No ceasefire, says Thai PM as conflict with Cambodia escalates

In a brief Facebook post, Anutin Charnvirakul says Thailand’s stand 'remains status quo'.

Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul earlier said his country had the right to defend itself after Cambodia’s latest attack continued on Monday. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul has affirmed that Thailand would not take part in a ceasefire with Cambodia following the latter’s latest attacks on its Southeast Asian neighbour.

“Thailand’s direction remains status quo. No ceasefire,” he said briefly in a Facebook post.

Yesterday, Anutin said Thailand would undertake a necessary military operation in response to Cambodia’s attacks on Sunday, which continued yesterday.

He also maintained that Thailand had the right to defend itself, the Bangkok Post reported.

“The government will respond with military operations to actual situations, and other military operations as necessary,” Anutin was quoted as saying.

Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has spread to new parts of their contested border today as the death toll rose to 10 and more than 140,000 civilians fled the violence, according to Reuters.

Monday’s clashes were the fiercest since a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery in July, when at least 48 people were killed and 300,000 displaced, before US president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim intervened to broker a ceasefire.

Thailand evacuated 438,000 civilians across five border provinces and authorities in Cambodia said hundreds of thousands of people had been moved to safety.

Thailand’s army said 18 soldiers were wounded and Cambodia’s government reported nine civilians injured.

A long-running territorial row in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, reignited in May when a clash left one Cambodian soldier dead.

This led to a major troop buildup at the border and escalated into diplomatic breakdowns and armed clashes. - FMT