Thailand and Cambodia reinforce troops along disputed border: Thai minister

Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai says Thailand reinforces subject beingness successful effect to Cambodia move.

Thailand has reinforced its subject beingness on a disputed borderline with Cambodia pursuing an summation successful troops connected the different side, the Thai defence curate has said.

Tensions betwixt the 2 Southeast Asian countries person been rising since a Cambodian worker was killed connected May 28 successful a little skirmish successful an undemarcated borderline area.

Since the incident, the 2 governments person been exchanging cautiously worded statements committing to dialogue.

Thailand’s Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who besides serves arsenic lawman premier minister, said connected Saturday that Cambodia had rejected proposals successful bilateral talks held connected Thursday that could person led to a de-escalation.

“Furthermore, determination has been a reinforcement of subject presence, which has exacerbated tensions on the border,” Phumtham said successful a statement.

“Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it indispensable to instrumentality further measures and to reenforce our subject posture accordingly.”

He did not supply further details connected the grade of reinforcements by either side.

There was nary contiguous remark from Cambodia.

In a abstracted connection connected Saturday, the Thai service said Cambodian civilians had besides repeatedly made incursions into Thailand’s territory.

“These provocations, and the buildup of subject forces, bespeak a wide intent to usage force,” the Thai service said, adding it would instrumentality power of each Thai checkpoints on the Cambodia border.

Thailand and Cambodia person for much than a period contested sovereignty astatine assorted undemarcated points on their 817km (508-mile) onshore border.

Tension escalated successful 2008 implicit an 11th-century Hindu temple, starring to skirmishes implicit respective years and astatine slightest a twelve deaths, including during a weeklong speech of artillery occurrence successful 2011.

On Monday, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said the authorities would record a ailment with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) implicit the borderline dispute.

“Cambodia hopes that the Thai broadside volition hold with Cambodia to jointly bring these issues to the International Court of Justice… to forestall equipped confrontation again implicit borderline uncertainty,” Hun Manet said during a gathering betwixt MPs and senators.

Thailand has not recognised the ICJ’s jurisdiction since 1960 and has alternatively called for bilateral talks.

Efforts person been made by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is the existent seat of the Southeast Asian ASEAN bloc, and China to trim tensions, but the borderline remains disputed.

A gathering of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission – which addresses borderline demarcation issues – is scheduled for June 14.