The Cambodia-Thailand border dispute dates back 100 years | Credit: CC7/Shutterstock
Deadly combat continued for a second day on Friday on the border between Cambodian and Thai soldiers, which led to the deaths of 14 civilians and the displacement of over 130,000 people who decided to flee the ongoing violence.
“The situation has intensified and could escalate into a state of war,” acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said he had backed a ceasefire proposal put forward by his Malaysian counterpart and chairperson of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Anwar Ibrahim. Thailand’s foreign ministry also later agreed in principle with the Malaysian proposal for a truce and said it would consider the plan, but that it must be based on “appropriate on-the-ground conditions”.
However, they accused Cambodian forces of continuing “indiscriminate attacks on Thai territory. “Cambodia’s actions demonstrate a lack of good faith and continue to place civilians in danger,” the foreign ministry added.
‘Our doors have always been open’
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Nikorndej Balankura, a spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that while Thailand insists it has the tools to resolve the issue bilaterally, it has not ruled out future mediation by regional partners.
“Our doors have always been open to talks,” he added. “We are still waiting for positive reactions from the Cambodian side.”
A Thai military official reported that the confrontations have been reported in 12 locations along the disputed border, up from six a day earlier, which indicates that the conflict is escalating.
Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the border fighting.
China, which is more inclined to support Cambodia, said it was deeply worried over the conflict and expressed desire that both countries “will properly solve their dispute through dialogue and consultation”.
As reported by viraltrendingcontent, the border dispute between the two countries dates back over 100 years to when France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953, first mapped the land border. The conflict over the border, which stretches across more than 508 miles (817 km), has frequently erupted over the years, fueled by nationalist sentiment.
