The Thai Navy denied yesterday that it intends to seize Cambodia’s Koh Kong and Koh Yor areas, saying the operations involving those places were solely to neutralise immediate security threats, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Thadawut Thatpitakkul said today.
He stressed that the operations were conducted only to ensure the security of Thailand and its people and that “there was no intention to seize Koh Kong or Koh Yor of Cambodia, but any threat to Thai personnel or civilians in the area must be eliminated.
This is the principle to which we adhere,” he said.
Rumours that the Thai Navy is planning to seize the two areas began after the fierce clashes on December 13th along the border in Trat province, which is adjacent to Koh Kong.
Intermittent clashes continued throughout the night in the Muang Trat district. A range of weapons, including artillery, mortars and small arms, were used, with fighting continuing into the early morning hours and creating tension along the province’s eastern border.
At around 2am, gunfire was reported in Ban Hat Lek village in Khlong Yai district. The Thai forces are reported to have fired more than 10 artillery rounds at targets in Koh Kong.
Security sources said the main target was an artillery base on the Cambodian side, after troop movements were detected that could pose a threat to Thai forces.
Admiral Thadavut added the additional maritime controls announced today, on top of those already imposed on the sea lanes of Chanthaburi and Trat provinces, is intended to stifle the military capabilities of Cambodia.
He said that the measure affects Thai-owned vessels only, whether they are registered locally or abroad.
The Thai army has also tightened the control on fuel and other strategic goods being delivered to Laos, via the Chong Mek border crossing in Ubon Ratchathani, to prevent them from being diverted to Cambodia.
The Lao government has, however, stated that fuel destined for Laos has not been transshipped to Cambodia.
