The Thai military has accused Cambodian forces of violating the ceasefire agreement, during an inspection by an Interim Observer Team (IOT) in the Chong An Ma area of Ubon Ratchathani province on September 13.
The breach occurred when Cambodia’s Maj. Gen. Chan Chopeiatra, commander of the forces in Preah Vihear province, accompanied an IOT group into the Chong An Ma area, near the Ta Om Monument.
The Second Region Army Facebook page reported that the team conducted a 30-minute inspection before departing, notifying Thai authorities only an hour in advance.
More than 50 Cambodian soldiers, with side arms and long firearms, were present. A clear violation of the ceasefire.
According to the Thai military, bringing weapons into the area contravenes Article 4 of the ceasefire agreement, which prohibits provocative actions, cross-border military operations and the construction of military infrastructure beyond a country’s own territory.
In addition, the IOT was led by Maj. Gen. Pahlawan Asri bin Shukor, from the Malaysian Army Training Directorate, who is not an ASEAN military attaché stationed in Phnom Penh.
This violates Article 12 of the agreement, which stipulates that IOT duties must only be carried out by ASEAN military attachés stationed in either Thailand or Cambodia.
The Thai military claims that these actions demonstrate Cambodia’s lack of sincerity in adhering to the ceasefire agreements, signed under the General Border Committee (GBC) and Regional Border Committee (RBC) frameworks.
They also warned that such violations undermine peaceful protocols and pose serious obstacles to obtaining sustainable peace along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Footage of the inspection shows Thai soldiers trying to communicate with the Cambodian troops accompanying the IOT. The Cambodian soldiers told the IOT that the Ta Om Monument had been destroyed by Thai artillery during the July fighting. Thailand, however, maintains that the monument was destroyed by a Cambodian artillery misfire.
The situation eventually calmed down and the IOT proceeded with its inspection of the site.
