Thailand and Cambodia clash amid peace talks

Ignoring the ceasefire, Thai and Cambodian troops were once again engaged in fighting early this morning. According to Cambodia’s state news agency, Agence Kampuchea Press, Thai forces dropped four bombs using F-16 fighter jets in the border province of Banteay Meanchey.
 

Meanwhile, Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense said that the Thai military fired more than 40 artillery shells in the afternoon into a densely populated civilian area in Battambang province.
 

Videos circulating online show civilians, including children, taking shelter during the bombardment. The office of Prime Minister Hun Manet said that around 525,000 people have been displaced on Cambodia’s side of the border. Thailand, on the other hand, claims that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced within its territory.
 

As border tensions enter their third week, representatives of Thailand and Cambodia are meeting face to face at a special ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital. Chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, the meeting will present satellite data supplied by the United States along with ground-level observations.
 

The United States has urged both sides to withdraw heavy weapons and enforce the ceasefire. Although the United States and China are separately pursuing diplomatic efforts, no visible progress has yet been achieved.