With regard to the unprovoked armed attacks on 23 April 2011 by Cambodian troops on Thai soldiers and civilians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand wishes to state the following facts:
1. From 06.15 — 07.30 hours, the Cambodian side started firing heavy weapons and artilleries including mortars, recoilless rifles and rocket propelled grenades into the area of Ta Kwai along the border towards Ta Muen Temples, situated in Surin Province, Thailand.
2. At 07.50 hours, the Cambodian side deployed its military force into the area of Ta Muen Temples and fired the BM 21 field rockets into the area of civilian residences in villages of Nongkunna, Phanom Dongrak and Phanom Dongrak hospital, resulting in the death of 1 Thai soldier, injury of many Thai soldiers, and evacuation of more than 16,000 civilians.
3. Consequently, the use of heavy weapons by the Cambodian side into the Thai territory left Thailand with no choice, but to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the unprovoked attacks by the Cambodian forces by using proportionate means with necessity, proportionality under the international law and strictly directed at only military targets. The exchanges of gunfire lasted until 11.00 hours today.
4. Thailand strongly condemns the firing of heavy weapons at innocent Thai civilians, especially in the area of a hospital and local residences. Thailand wishes to protest in the strongest terms the repeated armed attacks of Cambodia which is a blatant and clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Thailand will not tolerate recurrence of such unlawful and indiscriminate attacks.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th