Thailand’s Second Army Region Commander Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang announced today that the army will try to retake Ta Kwai ancient temple, which is located on Thai territory, from Cambodian forces, after four failed attempts due to it being surrounded by landmines and heavily defended.
He said that Thai troops are currently about 30 metres from the temple, but the Cambodian forces are holed up on advantageous terrain.
The commander claimed that as many as 3,000 Cambodian troops were killed during the fierce fighting with Thai forces between July 24 and 28, because the Cambodian government had deployed a large number of troops to capture disputed areas along the Thai-Cambodian border.
He said that he has sympathy for the Cambodian soldiers, who were taking orders from their commanders.
Regarding the Ta Muen Thom Temple, which is now controlled by Thai troops, Lt Gen Boonsin said that thousands of Cambodian troops were deployed to capture the temple during the recent fighting, but without success, adding that the temple is currently closed to outsiders, pending consideration by a committee as to whether it should be reopened to visitors.
Concerning the problem of unidentified drones, which have been spotted over Thai airports, hospitals and military installations in the northeast, he said the army has instructed the governors of 14 northeastern and eastern provinces to try to identify the drone operators and to procure anti-drone equipment to deal with them.
He warned that the drone problem should not be underestimated, as drones can be used to pinpoint strategic targets for future attacks by Cambodian forces.
