One medic killed on Phu Makua, raising Thai troop death toll to 16

The Defence Ministry said on Sunday that an Army medic was killed after Cambodian forces shelled a Thai military base on Phu Makua in Si Sa Ket, bringing the number of Thai troops killed in the Thai–Cambodian border clashes to 16.

Rear Adm Surasant Kongsiri, Defence Ministry spokesman, told a press conference that the medic—assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment—was killed when Cambodian forces shelled border areas in Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket.

Surasant said indiscriminate BM-21 rocket fire also hit a community area in Kantharalak, killing one civilian and injuring four others. He added that the medic was killed when a rocket hit the base on Phu Makua.

He said 327 Thai troops have been injured so far, adding that those with minor injuries have returned to their units after treatment.

At the same press conference, Col Ritcha Suksuwanont, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, said Thai troops seized a number of GAM-102LR multi-purpose anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). He said the missiles were modern and that their seizure reduced risks to Thai personnel.

Air Marshal Jakkrit Thamwichai, spokesman for the Royal Thai Air Force, said the air force is fully prepared in terms of pilots, fighter jets and armaments to support ground troops. He said the RTAF will not halt operations until Cambodia halts its aggression and stops threatening Thailand.