Thailand rejected mediation efforts by a third country to end the ongoing conflict with Cambodia, insisting that the Penh Penh stops attacking and resolving the controversy exclusively through bilateral talks, the Foreign Ministry said.
This follows the development of a fighter aircraft on Thursday, which bombed a military target in Cambodia after the artillery on both sides killed at least 11 citizens in the last escalation of border conflicts.
Reading: Thai Cambodian fighter bombs
In addition, the United States, China and Malaysia – the current president of the ASEAN regional block – have all been offered to facilitate the dialogue.
However, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters: “I don’t think we need mediation from a third country yet.”
Bangkok’s stance comes amid a complete diplomatic crisis that saw the ambassadors expelled and the troops reinforced on both sides after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief skirmish in May.
Thailand argued that every resolution should wait for a complete cessation of hostilities before promoting immediate conversations.
On the other hand, at least 16 people were killed as Thailand and Cambodia exchanged a heavy artillery fire on Friday, marking the second day of their worst border conflict over over a decade, despite increasing international invitations for immediate fire.
Photo: Reuters
Thai soldiers reported clashes before dawn in Ubon Ratochani and Surin provinces and said Cambodia had used BM-21 artillery and rocket systems. Authorities said that 100,000 people had been evacuated by conflict areas from Thailand.
“Cambodia forces have conducted prolonged bombing using heavy weapons, field artillery and BM-21 rocket systems,” the Thai army said in a statement.
“Thai forces have responded to the right fire that supports under the regular situation.”
Photo: Reuters
Both sides accused each other of starting the conflict on Thursday in a controversial border area, which quickly escalated by the fire of small weapons in heavy bombing in at least six locations, 209 km (130 miles) except for a border.
Border conflict
Thailand and Cambodia have been challenged by long -term domination over the overturned sections of their 817 kilometers, which first corresponded to France in 1907 during the Cambodian colonial era.
Thailand later challenged this map, which followed a natural barrel basin as a limit. In 2000, both countries set up a joint committee to resolve the demands peacefully, but progress was minimal. The nationalist tensions exploded in 2003, when protests in the Pennh Penh led to the burning of the Thai embassy and business after a celebrity of Thailand, questioned Cambodia’s demand at the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site.
This map shows the sites where military clashes have occurred along the controversial outlines between Thailand and Cambodia. Source: Reuters
Tensions were further escalated in 2008, when Cambodia sought UNESCO’s World Heritage of the Preah Vihear Temple, provoking years of conflict that caused at least twelve deaths, including a weekly artillery exchange in 2011.
In 2013, Cambodia requested a review of a 1962 international court ruling, which confirmed its ownership of the surrounding land of the temple and ordered the Tailand troops to be withdrawn.
Tensions have taken a turn between the neighbors of Southeast Asia in May, after the assassination of a Cambodian soldier during a brief shooting and have escalated since then.
Recent disagreement
The clashes broke out early Thursday near a disputed ancient temple, which quickly spread along the controversial outlines with a heavy artillery shooting the second day.
Responding to a Thai soldier who lost one end to a mine, Thailand reminded her ambassador and excluded the Cambodian envoy, denied the Cambodian category.
Both sides accuse each other of the start of the games, which killed at least 15 citizens, mainly Thai.
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