Cambodia blamed by Thailand for breaching ceasefire again

Thailand Accuses Cambodia of Breaching Ceasefire Pact

Thailand has accused Cambodia of a “clear breach” of a recent truce intended to halt cross-border clashes, alleging that Cambodian forces carried out an overnight assault near the frontier.

The two nations had agreed to a ceasefire starting Tuesday after five days of fighting left at least 43 dead on both sides. The violence erupted from a longstanding disagreement over contested border areas, spreading combat along the 800-kilometer boundary.

Thailand’s foreign ministry stated that its soldiers in Sisaket province “were targeted with gunfire and grenades by Cambodian troops” in an attack that lasted into Wednesday morning.

“This constitutes a clear breach of the ceasefire agreement,” the ministry said in a statement.

Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsab acknowledged the overnight skirmishes but asserted that “Thai forces maintained command of the situation” and that “border conditions have returned to normal” as of Wednesday morning.

Cambodia has previously rejected claims of violating the ceasefire, which was intended to halt hostilities that forced over 300,000 people from border areas to evacuate.

The truce began uncertainly early Tuesday, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of persistent attacks in what it called “an effort to damage confidence” before relative calm was restored.

As part of the agreement, opposing military leaders held discussions near the border on Tuesday, with Thailand’s army reporting an understanding to reduce tensions, including stopping troop movements that might cause confusion.

However, Maratee Nalita Andamo, a spokesperson for Thailand’s border crisis team, cautioned that “the situation remains delicate in these initial days of the ceasefire.”

The fighting has resulted in at least 15 Thai soldiers and 15 civilians killed, while Cambodia has reported eight civilian and five military casualties.