No end to military operations until threats against territory, people cease: Thai PM

Bangkok: Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a social media post on Saturday that his country will continue its military operations until Thailand’s territory and people are no longer under threat.

Anutin also responded to US President Donald Trump’s earlier remarks, stating, “It’s definitely not a roadside accident.” Trump had previously claimed that the roadside bomb which initially caused multiple Thai military casualties was an “accident,” while noting that Thailand had responded “very strongly.”

“Our actions this morning already spoke,” Anutin added, Xinhua news agency reported. Citing a military source, Thai media reported on Saturday that the Royal Thai Air Force deployed two F-16 fighter jets to bomb targets on the Cambodia border.

Meanwhile, Cambodia called on Thailand to immediately cease military actions against Cambodia and its civilian infrastructure, Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra said on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, the Thai forces, using two F-16 fighter jets, struck a hotel and two bridges at the Thmor Da checkpoint in Veal Veng District, Pursat Province, he said.

“Thai forces have expanded their attacks to target Cambodian civilians and residential villages, and to destroy civilian infrastructure,” Pheaktra said, adding that, as of Friday, Thai military actions have caused 11 civilian deaths and 59 injuries.

Across five provinces, there are 89,687 displaced families, totaling 303,213 people, he added.

The minister said that Thailand has repeatedly violated Cambodia’s sovereignty and ended the ceasefire through sustained military actions inside Cambodian territory.

Pheaktra said Cambodia remains firmly committed to peace, dialogue, and international law.

Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said they held separate phone talks with US President Donald Trump on Friday regarding their border conflict. Trump later said the two leaders had agreed to a ceasefire effective Friday evening, a claim that the Thai side denied on Saturday.

Following armed clashes in late July, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict reignited on December 7 afternoon. Both sides accused each other of initiating the attack and confirmed casualties. At least 10 Cambodian civilians and 11 Thai soldiers were killed, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.

Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces erupted on July 24 along their border, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Both sides accused each other of violating international law.

A consensus was reached on August 7 on the details of a ceasefire, with both sides signing an agreement at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On October 26, the two leaders signed a joint declaration on peace on the sidelines of the 47th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in the Malaysian capital.

IANS