Thailand has demanded a peaceful resolution to the deadly border conflict with Cambodia, saying it would prefer to resolve the conflict through bilateral talks and leave the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s (SEE) involvement if necessary.
According to a statement made by a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikorndej Balankura, the situation on the ground had improved slightly despite the casualties of the clashes, according to an Al Jazeera interview on Friday. The conflict has persisted since yesterday, but it appears that the situation is now a little better than it was yesterday, he said.
According to Nikorndej, Thailand has made an effort to talk with the Cambodian government to avert tensions. We have always emphasized that bilateral mechanisms will help to resolve this dispute peacefully. Sadly, the Cambodian side hasn’t, regrettably, responded positively.
Thailand insists that it has the means to resolve the conflict bilaterally, but regional partners’ mediation may be a possibility in the future. “Our doors have always been a place for conversation,” he said. “We are still awaiting positive responses from the Cambodian side,” Nikorndej said.
Regarding potential third-party mediation, he continued, “The countries in ASEAN would be the best suited to talk about any mediation, but it’s a little too premature for me right now to say that we are ready for any mediation.”
Malaysia, which sits in charge of ASEAN, has reached out to both parties. Nikorndej confirmed that acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have spoken to each other in Thailand about potential regional cooperation.
As fighting continues along the disputed frontier, at least 13 Thai civilians, one soldier, and 45 people, including children and women, have been killed and injured. We are defending the Thai people and our territorial integrity, Nikorndej continued. One person has died in Cambodia, according to reports.
According to Nikorndej, the Thai military has experienced direct fire, which has contributed to the current upheaval. The government has responded by setting up evacuation centers, sending medical personnel there, and providing aid to civilians who have been displaced by the fighting.
Thailand has claimed that the fighting started when Thailand opened fire on Thursday.
As civilians are displaced by shelling and gunfire in areas close to Thailand’s eastern border with Cambodia, Thailand has evicted at least 100, 000 people, bringing back memories of earlier conflicts. About 20 000 people have been evacuated from the country’s northern border, according to government officials.
In 1963, Cambodia first addressed the contentious border dispute to the ICJ. Cambodia filed a complaint with the ICJ about the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s Preah Vihear Temple in 2011.
In 2013, the ICJ handed Cambodia control of the area immediately adjacent to the temple.
However, the court did not address any of the other contentious areas, particularly those that are centered on the “Emerald Triangle,” a border region where troops also frequently clash with one another, Laos and Thailand.
Source: Aljazeera
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