Thailand says soldiers wounded in clashes despite ceasefire

Apr 30, 2011, 12:49 GMT

Bangkok - Thai officials say 10 Thai soldiers were wounded in small arms clashes that ended after sunrise Saturday, despite a ceasefire being in effect, local media reported.

The exchange of rifle fire on the Surin province border with Cambodia started late Friday and continued until about 6:30 am Saturday, according to the reports.

The fighting was the second breach of a ceasefire agreed to by local field commanders and then approved by their superiors on Thursday. Both Thailand and Cambodia have blamed the other for starting the fighting.

The fighting is over disagreements concerning the border and more specifically a 4.6-square-kilometre area near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

The border issue near Preah Vihear goes back decades including a spat in 1958 that prompted the suspension of diplomatic ties. More recently Bangkok has accused UNESCO of stoking the conflict in 2008 by designating Preah Vihear a world heritage site, over Thai objections.

The most recent fighting started April 22 and has caused tens of thousands of civilians on both sides to flee the area and left eight Cambodian soldiers and seven Thai soldiers and a Thai civilian dead, according to sources in both countries.

On Friday, the Cambodian government said it has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to revisit its 1962 ruling that awarded an 11th-century temple to Phnom Penh.

Both sides claim a 4.6-square-kilometre area near Preah Vihear. Thailand has maintained that the disputed area was not included in the ICJ's 1962 ruling.

Thai government spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said on Friday that Thailand accepted the ICJ's decision regarding Preah Vihear temple, but said the ruling did not consider the contested land.

Thani said Thailand had expected Cambodia would make the request to the ICJ, adding that Bangkok was prepared to address the case.

Read more about Cambodia

Read more about Thailand Conflict