Wednesday, 9 June 2010

Cambodian and Thai troops exchange fire, no injuries reported

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via Khmer NZ News Media

Jun 8, 2010

Phnom Penh - The Ministry of Defence said Cambodian and Thai troops briefly exchanged fire along the border early Tuesday.

General Chhum Socheat, a ministry spokesman, said no Cambodian soldiers were injured in the morning exchange. He said he did not know whether there were Thai casualties.

'After the fighting stopped, the two sides met each other and said that a mistake caused the (clash),' he said of the six-minute clash.

'I heard that we were in our area and the Thais were in theirs, and (the soldiers) could not see each other clearly,' he added.

The exchange of gunfire took place in Oddar Meanchey province around 40 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple, a regular flashpoint between the two nations.

The relationship between Cambodia and Thailand has been tense for nearly two years with sporadic clashes. Much of their common border has yet to be demarcated.

Diplomatic relations worsened markedly in October when Cambodia appointed Thailand's fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as a government adviser.

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