 05:30 ... (fighting starts at 06:00)

sunday they leave the resort at 09:30 ... (fighting starts at 10:00)

seems that some people can time travel in the future

good night

I'm sure it's all very funny to you, but I can't imagine why a Thai national, the widow of a dead Thai soldier would lie and make up some fantasy story on THAI national television when interviewed on the day of her husbands death.

Edited April 24, 2011 by mrparanoid

[mrparanoid]

begin removed ...

Come on.. Both sides shell indiscriminately. But at least the Cambodians aren't lying about everything they do. Aren't Thai politicians and generals aware of this phenomenon called "the internet" ? Do they really believe they can just lie and nobody finds out about it? Oh.. I forget. Everything is censored over there in Thailand. This post will probably be deleted before anyone can read it..

Personally I see no reason why your post should be removed. I only have a bit of a problem with the anti-Thai, pro-Cambodian bias. In the ongoing border clash neither sides' newsflashes are beyond reproach. Propaganda on both sides. Call a spade a spade where ever it comes from

I'm not saying the Cambodians are completely honest about everything in their news. But at least their generals and politicians aren't making fools of themselves with all these obvious lies and misinformations. At least not in this matter..

[rubl]

Personally I see no reason why your post should be removed. I only have a bit of a problem with the anti-Thai, pro-Cambodian bias. In the ongoing border clash neither sides' newsflashes are beyond reproach. Propaganda on both sides. Call a spade a spade where ever it comes from

I'm not saying the Cambodians are completely honest about everything in their news. But at least their generals and politicians aren't making fools of themselves with all these obvious lies and misinformations. At least not in this matter..

Maybe the Cambodian generals and politicians are just a wee bit better at soliciting foreign sympathy. Mind you the 'RTA used chemical weapons' was really overdone, the 'burned a logger alive' was not much better. Very interesting is that at least two Khmer websites I know (thanks to member HighCommand) don't show anything from the recent clash, most is regarding the February clashes (mediakh.net/news/ , www.khmerarticle.com/). Of course big show on 'cluster weapons', 'Thai military junta'.

Propaganda, not just for the amateurs

[webfact]

Tension persists on Thai-Cambodian border

by Janesara Fugal

PRASAT (AFP) - Cambodia and Thailand exchanged heavy weapons fire for the third straight day on Sunday, officials said, after fierce fighting on their joint border left 10 soldiers dead.

Thousands of civilians have fled both sides of the disputed jungle frontier because of the fighting, which has shattered a tense two-month lull in hostilities.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire and said the neighbours should launch "serious dialogue" to resolve the dispute, according to a spokesman.

Thai villagers sheltering in makeshift tents in Prasat district, Surin province, told how they raced from their homes in fear when clashes began in the neighbouring border district of Phanom Dong Rak on Friday.

"When a shell fell next to my house, I knew I had to run away," said Somjai Lengtamdee from Baan Khaotoh village.

"I was so worried about my three children. We were separated and it took me all day to locate them all. I can only hope that the war ends soon. I'm so scared," the 37-year-old told AFP.

Somdee Suebnisai, a local official for Phanom Dong Rak said there were 16 camps in the area providing refuge to more than 18,000 people and the number was expected to rise to 20,000 by Sunday evening.

On the Cambodian side, the National Committee for Disaster Management told AFP that 12,000 people had been evacuated.

Cambodian villager Neb Oeuth and her six children were among those seeking shelter in a pagoda in Samrong, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the unrest.

"Many bombs landed nearby my village and we were afraid. I have no idea when we will be able to return," she told AFP.

Cambodian field commander Suos Sothea told AFP the country's army had "suffered no casualties" in Sunday's fighting.

"The situation is quiet for now but a large-scale fight could start again at any moment. It depends on the Thai side," he said.

Thailand has also said no one was killed on Sunday.

Six Cambodian troops and four Thai soldiers were killed in the first two days of hostilities.

It is the first serious outbreak of fighting since February, when 10 people were killed near the 900-year-old Hindu temple Preah Vihear.

The latest clashes have taken place near a different group of temples more than 100 kilometres away from Preah Vihear.

Both countries have accused each other of sparking the violence.

"We have responded with machine guns and artillery, not gas or an invasion of Cambodian airspace," said Thai army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, referring to earlier Cambodian claims that Thailand used "poisonous gas" and flew aircraft "deep into Cambodia's airspace".

Thailand recently admitted using controversial Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, designed to burst into bomblets, during the February fighting but insisted it did not classify them as cluster munitions.

