Hun Sen takes command of Thai–Cambodian border fighting
But the president of the Cambodian Senate has told Cambodian athletes to continue competing at the SEA Games hosted by Thailand.
- Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen alleges an unnamed "aggressor" initiated clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border to provoke a battle.
- He claims the aggressor's goal is to destroy the ceasefire agreement and the Cambodia-Thailand peace declaration.
- In response, Hun Sen has ordered his front-line military units to exercise restraint to avoid escalating the conflict.
- He has cancelled other programs to take direct command of the armed forces and stated Cambodian athletes should still compete in the SEA Games in Thailand.
Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, posted photos and a statement on Monday (December 8), at 9.13am, following clashes along the Thai–Cambodian border that had flared up in the early hours of the morning.
The images showed him in an online meeting with the defence minister and commanders of the various armed forces.
Hun Sen alleged that “the aggressor” had used all kinds of weapons to fire at Cambodian forces from last night through to this morning, to provoke Cambodia into battle and undermine both the ceasefire agreement and the Cambodia–Thailand peace declaration.
He said all front-line units must show restraint, claiming that the aggressor had been firing every type of weapon at Cambodian forces since the previous night in an attempt to draw them into combat and to destroy the ceasefire and the bilateral peace declaration.
Hun Sen added that the line of defence had already been defined, and instructed commanders at all levels to educate their soldiers and officials, as well as to help civilians fleeing dangerous areas to move into safe zones.
“I have cancelled all other programmes to directly command the armed forces against this aggression. Please inform both domestic and foreign guests that I am unable to receive them,” he said.
Hun Sen also said Cambodian athletes, due to compete at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, should travel and take part in the competition as normal.
