BANGKOK — Military clashes between Thailand and Cambodia entered a second day on Friday, leaving “more than 20 deaths” in Thailand, according to the acting Thai prime minister, and one civilian dead in Cambodia.
More than 130,000 people have been evacuated in Thailand, while Thai financial institutions with branches in Cambodia are gradually repatriating staff.
Here are recent Nikkei Asia analysis and opinion articles on the crisis:
– With war in mind, Thai military rolls out battle plans on Cambodia front
– Cambodia seeks justice, not conflict, in border dispute with Thailand
– Hun Sen’s gamble: Why Cambodia ex-ruler turned on Thai ally Thaksin
Follow the latest developments in this live blog. (Thailand and Cambodia time)
For Thursday’s developments, visit our previous live blog.
July 25
4:20 p.m. The Thai Red Cross Society has launched a nationwide blood donation campaign. The drive is to replenish blood reserves and essential supplies for hospitals in the border regions affected by recent clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces.
3:10 p.m. Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts briefed members of the Preah Vihear temple’s governing body, detailing the damage incurred after Thai armed forces allegedly used “heavy artillery” and “bombs from F-16s” at the heritage site and surrounding areas.
This included visible damage to four entranceways at the temple and other structures at the site. The ministry also released photos and a map of the site where damage had occurred.
2:30 p.m. Thai army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree called Cambodia’s allegations that Preah Vihear Temple was damaged due to Thai attacks “a clear distortion of the facts.”
“The Preah Vihear Temple was not within the direction or scope of Thai military operations,” Winthai said in a statement.
He made the comment after Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said Thursday that Thailand’s “aggression” has “caused significant damage to both the surrounding area and the structures” of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
2:05 p.m. Indonesian State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said he hoped that the Thai-Cambodia tensions will not intensify as it could have wider repercussions, including on Indonesia. He added, though, that the government would refrain from commenting on domestic political situations of other countries.
About 166,000 Indonesians work in Cambodia and more than 2,300 live in Thailand, so the Indonesian foreign ministry is monitoring the situation closely. “We will ensure the safety of our citizens. And if anything happens, we have mitigation measures in place,” Hadi said.
1:50 p.m. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, the spokesperson of Thailand’s ad hoc center for the border said the Ministry of Interior has now evacuated more than 130,000 civilians from Buriram, Surin, Sisaket and Ubon-Ratchathani provinces. “The provinces have established evacuation shelters capable of accommodating over 300,000 people and deployed village security units to ensure the safety of civilians in various areas,” he said. He added the Ministry of Public Health has evacuated 11 hospitals.
1:10 p.m. Thai financial institutions with branches in Cambodia are gradually repatriating staff, according to the Bank of Thailand’s Assistant Governor Suwannee Jatsadasak. “All of them are expected to return by today,” she said, adding that some branches in the border provinces have been closed.
“As for impacts to Thailand, uncertainty remains in many dimensions, and it is too soon to make assessments. BOT will continue to monitor the situation closely,” she said.
1 p.m. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson of Thailand’s ad hoc center for the border situation, told reporters that as of 8:30 a.m., the Cambodian forces continued to use heavy weapons to attack the front lines and rear areas, affecting civilians. Clashes have been reported in 12 locations, according to Surasant.
12:40 p.m. Thailand’s Interior Ministry said it had evacuated 100,672 civilians from the four provinces affected by the cross-border clashes with Cambodia.
A total of 56,000 people were moved in Surin province, 17,196 in Sisaket, 17,000 in Buriram and 10,476 people in Ubon Ratchathari.
12:30 p.m. The Thai armed forces said it believes Hun Sen, the former Cambodian prime minister, is behind the attack on civilian targets, calling for international organizations to investigate.
“Targeting civilians with intent is a war crime, and those responsible must be brought to justice,” Maj. Gen. Vithai Laithomya, spokesperson of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, said in a statement. “Based on the available evidence, it is believed that the Cambodian government, led by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, is behind these heartbreaking attacks.”
12:15 p.m. The contested areas on the Thai-Cambodia border are in the Thai provinces of Buriram, Surin, Sisaket and Ubon-Ratchathani and the Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vinear. Two of the biggest flashpoints are the Prasat Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear temples.
11:25 a.m. Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters that he had received reports of “more than 20 deaths” and several people severely injured.
He also talked about his conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who spoke to the leaders of both sides calling for an immediate ceasefire, on Thursday evening. “I told him I’m OK with it in principle. But to specify [the] exact time and date, I ask Cambodia first to prove their intention that they really mean it,” he said.
“We’ve been adhering to the principle of peace and trying to request negotiation, but they never cared, and it is us who always proposed… conditions. It shows their lack of sincerity.”
11:20 a.m. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) released a statement Friday saying that ground reports from local authorities and demining teams showed that Thailand had used cluster munitions in populated areas around Phnom Khmuoch, near the border.
“The use of cluster munitions — especially in or near civilian areas — is an unacceptable escalation. It shows complete disregard for human life, humanitarian principles and regional peace,” said Ly Thuch, vice president of the CMAA.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata reiterated the accusation at a press conference and claimed it demonstrated Thailand’s willingness to break international law. Thailand and Cambodia are not parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions.
10:15 a.m. Indonesia’s foreign ministry said that the country was closely following the development. “We are confident that the two neighboring countries will immediately return to peaceful means to settle their differences in line with the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation,” it said in a social media post.
10 a.m. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Chhum Socheat said on Friday that firing continued overnight but the intensity of shelling was less than the previous day. He also claimed that the Thai military was using surveillance drones in Preah Vihear province.
“At around 2 a.m., shots were fired from both sides along the border,” Socheat said. “There has been an exchange of fire from last night until this morning. Our soldiers are in control and protecting all areas, but the Thais are still trying to fly drones to shoot at our areas.”
Chhum Socheat did not comment on whether there were any casualties among civilians and military personnel. However, Met Measpheakdey, deputy governor of Oddar Meanchey province — where firing was reported on Thursday — said one civilian was killed and five others injured.
Thailand’s Second Army Area, which is leading the fighting along the Thai border, also said clashes continued on Friday.
7:50 a.m. The deputy spokesperson of Thailand’s Ministry of Health, Varoth Chotpitayasunondh, has posted updated Thai casualty figures on his Facebook account. He said 13 civilians and one soldier were killed and 32 civilians and 14 soldiers injured.
