SAMROANG, Cambodia: Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day on Saturday (Jul 26), as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33.
A long-running border dispute erupted into intense conflict involving jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, prompting the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis on Friday.
After the closed meeting in New York, Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo said his country wanted a ceasefire.
"Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire - unconditionally - and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute," Keo told reporters.
Both sides blamed each other for starting the latest clashes.
In its statement to the UN Security Council, Cambodia accused Thailand of attacking areas of historical and cultural significance, including the Preah Vihear temple – something Bangkok has denied.
The UNESCO-recognised temple has been at the heart of a long dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
“This flagrant act of aggression has dangerously escalated an already volatile situation and poses a serious threat to regional peace and security,” Keo said in his statement.
According to Cambodia's defence ministry on Saturday, 13 people were now confirmed killed in the fighting - eight civilians and five soldiers - with 71 people wounded.
In Thailand, the army said five soldiers were killed on Friday, taking the toll there to 20 - 14 civilians and six military.
The death toll across the two countries is now higher than the 28 killed in the last major round of fighting between 2008 and 2011.
Both sides reported a clash around 5am on Saturday, with Cambodia accusing Thai forces of firing"five heavy artillery shells" into locations in Pursat province, which borders Thailand's Trat province.
THAI ACTIONS NOT SELF-DEFENCE: CAMBODIA
The fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a long-running dispute between the neighbours over their shared 800km frontier.
A UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter for over a decade, but the current crisis erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a new clash.
Cambodia fired rockets and shells into Thailand on Thursday, and the Thais scrambled F-16 jets to hit military targets across the border. Cambodia has also accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions.
“The deployment of F-16 fighter jets, tanks and the extensive use of cluster munitions and heavy artillery are manifestations of the invasion and aggression,” Cambodia's UN ambassador said.
“This is clearly not self-defence, as claimed by Thailand.”
Responding to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand first, Keo asked how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size, saying:"We do not do that."
DIALOGUE, NOT VIOLENCE: THAILAND
In its statement at the UN, Thailand’s ambassador Cherdchai Chairvaivid said dialogue, not violence, must prevail.
He said that in response to the “unprovoked firing” by Cambodian troops, Thai forces were “compelled to take proportionate and appropriate measures in self-defence, consistent with international law’.
Thailand had accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket.
Cherdchai added that in responding to Cambodia’s actions, Thailand had made “every effort” to avoid civilian harm.
Cluster munitions were “used exclusively to target military objectives”, he said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said Friday, before the UN meeting was held, that Bangkok was open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia.
"We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response," Nikorndej told AFP.
