Nattapon rebuts Tea Seiha, links border clash to Ottawa Convention meeting
Nattapon accuses Cambodia of distorting facts to cast Thailand as the aggressor after the Ottawa Convention meeting, insisting evidence shows Thai soldiers were shot in the Si Sa Ket clash.
- Thailand's Defence Minister, Nattapon Nakpanich, has refuted claims from his Cambodian counterpart, stating that Cambodian troops fired first and injured two Thai soldiers within Thai territory.
- He expressed disappointment with Cambodia's version of events, which he described as inaccurate, and noted a history of provocation by their frontline troops.
- Nattapon suggested the timing of the incident was an attempt to portray Thailand as an aggressor following a recent international meeting on the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
Defence Minister Gen Nattapon Nakpanich has rejected Cambodian Defence Minister Gen Tea Seiha’s claim that Thailand fired first in Sunday’s border clash, insisting that evidence clearly shows Cambodian troops opened fire and injured two Thai soldiers inside Thai territory.
Nattapon said Cambodian forces fired small arms at a Thai patrol in the Phu Pha Lek–Phlan Hin Paet Kon area of Si Sa Ket province, wounding two Thai servicemen. One soldier was shot in the left leg, while the other was struck in the chest but protected by a bulletproof vest.
Thai troops returned fire in accordance with the rules of engagement, and the situation has now stabilised, he said, adding that Lt Gen Weerayuth Raksilp, Commander of the Second Army Area, has ordered units to remain on full alert.
Responding to Tea Seiha’s statement that Cambodian troops did not fire back, Nattapon said he was disappointed that Phnom Penh continued to rely on unverified or inaccurate reports.
“This has been a recurring problem,” he said. “While Cambodia claims adherence to agreements signed in Malaysia, their frontline troops have repeatedly provoked our forces and misrepresented events.”
He noted that Thai soldiers had placed barbed-wire barriers to prevent incursions and the planting of landmines, but Cambodian troops regularly attempted to remove the fencing.
Despite today’s incident, in which two Thai soldiers were injured, the Cambodian defence minister still claimed there had been no return fire, he said.
Nattapon also said the incident appeared aimed at shaping perceptions following the recently concluded 22nd Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in Geneva.
“If there is any connection, it is an effort to muddy the waters and portray Thailand as an aggressor in the aftermath of the Ottawa meeting,” he said.
He added that Thai forces had been instructed to maintain strict caution while following the rules of engagement, allowing proportional response when necessary. The Chief of Defence Forces is overseeing the situation closely.
Regarding residents evacuated from four border provinces, Nattapon said officials must continue assessing safety conditions. People may return only when the situation is secure. If risks persist, evacuation must continue, he said.