On Sunday Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand was willing to hold bilateral talks and accused Cambodia of trying to "internationalise" the conflict.

Phnom Penh has asked for outside mediation, but Thailand opposes third-party intervention.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa is expected to travel to both countries on Monday for talks on the conflict.

Jakarta, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, has called for an immediate end to the violence.

The neighbours agreed in late February to allow Indonesian observers near Preah Vihear, but the Thai military has since said they are not welcome.

Ties between the two countries have been strained since Preah Vihear -- the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's Angkor -- was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8 square mile) surrounding area.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-04-25

[webfact]

Abhisit says Thailand acting in self-defence

By The Nation

Three Thai soldiers are injured on third day of clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers

Fighting erupted on the border for a third day between Thai and Cambodian troops in Surin province yesterday, leaving three more Thai soldiers hurt. Five Thai soldiers have been killed so far and 27 wounded in the latest round of clashes.

The Army said Cambodian troops fired at Thai soldiers stationed at Ta Muen Thom Temple, forcing Thai troops to return the fire. Sporadic gunfights took place on four occasions yesterday.

'Cambodians to blame'

LtGeneral Thawatchai Samutsakhon, commander of the Second Army Area which covers the areas of operation, blamed Cambodian soldiers for initiating the gunfights. The Cambodians suffered a large but unspecified number of casualties, and damage to military hardware, he said.

Thawatchai said local Thai and Cambodian commanders had negotiated a ceasefire after every gunbattle. "But local Cambodian commanders keep telling me they are not authorised to order ceasefires independently. I speculate that it all depends on [Cambobian prime minister] Somdej Hun Sen who calls the shots," he said.

The general said several B21 multirocket launcher units had been deployed by Cambodia near the Preah Vihear Temple in Buri Ram, in violation of UN protocols barring deployment of troops and weapons near historic sites. He dismissed media reports that Thai troops faced food and water shortages.

Thai sovereignty violated

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in his weekly television programme yesterday, said Thailand had acted in selfdefence after Cambodia violated Thailand's sovereignty under international protocols.

He said there were 22 shelters now open for around 27,000 local residents in Surin, in addition to six others in Buri Ram. More shelters may be built, depending on an emergency budget.

There have been no civilian casualties and no damage to homes or private property as a result of artillery and mortar fire by Cambodian troops, provincial governor Serm Chainarong said. Buri Ram authorities reported gunfights five kilometres away from the main fighting areas and later four rounds of artillery fire landed on Thai soil three kilometres away.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said he had spoken to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who he said expressed concern over the fighting. Indonesia is current Asean chair.

Kasit said he had also talked with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Num Hong on Saturday, but did not give details of the conversation.

"I will possibly meet him in the next four or five days. In the meantime, the situation will be reported to the world community - in Paris where the World Heritage Committee and Unesco are located, and in New York to the UN Security Council - to repeat Thailand's stance that all its military actions have been in self defence," he added.

UN chief's plea

United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Kimoon has called on Cambodia and Thailand to halt fighting along their disputed jungle border as troops exchanged fire for a third day.

He called on both countries to "exercise maximum restraint" and urged them to resolve the issue through "serious dialogue" rather than military means, according to a UN spokesperson on Saturday. He urged the two neighbours to take immediate measures for an effective and verifiable ceasefire.

Military installations targeted

Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Thailand's artillery fire had landed only 22 km into Cambodian soil and had not targeted anything but military installations and fire support bases. Official casualties suffered by the Thai military still remain at four deaths, and 17 injuries, contradicting higher media figures.

"A ceasefire will be respected and sustainable only when Cambodia stops any military action and withdraws its troops from the buffer zone. Talks over total withdrawal from other disputed areas can continue," he added.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said no attack sorties, nor chemical or gas attacks had been used by the Thai military against Cambodian targets as claimed by the Cambodian government. "Helicopters are deployed only in medevac operations," he added.

-- The Nation 2011-04-25

[ChristopherBrown]

From the presumed non-lunatics at Radio Free Asia...

I wouldn't quite go that far, Radio Free Asia are funded by the US government and has a heavy leaning towards US ideology. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's not independent, but it definitely has an agenda and a tendency to only tell the side of the story that supports that agenda, much the same as the Cambodian TV channels do in favour of the government.

Anyway, that's besides the point there's nothing in that article that contradicts anything that I said. It doesn't say that it's widely believed that Hun Manet is being lined up for some kind of power handover, you merely have Mu Sochea a very vocal government critic saying she thinks he's being moved to a 'higher position'.

