Thai soldier killed in border clash despite ceasefire

Apr 29, 2011, 3:14 GMT

Bangkok/Phnom Penh - The Thai military said Friday one of its soldiers was killed overnight on the Cambodian border, testing a tentative day-old ceasefire agreement with Cambodia after a week of border skirmishes.

The area remained too dangerous for civilians to return, said General Prayuth Chan-ocha, chief of the Thai army. Thailand claims Cambodia started the renewed shelling after Thursday's agreement.

Cambodia said Friday that Thailand had broken the deal by firing mortar shells overnight. 'It is a provocative act, but we restrain ourselves and we don't return fire,' government spokesman Phay Siphan said, adding that Cambodia was respecting the ceasefire.

The fighting, which broke out on April 22 around disputed temples on the border between the neighbouring countries, has resulted in the deaths of seven Thai and eight Cambodian soldiers, as well as one Thai civilian dead, and more than 60 people wounded on both sides.

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