RESIDENTS of both Aranyaprathet border town on Thai side and Poipet just across on the Cambodian side were evacuated after fresh fighting erupted today (Dec. 21) when Khmer troops fired BM-21 rockets towards this district in Sa Kaeo province prompting Thai response, Amarin TV said.
Aranyaprathet municipality order urgent evacuation after these rockets were fired into civilian areas at around 2 p.m.
Upon hearing 10 gunshots behind Rong Kluea market in Aranyaprathet residents and vendors in this area panicked and quickly shut shop and moved their belongings to safer places. This led to traffic congestion is some areas.
Thailand condemned the Cambodia’s brutality in attacking civilian targets and communities, citing indiscriminate nature of the attack and the necessity of a Thai response.
Latest post on Army Military Force Facebook page indicate that Cambodian soldiers had ordered urgent evacuation of Poipet residents citing an impending battle in the area.
Meanwhile Col, Richa Suksuwanon, deputy spokesperson of the Thai army, said at a press conference that while overall the number of clashes along the border where the Second Army Region operates had decreased, with more areas now under Thai control, clashes are continue in Huai Ta Maria area of Sisaket province with Khmer troops attempting to mount an attack.
Regarding the First Army Region’s operation zone, Thai troops are able to control some but not all border areas in Sa Kaeo province being unable to fully oversee three areas, specifically Ban Khlong Phaeng, Ban Nong Chan, and Ban Nong Ya Kaeo.
This is because the flat terrain necessitates extreme vigilance in fully moving in as Khmer troops possess supporting weapons and landmines but Thai troops will not abandon efforts to control these areas.
In another development Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urgently flew to Chanthaburi to visit PO1 Therdphong Phomnara, a Marine Corps engineer from the Trat Task Force, who lost a leg after stepping on a landmine in Nong Ri area, Chamrak subdistrict, Trat city district, becoming the eight Thai soldier to lose a leg.
“By doing this, you can’t say we should forgive and forget. This is an encroachment on Thai territory and must be made known to the international community. Instead of telling Thailand to do this or that, they should tell the perpetrators to stop. As for anyone telling Thailand what to do, let me say that Thailand has its own approach and will handle things appropriately,” he said.
“We cannot allow our Thai brothers and sisters, our soldiers, to be treated like this.”
CAPTIONS:
Thai residents evacuating from Aranyaprathet, above, Front Page and first below, and Cambodian residents of Poipet likewise doing so, further below. Photos – Amarin TV
Insert – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visiting a Marine officer who lost his leg in a landmine blast. Photo – Amarin TV
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