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Thailand's Military Vow: No End to Operations Until Threats Cease

Thailand's Prime Minister says military operations will not stop until all threats are gone. Meanwhile, Cambodia is reporting civilian casualties and damage from Thai airstrikes. There's also confusion about a ceasefire that the US announced but Thailand denies. This latest fighting has forced a huge number of people to flee their homes along the border.

Key Points: Thai PM Anutin Vows Military Ops Until Threats End Amid Cambodia Clash

  • Thai PM Anutin vows military operations will continue until threats to territory and people cease
  • Cambodia accuses Thailand of targeting civilians, causing deaths and displacing hundreds of thousands
  • A US-announced ceasefire is disputed by Thailand, highlighting diplomatic confusion
  • The border conflict reignited in December after a previous ceasefire agreement in August
3 min read

No end to military operations until threats against territory, people cease: Thai PM

Thai PM Anutin vows continued military action against threats, as Cambodia reports civilian casualties and a disputed US-announced ceasefire.

"It's definitely not a roadside accident. - Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul"

Bangkok, Dec 13

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a social media post on Saturday that his country will continue its military operations until Thailand's territory and people are no longer under threat.

Anutin also responded to US President Donald Trump's earlier remarks, stating, "It's definitely not a roadside accident." Trump had previously claimed that the roadside bomb which initially caused multiple Thai military casualties was an "accident," while noting that Thailand had responded "very strongly."

"Our actions this morning already spoke," Anutin added, Xinhua news agency reported. Citing a military source, Thai media reported on Saturday that the Royal Thai Air Force deployed two F-16 fighter jets to bomb targets on the Cambodia border.

Meanwhile, Cambodia called on Thailand to immediately cease military actions against Cambodia and its civilian infrastructure, Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra said on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, the Thai forces, using two F-16 fighter jets, struck a hotel and two bridges at the Thmor Da checkpoint in Veal Veng District, Pursat Province, he said.

"Thai forces have expanded their attacks to target Cambodian civilians and residential villages, and to destroy civilian infrastructure," Pheaktra said, adding that, as of Friday, Thai military actions have caused 11 civilian deaths and 59 injuries.

Across five provinces, there are 89,687 displaced families, totaling 303,213 people, he added.

The minister said that Thailand has repeatedly violated Cambodia's sovereignty and ended the ceasefire through sustained military actions inside Cambodian territory.

Pheaktra said Cambodia remains firmly committed to peace, dialogue, and international law.

Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said they held separate phone talks with US President Donald Trump on Friday regarding their border conflict. Trump later said the two leaders had agreed to a ceasefire effective Friday evening, a claim that the Thai side denied on Saturday.

Following armed clashes in late July, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict reignited on December 7 afternoon. Both sides accused each other of initiating the attack and confirmed casualties. At least 10 Cambodian civilians and 11 Thai soldiers were killed, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.

Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces erupted on July 24 along their border, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Both sides accused each other of violating international law.

A consensus was reached on August 7 on the details of a ceasefire, with both sides signing an agreement at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On October 26, the two leaders signed a joint declaration on peace on the sidelines of the 47th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in the Malaysian capital.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The PM saying "our actions this morning already spoke" is a very aggressive stance. Using fighter jets against civilian infrastructure like hotels and bridges is a serious escalation. Where is the UN Security Council in all this? The world can't just watch.
P
Priyanka N
Over 300,000 people displaced! 😔 This is a humanitarian crisis. It reminds us of the pain caused by conflict anywhere. The focus should be on getting aid to these families first. The blaming game between leaders can wait.
A
Aman W
The conflicting statements about the ceasefire are troubling. If the US President says there's a deal and Thailand denies it the next day, it shows a complete breakdown of trust and communication. This doesn't look good for regional stability.
V
Vikram M
While I understand Thailand's need to defend its territory, the report of targeting a hotel is hard to justify. A measured, diplomatic response is always better than escalation. Hope our PM is watching and learning what *not* to do in our own border matters.
K
Kiran H
They had a ceasefire agreement in August and a joint peace declaration in October! What happened? It shows these pieces of paper mean nothing without genuine political will from both sides. Very sad for the common people caught in the middle.

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