Thailand-Cambodi War: “Will Continue Military Actions Until…”, Thailand Promises More Combat With Cambodia, Trump Claims Peace
Thailand-Cambodi War: Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed to have mediated a truce, Thailand’s leader pledged to continue fighting on the disputed border with Cambodia as fighter planes hit targets on Saturday. On Facebook, Thailand’s minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, said that the country will “continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people.”
Speaking to Anutin and Cambodian Premier Hun Manet on Friday, Trump, who mediated a truce in the protracted border issue in October, said that they had reached a “cease all shooting” agreement. In remarks after their conversations with Trump, none of them alluded to any deal, and Anutin said there was no ceasefire.
“I want it to be understood. Anutin said, “Our actions this morning already spoke.” The Thai leader’s remark on the ongoing fighting has not yet received a response from the White House.
In a Facebook message on Saturday, Hun Manet said that Cambodia is still working toward a peaceful settlement of conflicts in accordance with the October accord. In some of the worst fighting since the five-day conflict in July, Cambodia and Thailand have been trading heavy-weapons fire at several locations along the 817-kilometer border since Monday.
Trump stopped battling
Trump called on both leaders to stop the worst fighting in recent memory. Trump, who has said time and time again that he is deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize, has been eager to step in once again to save the ceasefire. Following the maiming of a Thai soldier by a landmine, one of many that Bangkok claims were recently planted by Cambodia, Thailand stopped it last month. The landmine claims are denied by Cambodia, which nominated Trump for the peace award in August.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a spokesperson for the Thai Defense Ministry, said a news conference on Saturday that heavy weaponry launched by Cambodia had caused conflicts in seven border regions, “making it necessary for Thailand to retaliate.” Thai soldiers fired artillery from a naval vessel and hit houses and bridges overnight, according to Cambodia’s Information Ministry. Trump’s claims that a “roadside bomb” that injured Thai troops was an accident were denied by Thai commander Anutin, who said that the event was “definitely not a roadside accident.”