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Thailand accuses Cambodia of a ceasefire violation hours after it comes into effect Thailand seeks to ease fears amid shaky ceasefire deal with Cambodia
(about 3 hours later)
Military spokesperson says Cambodia attacked Thai territory in several places and that it had responded to ‘maintain national sovereignty’ Military spokesperson said earlier that Cambodia had attacked Thai territory in several places and that it had responded to ‘maintain national sovereignty’
Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating a ceasefire agreement reached on Monday, saying clashes continued despite a deal aimed at ending five days of fighting. Thailand’s prime minister has tried to ease fears of a shaky ceasefire with Cambodia just hours after the Thai military reported violations of the deal to end hostilities along their shared border.
Maj General Winthai Suvaree, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, said Cambodia had attacked Thai territory “in several places” overnight. He said Thailand regarded this as “a deliberate violation of the agreement, aimed at destroying trust between one another”. Thailand and Cambodia reached an agreement in Malaysia on Monday to unconditionally end five days of fighting that saw 38 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, in the worst violence between the two nations in more than a decade.
Winthai added that the Thai military had immediately stopped fire at midnight, but that it did respond to Cambodia’s actions. But hours after the deal was signed Thailand’s military accused Cambodia of attacking Thai territory “in several places” overnight. The response was “a deliberate violation of the agreement, aimed at destroying trust between one another,” said Thai military spokesperson Maj General Winthai Suvaree.
“I confirm that the Thai side did not use military force to invade, but to prevent encroachment and maintain national sovereignty under international rules,” he said. Cambodia denied the allegations, with Cambodian defence ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata saying there had been no new fighting.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet said in a Tuesday morning message on Facebook the “frontline has eased since the ceasefire at 12 midnight”. The differing claims have cast doubt on the strength of the ceasefire agreement and prompted Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, to seek to reassure fears. On Tuesday he told reporters there “no escalation” in hostilities. “Right now things are calm,” he said.
In Cambodia’s Samraong city – 20 km from the border – an AFP journalist said the sound of blasts stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing until dawn. Both countries have faced growing international pressure to end the fighting, including an intervention by US president Donald Trump who warned on Saturday that trade negotiations would be paused until the clashes stopped. Thailand and Cambodia face the prospect of a 36% US tariff from 1 August.
The two sides had agreed to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire on Monday after talks in Malaysia that aimed to halt the worst fighting between the neighbouring countries in more than a decade. The Thai government, which has faced criticism over claims it was too soft on the border issue in recent months, is also facing domestic pressure to adopt a tough stance. “Are you trying to pressure the military to backdown for sake of tariff negotiations?” a reporter asked Phumtham on Tuesday in a heated exchange.
At least 38 people have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced by clashes that erupted on the countries’ shared border on Thursday. The commanders of Thai and Cambodian military forces positioned along the disputed border met for talks on Tuesday, Reuters reported, though details of the meeting are unclear.
International pressure to end the fighting has grown, with Donald Trump intervening on Saturday, warning that trade negotiations would be paused until the clashes stopped. Thailand and Cambodia face the prospect of a 36% US tariff from 1 August. Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet said in a Tuesday morning message on Facebook that the “frontline has eased since the ceasefire at 12 midnight”.
Monday’s ceasefire talks were hosted by Malaysia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, and attended by officials from the US and China.
After the ceasefire deal was announced Trump took credit for the development, declaring himself the “President of PEACE” in a post on his social media platform.After the ceasefire deal was announced Trump took credit for the development, declaring himself the “President of PEACE” in a post on his social media platform.
However, the Thai authorities warned people who have evacuated from border areas not to return home until further notice, and the news has been met with a mix of hope and some scepticism among affected communities.However, the Thai authorities warned people who have evacuated from border areas not to return home until further notice, and the news has been met with a mix of hope and some scepticism among affected communities.
The peace deal was set to see military commanders from both sides meet at 7am local time (0000 GMT) but that was delayed until 10am after Thailand accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire.A cross-border committee is also scheduled to convene in Cambodia to further salve tensions on 4 August. In Cambodia’s Samraong city – 20 km from the border – an AFP journalist said the sound of blasts stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing until dawn.
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who announced the ceasefire agreement on Monday, described it as “a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security.” Monday’s ceasefire talks were hosted by Malaysia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, and attended by officials from the US and China.
Under the deal, a cross-border committee is also scheduled to convene in Cambodia to further salve tensions on 4 August.
Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who announced the ceasefire agreement on Monday, described it as “a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security.”
A spokesperson for UN secretary general, António Guterres, said on Monday evening that “he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing longstanding issues and achieving lasting peace”.A spokesperson for UN secretary general, António Guterres, said on Monday evening that “he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing longstanding issues and achieving lasting peace”.
The US state department said its officials had been “on the ground” to shepherd peace talks. The Cambodian prime minister, Hun Manet, told the media on Monday he hoped and “confidently” believed that the outcome of the ceasefire deal would “provide a lot of opportunities”, for hundreds of thousands of people to return to their homes, for the two countries to stop fighting and to rebuild trust and cooperation.
The Cambodian prime minister, Hun Manet, told the media he hoped and “confidently” believed that the outcome of the ceasefire deal would “provide a lot of opportunities”, for hundreds of thousands of people to return to their homes, for the two countries to stop fighting and to rebuild trust and cooperation.
Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the agreement “reflects Thailand’s desire for a peaceful resolution”, adding that his country had agreed to a ceasefire that would “be carried out successfully in good faith by both sides”.Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the agreement “reflects Thailand’s desire for a peaceful resolution”, adding that his country had agreed to a ceasefire that would “be carried out successfully in good faith by both sides”.
On the eve of the talks, Thailand’s military said Cambodian snipers were camped in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets, Agence France-Presse reported.
It said there was fighting at seven areas in the rural region, marked by hills surrounded by jungle and fields where locals farm rubber and rice.
With Agence France-PresseWith Agence France-Presse