Thailand imposes martial law in border districts as clashes with Cambodia continue

ISTANBUL

Thailand on Sunday imposed martial law and declared a curfew in several districts of the easternmost province of Trat as border clashes with Cambodia continue, including one casualty reported by the media.

Thai Staff Sgt. Apisit Bunnak was reportedly killed on Sunday by a BM-21 rocket while on duty near the border, according to Thai daily Khaosod.

Defense Ministry spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said on Sunday that the Royal Thai Navy will impose a curfew in four districts of Trat, adding that the fighting continued along the border, according to the Bangkok Post.

Martial law has been enforced in these districts, giving authorities the authority to detain individuals or conduct searches of people, vehicles, or structures believed to present a security threat.

Royal Thai Navy spokesperson Rear Adm. Parach Rattanachaipan said that Thai marines have successfully recaptured the majority of Ban Sam Lang and Ban Nong Ree, located in the Cham Rak sub-district of Muang in the Trat province, after intense combat with Cambodian forces, according to Thai PBS.

Separately, Chaiyapruek Duangprapat, Thailand's top general, told Thai PBS on Sunday that their ultimate aim is to make sure that “Cambodia will not pose a military threat to Thailand for a long time.”

Meanwhile, Cambodia's Defense Ministry said the Thai military carried out attacks on several villages with artillery shells, F-16 bombing, and advancing infantry, according to the Khmer Times.

International efforts

The latest developments came after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on US social media company X that he had separate calls with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, urging both sides to cease hostilities.

"I have requested the deployment of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT), led by the Malaysian Chief of Defense Forces, to monitor developments on the ground," Anwar said, adding that this mission will be "complemented" by satellite monitoring capabilities of the US.

Anutin, however, denied that a truce would take place at the time specified, Anwar said, adding that it is not yet time for ceasefire negotiations with Cambodia according to the Thai Enquirer website.

Hun Manet, on the other hand, said Saturday on US social media platform Facebook: "Cambodia welcomes and supports the initiative of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia for a ceasefire tonight, which will be monitored by ASEAN Observation Team (AOT) with participation of the United States.”

Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have displaced around 700,000 people on both sides of the frontier, with the death toll climbing to 34 since Monday, according to officials and local media.

Eleven civilians have so far been killed in Cambodia, while 16 soldiers and seven civilians in Thailand were killed, with over 290 soldiers and police officers injured.

The two countries signed a peace deal in October in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but it was suspended after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a landmine explosion in a border province. Around 18 Cambodian soldiers remain in Thai custody from incidents in the past five months.

The neighbors have a long-running border dispute that has led to repeated clashes, including in July, when at least 48 people were killed.