With regard to the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border on 25-26 April 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand wishes to state the following:
1. 25 April 2011
1.1 Some news reports have quoted Lieutenant General Chhum
Socheat, Spokesman of the Cambodian Ministry of Defense as saying that "at 1: 45 p.m. Thai forces had fired six rounds of artillery in the area near Ta Moan temple." Thailand categorically denies such a fabricated statement because the Thai troops did not open fire at the Cambodian troops as alleged. On the contrary, at 13.55 hours, the Cambodian troops started firing five artillery rounds into the area around Ta Kwai Temple in Phnom Dangrak District, Surin Province, Thailand. The Thai troops, in exercising utmost restraint, did not respond to the said armed attack.
1.2 From 18.00-21.10 hours, the Cambodian troops resumed firing into the area around Ta Kwai Temple and Ta Muen Temples in Surin Province of Thailand, using small arms, mortars, and artilleries. The Thai troops were forced to react proportionately with mortars and artilleries. The exchange of fires in the area around Ta Kwai Temple and Ta Muen Temples ended around 21.10 hours. The result of the armed attacks by Cambodia left four Thai soldiers injured.
2. 26 April 2011
2.1 The unprovoked armed attacks by Cambodia started again from 01.00 -04.00 hours, with the use of small arms, rocket propelled grenades and hand grenades. The result of the armed attacks by Cambodia left three Thai soldiers injured.
2.2 From 15.30 — 23.30 hrs., the Cambodian troops fired artilleries, including BM 21 multi-rockets launcher into the area around Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Temples, as well as the area of civilian residences. The attack resulted in the death of one Thai civilian and injury of two Thai civilians and twelve Thai soldiers.
3. Thailand’s position
3.1 The repetition of these provocative acts of aggression left the Thai troops with no choice but to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as in protection of the Thai civilians in the area, by using proportionate means with necessity, under international law, and strictly directed at only military targets.
3.2 Thailand categorically rejects the accusation of Cambodia on the utilization of toxic gas and chemical weapons by the Thai Army during the clashes. It was only in response to the firing artilleries from Cambodian troops into Thai territory that the Thai Army fired smoke shells as a warning signal, causing no harm on people. In addition, Thailand does not possess any chemical or biological weapon in its stockpile.
3.3 Thailand therefore protests in the strongest terms the repeated unprovoked armed attacks by Cambodia which are in clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Thailand also condemns Cambodia’s acts of aggression and all falsified accusations made thus far against Thailand. Thailand hereby demands an immediate end to such provocative attacks by Cambodia and calls on the Cambodian side to resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue under existing bilateral mechanisms.
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