Thailand has lodged a formal protest with Cambodia, seeking an explanation after a Cambodian mortar round landed on Thai soil this morning, injuring a Thai soldier, according to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
“We are now seeking clarification on the incident from Cambodia, to assess how Thailand should respond,” Anutin said, after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting.
On the diplomatic front, he said, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a letter to Cambodia’s foreign minister requesting clarification on whether the ceasefire agreement has now been violated.
“Thailand is fully prepared on all fronts, diplomatic and security, to respond if necessary. If it reaches a point where Thailand deems it necessary to respond, it will do so,” he said.
Reports from operational units along the border indicate that Cambodia has claimed that the incident was an accident. Anutin questioned how Cambodia would take responsibility for such an “accident.”
The Interior Ministry has been instructed to take care of local residents, but the situation has not yet reached the stage where evacuations are necessary.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told the media that “We are demanding that Cambodia take responsibility, particularly by issuing an apology for what occurred."
What happens next will depend on Cambodia’s response. Thailand’s response to the incident in Ubon Ratchathani province will be proportional, Sihasak assured.
Under the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) agreement, signed by both countries in December last year, Cambodia is required to explain such incidents. Commenting on Cambodia’s claim that the incident was unintentional, the foreign minister said that, even if there was no intent, a Thai soldier was injured and such incidents must not happen again.
“Even if the incident was unintentional, how it occurred must be explained and measures must be taken to ensure it does not reoccur, including accepting responsibility by issuing an apology,” he said.
Asked whether the Thai military would respond if a similar incident were to occur, Sihasak said responses could take many forms and must be proportional to the situation.
If Cambodia can show that the incident was not intentional, and can ensure that it will not happen again, Thailand’s response would remain at the level of a diplomatic protest, he said.
"If the act was intentional, however, it would be a different matter and would be considered according to the proportionality of the situation," he said.
