BM-21 rockets fall near Phanom Dong Rak Hospital, patients and staff shelter in bunker
Cambodian BM-21 rockets landed near Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin, forcing patients and staff into a bunker as shelling hit 12 Thai border fronts.
BM-21 rockets fired from Cambodia fell near Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin on Wednesday morning, prompting the urgent evacuation of patients and hospital staff to take cover in a bunker.
The Second Army Area reported that the BM-21 rocket attack on the hospital took place at 8.40am, after Cambodian troops had stepped up rocket and artillery fire into the Thai border at 12 battlefronts in four provinces early in the morning.
Cambodian shelling reported across 12 battlefronts in four Thai provinces
The Second Army Area said Cambodian troops began shelling 12 battlefronts at 5.20am as follows:
Buri Ram
- Chong Sai Taku battlefront: Clashes occurred. No casualties were reported.
Surin
- Chong Jom–Chong Prur battlefront: Sporadic exchanges of gunfire took place. No casualties were reported.
- Prasat Khana battlefront: Cambodian troops continued to fire and shell the Thai side with artillery. No casualties were reported.
- Prasat Ta Kwai battlefront: Cambodian troops kept firing at the Thai side with rifles and recoilless guns. No casualties were reported.
- Chong Krang battlefront: Cambodian troops kept firing rifles and mortars at the Thai side. No casualties were reported.
- Prasat Ta Muen Thom battlefront: Cambodian troops kept firing rifles and grenade launchers at the Thai side. No casualties were reported.
Si Sa Ket
- Phra Wiharn Park battlefront (Chong Sam Tae, Don Tuan, Phu Phi, Sattasome, Phanom Prasittiso, Chong Ta Thao): Clashes occurred. No casualties were reported.
- Phra Wiharn Park battlefront (Prasat Phra Wiharn, Pha Mor Idaeng, Huay Ta Maria): Clashes occurred. No casualties were reported.
- Chong Done Aor–Plai Yao–Phlan Hin Paet Kon battlefront: Clashes occurred. No casualties were reported.
- Chong Sa-ngam battlefront: No clash was reported.
Ubon Ratchathani
- Chong Bok battlefront: Cambodian troops kept firing rifles and artillery at the Thai side. No casualties were reported.
- Chong An Ma battlefront: Cambodian troops kept firing rifles and mortars at the Thai side. No casualties were reported.
Thai military briefs 19 nations’ attachés, insists response is self-defence
On Tuesday, the Royal Thai Armed Forces held a briefing for military attachés from 19 countries at its headquarters.
General Chidchanok Nutchaya, joint chief of staff, presided over the briefing, which was attended by representatives from the Royal Thai Army’s Directorate of Intelligence and Joint Directorate of Intelligence, as well as the Foreign Ministry.
The foreign military attachés were briefed that Cambodian troops had opened fire and shown hostility towards Thailand since Sunday, December 7, at Phu Pha Lek–Phlan Hin Paet Kon in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district.
They were told that Cambodian troops then escalated the fighting to other areas in Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Surin, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo and Trat, leading to deaths and injuries among Thai military personnel.
The attachés were also informed that Cambodian troops had fired BM-21 rockets into Ban Sai Tho 10 village in Buri Ram.
The Thai side explained that its forces had to retaliate to defend the country’s sovereignty and territory, and that military operations would continue until Cambodia ended its aggression and returned to peaceful means.
The briefing stressed that Thailand has the right to defend its sovereignty, even though it wishes to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
