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Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of targeting civilians in border attacks on Wednesday, as US President Donald Trump said he would make a telephone call to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered in July.
The Southeast Asian neighbours have blamed each other for the clashes that started on Monday, and remain at odds over a diplomatic solution to months of simmering tension.
Asked about the prospect of further intervention by Trump, a Thai government spokesperson said there had been no talks with him so far, while Bangkok’s position was that negotiations should not be initiated by a third party.
“It should not start with a mediator, but it must start with Cambodia changing its stance, stopping threatening Thailand and formally requesting negotiations with Thailand,” Siripong Angkasakulkiat told Reuters.
Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said Phnom Penh’s position remained the same, that it wanted only peace, and had only acted in self-defence.
The responses followed Trump’s offer to halt the renewed Southeast Asian hostilities, made at a rally in Pennsylvania after enumerating the wars he claimed to have helped stop, such as those between Pakistan and India, and Israel and Iran.
“I hate to say this one, named Cambodia-Thailand, and it started up today, and tomorrow I am going to have to make a phone call,” he added.
“Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?’”
In an interview on Tuesday, Thailand’s foreign minister had said he saw no potential for negotiations, adding that the situation was not conducive to third-party mediation.
A top adviser to Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet told Reuters that day his country was “ready to talk at any time”.
CLAIMS CIVILIAN AREAS HIT
On Wednesday, Cambodia withdrew its athletes from the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, citing safety reasons and their families’ concern.
Thailand’s military said BM-21 rockets fired by Cambodian forces landed near the Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin district on Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of patients and staff to a shelter.
Drones and BM-21 rockets and tanks were used at other border points, including the vicinity of the contested Preah Vihear temple complex, it added.
“Our forces destroyed an anti-drone position to the south of Chong Chom in order to support operations to clear Cambodian elements in a mango plantation ... across the line of operations,” the military said in an update, referring to a Thai border town.
Cambodia’s military said Thailand used artillery fire and armed drones in attacks in Pursat province, fired mortars into homes in Battambang province, while its F-16 fighter jets entered Cambodian airspace to drop bombs near civilian areas.
LAND MINE ALLEGATIONS RAISED TENSION
Trump has previously spoken to leaders of both countries and been central to the fragile truce between them since five days of fighting in July, which killed at least 48 people and was their heaviest conflict in recent history.
In July, Trump used the leverage of trade negotiations to broker a ceasefire. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told Reuters on Tuesday he did not think tariff threats should be used to pressure his country into talks.
Last month, Thailand suspended de-escalation measures agreed at an October summit in Trump’s presence, after a Thai soldier was maimed by a landmine that Bangkok said was newly laid by Cambodia, which rejects the accusation.
Both countries have said they have evacuated hundreds of thousands from border areas, though some people have stayed behind, hoping to avoid the fighting.
“I have to stay behind,” said Wuttikrai Chimngarm, as he hunkered down behind a makeshift bunker of tyres stacked six high while shelling shook Thailand’s border province of Buriram.
“I’m the head of the village, if not me, then who? Who will be safeguarding the houses and belongings of the villagers from looters?”
As soon as Monday’s fighting erupted, wary residents fled the disputed village of Kaun Kriel, about 25 km (15 miles) northwest of Cambodia’s city of Samraong.
“This is my second run because the place I live ... was under attack both times,” said Cambodian Marng Sarun, a 31-year-old harvester who left with his wife and two children.