The armies of Thailand y Camboya They maintain hard clashes on the border, with a provisional balance of 12 dead and dozens of injured, after months of a growing tension following a historical border conflict that has fueled nationalism in both nations.
Here are some keys to the conflict:
A disagreement about him Control of a remote wooded areahe led to May 28 a skirmish between military from Thailand and Cambodia, with Exchange of shooting For about 10 minutes, in which a Cambodian soldier lost his life. This confrontation, which ended with more than a decade of peace in which the border dispute was drafted diplomatly, was recorded in the place Chong bookone of the unimmitted areas that both nations claim with a handful of small temples of Jemer architecture as Muen Thom y Ta Krabe. The conflict was gaining intensity with cross accusations and the reinforcement of border measures. The explosion in the last days of antipersonnel mines placed recently, for which several Thai soldiers were injured, served as a trigger to unleash a new war conflict.
Around 8.20 local time on Thursday, soldiers from both countries began to fight in the field annexed to the temple Muen Thomwhich separates the Thai province from Tingling and the Cambodian of Oddar Mean Chey. Both Thailand and Cambodia, who share 800 kilometers of borderThey accuse the other of starting the shots and responding in self -defense. In a matter of hours, the armed clash expanded to at least six points from the border, with the bombing by Thai aircraft against Cambodian military objectives and the rocket launch For the Cambodian military. According to the last balance of the Thai Ministry of Health, at least 11 civilians and a Thai soldier have died and dozens have been injured. For its part, Cambodia has not yet informed of victims, some clashes that are developing more than 400 kilometers from the two capitals.
The dispute between neighboring countries starts from Agreement sealed in March 1907 between the then Kingdom of Siam (current Thailand) and France (which occupied the territory that is now Cambodia) to exchange control of some regions and establish a line that defined the border between both nations. However, according to Thai authorities, the Real Border Demarcation deviated from the text of that treaty, including the territory around the Pit and other border points. A discord that crawls to the present and that has caused several clashes in the history of these neighboring countries. Including intermittent fighting between 2008 and 2011 that left about thirty dead.
The last encounter originated last May led that on July 1 the then Thai Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatrawas temporarily suspended by the Constitutional Court. The Court must decide whether the young policy committed a “serious ethical lack“When criticizing the role in the Territorial dispute with Nom Pen of a commander bet on the border, during a call filtered with the president of the Senate of Cambodia and former leader of the country, She late. The leader, replaced in the position interim for the veteran Phumtham wateachai And that faces other research from the Thai anti -corruption agency for the same case, you can present your defense against the Court until July 31.
Historically, the Thai army has maintained a remarkable influence on the policy of the country, usually coming to power through Status blowsthe last in 2006 and 2014 against the governments of Thaksin y Yigluck ShinawatraFather and Aunt, respectively, of the newly suspended president. Some academics point out the possibility that the Thai army “infle” the war conflict And I use it as a pretext to end the political crisis in Thailand with a New military uprising. “Now, once again, the military is openly suggesting that the civil government is weak and the prime minister is so inexperienced that civil leaders are unable to handle this crisis,” the academic said at the end of June Joshua Kurlancickof the British Ideas Laboratory Foreign Council Council.
