SURIN, July 24 (TNA) – Cambodian troops opened fires at a Thai outpost following Thailand’s army order to close border crossing closures.
The Royal Thai Army has reported a border clash between Thai and Cambodia troops near Ta Muen Temple following an incident involving Cambodian forces early this morning.
According to an army’s statement, at approximately 7:35 a.m., a Thai special task force stationed in the Ta Muen Temple area detected the sound of a Cambodian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying near Ta Muen Thom Temple. Although the UAV could not be visually confirmed, its presence was clearly heard overhead.
Shortly afterward, six fully armed Cambodian soldiers, including those equipped with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), were seen advancing toward the barbed wire fence in front of a Thai military base.
Thai troops responded with restraint, attempting to de-escalate the situation by issuing verbal warnings and initiating negotiation efforts while maintaining heightened alertness along the border.
Despite these efforts, at around 8:20 a.m., Cambodian forces opened fire toward the area opposite the Thai operational base, located to the east of Ta Muen Temple, from a distance of approximately 200 meters, the Thai army said.
The attack came as the National Security Council convene a meeting at the Government House in Bangkok. The Royal Thai Army has orders that all relevant units are closely monitoring the situation and will release further updates as new developments occur.
An unconfirmed media report indicates two Thai soldiers have been injured from Cambodia’s shelling.
The escalated situation occurred after weeks of diplomatic spats and two landmine attacks on Thai soil in Ubon Ratchathani Province in which several Thai troops have been seriously injured—one of them has lost his leg.
On Wednesday, therefore, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, Commander of the 2nd Army Region, ordered closures of all border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia, starting on Thursday. – 819 (TNA)
