The Thai forces and Cambodian shock to 3rd day

Fighting erupted again Sunday along the border of Cambodia and the Thailand after two days of clashes that killed at least 10 soldiers and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians.

A Cambodian soldier stands guard in July last to a gateway to the temple of Preah Vihear on the Thai border Cambodia. (Heng Sinith/Associated Press)

The dispute between the neighbours stems from their competing claims over small strips of land along the border, with nationalist political fuelling tensions. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when temple of Preah Vihear 11th century Cambodia was granted the status of A World Heritage Thai objections.

The current round of clashes, which began Friday, are the first border skirmishes reported since February, when eight soldiers and civilians have been killed near the temple of Preah Vihear. The latest fighting took place about 160 kilometres west of here.

Colonel Suos Sothea, a commander Cambodian, confirmed evidence that a battle of artillery began at the border shortly before 10: 00 a.m. local time on Sunday. In Bangkok, the Thai army spokesman colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd reports the same information.

There was no immediate reports of victims.

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, has called for Cambodia and the Thailand to implement an effective and verifiable ceasefire.

A declaration of an end Saturday said ban believes that the dispute cannot be resolved by military means, so the two countries must engage in a serious dialogue to resolve the underlying problems.

Outbreak of Sunday came after it appeared that calm could have been restored. Witnesses on the Cambodian side said an important border post which had been closed for two days was reopened and Thai media said some some 20 000 civilians who had been evacuated from the combat zone began to move to the House.

Each side accused of the departure of the latest fighting, which involved mainly artillery duels long distance to the other.

Thai villagers seek shelter Saturday in a makeshift refugee camp set up in a school about 30 kilometres from the Thai-Cambodia border. Thousands of villagers were evacuated from the region in cross-border hostilities. (Sukree Sukplang/Reuters)

The Thailand dismissed charges Saturday that he had used chemical weapons against the Cambodian troops.

A statement by the Cambodian Defence Ministry charged that the Thailand had shot 75 and 105-mm shells at "loading of the toxic gas" in Cambodian territory, but has no details. A Cambodian field commander said separately that the Thailand had used two shells of cluster - anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries - and the artillery shells that gave a debilitating gas.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said Thais allegations were not true, and colonel Tawatchai Samutsakorn, Commander of 2nd army region the Thailand, denied that submunitions or toxic gas bombs had been employed by its forces.

Tawatchai said a Thai soldier died Saturday, bringing the victim toll to four dead and 17 injured. Suos Sothea said three Cambodian soldiers were killed Saturday, with victims of Cambodia's two days to six. Suos Sothea said he could not give a precise count of the injured.

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