New Thailand-Cambodia border fighting shows no sign of stopping
An wounded Thai soldier is carried to be transferred to a hospital, in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Renewed border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia showed no signs of abating Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of displaced people in strained conditions as more flooded into temporary shelters.
Associated Press reporters on the Thai side of the border heard outgoing fire.
The fighting triggered by longstanding territorial disputes followed a skirmish Sunday that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump that ended five days of combat in July.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to continue to fight, and Cambodia’s powerful Senate President Hun Sen promised a fierce response.
Over a dozen people have been killed in the latest fighting. And about 400,000 people have been evacuated while fighting continues in four border provinces, Thai military spokesperson Rear Adm. Surasant Kongsiri said.
Cambodia has evacuated more than 127,000 villagers, its defense ministry said.
Thailand’s military said casualties include five soldiers killed and dozens wounded. Cambodia said nine civilians died, including a baby, and 46 others were wounded.
In another sign of tensions, Cambodia withdrew its team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which began Tuesday in Thailand. Wednesday’s announcement from the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia said it regretted the action but competitors’ families were concerned about safety.
The previous ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed.
Trump late Tuesday said he would use his sway to end the renewed fighting.
“Tomorrow I’ll have to make a phone call,” Trump said.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters Wednesday that Washington had not contacted Thailand concerning a new ceasefire. He did not seem to rule out negotiations with Cambodia, but said he would not do so simply at the request of Trump, to whom he first wants to explain Thailand’s position.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier called on the two sides to live up to commitments made at an October meeting in Malaysia that reaffirmed the July ceasefire and called for removing heavy weapons from the border, coordinating removal of land mines and other steps.





