Thailand’s army said on Tuesday that Cambodian forces claimed a cross-border attack that wounded a Thai soldier was accidental, following Bangkok’s accusation that Cambodia had violated a ceasefire agreed just 10 days earlier.
The Thai military said Cambodian troops fired mortar rounds into Ubon Ratchathani province on Tuesday morning, injuring a soldier with shrapnel. The soldier was evacuated for medical treatment.
In a subsequent statement, the Thai army said Cambodian officials had contacted local Thai commanders, insisting there was no intention to fire into Thai territory and that the incident resulted from an operational error. Thai forces warned Cambodia to exercise caution, adding that further incidents could prompt retaliation.
Cambodia’s defence ministry declined to comment on the alleged strike.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his government had lodged a formal protest with Phnom Penh, stating that the ceasefire had been breached. While Thai military counterparts were told the incident was accidental, Anutin said Bangkok was seeking clarification on accountability.
He added that provincial governors had been instructed to prepare for possible escalation, though no evacuations have been ordered.
The truce, agreed on December 27, ended three weeks of fighting that killed dozens and displaced about one million people on both sides of the border. Many displaced residents have since begun returning home.
Thailand and Cambodia have a long-running dispute over their 800-kilometre border, rooted in colonial-era demarcations and competing claims over territory and ancient temple ruins. Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain unresolved, with both sides continuing to dispute troop deployments and border ownership.
Cambodia has proposed holding a bilateral border committee meeting in Siem Reap later this month, while Thailand has indicated that formal border demarcation talks may be delayed until after its general election on February 8.
