A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 6 April 2010

Cambodian and Thai troops clashed at Phnom Trop

Tensions at Veal Entry between Thai and Cambodian troops on 4th April 2009 01, one day after the deadly clash (Reuters).

By Khmerization
Source: Kampuchea Thmey and DAP News

Cambodian and Thai troops have briefly clashed at Phnom Trop, 5 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple, on the first anniversary of the deadly clash here on 3rd April 2009 that killed at least 8 Thai soldiers, reports Kampuchea Thmey.

Mr. Chea Chon, commander of a battalion based at Phnom Trop, told Kampuchea Thmey that around 4:30am on Sunday, 4th April, there was a brief clash that lasted about 5 minutes between Cambodian troops and Thai troops based at Phnom Trop due to the drunkenness of the Thai soldiers. He said, the clash happened when he sent a Cambodian patrol group to check the mountain top after seeing unusual movements of Thai troops when they conduct troop rotations. When the Cambodian troops reached the mountain top, Thai troops shouted abuses at them and ordered them to retreat immediately or they will launch an attack. The Cambodian troops took up positions in their trenches and shortly, Thai soldiers spray bullets from M-16s directly at them.

Mr. Chea Chon said, the first time Cambodian troops didn't return fires. But because those Thai soldiers continued to fire at them, the Cambodian troops returned fires by firing RPD rockets and 12.7 milimetres machine guns. No one was injured from the clash.

The report said that, at 9:30am the next morning, 5th April, a Thai commanders at the Phnom Trop and the nearby Veal Entry frontlines came to apologise to the Cambodian soldiers by saying that the brief clash was triggered by some drunken Thai soldiers.

Deum Ampil reported that Gen. Chea Dara, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the Preah Vihear operations, confirmed the clash by saying that Thai troops also lauched a few rockets into Cambodian territories. He said he accepted the Thai apology but told them not to get drunk and fire at Cambodian troops again. He told them that when they get drunk they should shoot at each other, not at Cambodian troops.

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