The sentiment inside much of the media is that Hun Sen has absolute power, but that's far from the truth, there are parallel power structures inside the ruling CPP and he very much needs those people on board with major decisions. Those parallel power structures made a rare and brief appearance for all to see when Hok Lundy the very powerful former chief of police died in a helicopter accident and a dash was made by various groups to fill the space left behind.

[Thaddeus]

she talked to her husband the day BEFORE the first skirmish, and he said "..tomorrow there will be fighting"

here are two "fox-moulder-stories" i've heard today in ban kruat

Gossip Centre isn't it.

Coffee made, ears open and ready to report, hope I remain silent.

[fatfather]

she talked to her husband the day BEFORE the first skirmish, and he said "..tomorrow there will be fighting"

here are two "fox-moulder-stories" i've heard today in ban kruat:

guy does his 90 day report at the chong chom border last thursday.

the immigration officer says: "good, you came today. tomorrow the border will be closed"

thai tv team resides in a resort in ban kruat.

saturday they leave the resort at 05:30 ... (fighting starts at 06:00)

sunday they leave the resort at 09:30 ... (fighting starts at 10:00)

seems that some people can time travel in the future

good night

I can confirm this. There are many families living in this area who have one son or husband in the army in the clashes and every day info is coming at what time about fighting/bombing will go on. Quiet precise info.

First night tonight with fighting, the reason why I brought my family to a resort away from the area. The information that there will be fighting at night reached me yesterday early evening.... amazing that there seems to be only one time shedule from one side (or coordinated with both sides?), no surprisingly upcoming fights.

fatfather

[fatfather]

A TV team is preparing its cameras and will leave soon... when will fighting start? ~half hour drive, ~half hour to get ready and here we go.... lets wait, it is now 07.15

[Thaddeus]

The information that there will be fighting at night reached me yesterday early evening.... amazing that there seems to be only one time shedule from one side (or coordinated with both sides?), no surprisingly upcoming fights.

fatfather

It's odd that isn't it, the Thais appear to be able to predict when the Cambodians will fire the first shot.

[fatfather]

A TV team is preparing its cameras and will leave soon... when will fighting start? ~half hour drive, ~half hour to get ready and here we go.... lets wait, it is now 07.15

And off they are, 07.30am. One of the team told me that they are on their way to the border now....

[barrybankruad]

A TV team is preparing its cameras and will leave soon... when will fighting start? ~half hour drive, ~half hour to get ready and here we go.... lets wait, it is now 07.15

Hope your wrong. Before very long there are going to be civilian casualties. Several of my friends have dispatched wives and families to safer ground, but they have remained on their properties to guard against looting.

[dunkin2012]

have they started yet this mornin'?...............

it's been rainin' since last night...........

[fatfather]

A TV team is preparing its cameras and will leave soon... when will fighting start? ~half hour drive, ~half hour to get ready and here we go.... lets wait, it is now 07.15

Hope your wrong. Before very long there are going to be civilian casualties. Several of my friends have dispatched wives and families to safer ground, but they have remained on their properties to guard against looting.

The sad thing is, that looting is not done by strangers, it is done by locals. Many young men who remain in the villages to protect the properties of the evacuated families use the day time for a good cup of LaoKao and a look around and in the night time they take what ever they saw worthwhile during the day time.... it's a pity.

In my village six young men had been caught yesterday night when looting (rubber sheets) and sent to prison, awaiting their judgement in between 15 days. ...somm namm nah

fatfather

[BuckarooBanzai]

Beautiful morning in Prasat, cool with a nice breeze and blissfully quiet - and hopefully will stay that way on all three counts.

[dunkin2012]

A TV team is preparing its cameras and will leave soon... when will fighting start? ~half hour drive, ~half hour to get ready and here we go.... lets wait, it is now 07.15

Hope your wrong. Before very long there are going to civilian casualties. Several of my friends have despatched wives and families to safer ground, but they have remained on their properties to guard against looting.

The sad thing is, that looting is not done by strangers, it is done by locals. Many young men who remain in the villages to protect the properties of the evacuated families use the day time for a good cup of LaoKao and a look around and in the night time they take what ever they saw worthfull during the day time.... it's a pitty.

In my village six young men had been catched yesterday night when looting (rubber sheets) and sent to prison, awaiting their judgement in between 15 days. ...somm namm nah

fatfather

looting???????????............sorry to hear that...