Saturday, 30 April 2011

Thai army spokesman: "We did not fire first"

http://news.xinhuanet.com/

via CAAI

2011-04-29

BANGKOK, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Thai army did not fire first during the latest round of clashes, an army spokesman told Xinhua on Friday.

"During the latest fighting over night which left one Thai soldier dead and another three to four injured, we did not fire first," Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, Thai Army spokesman said in an telephone interview with Xinhua on Friday morning.

"The fighting continued from 09:00 p.m. on Thursday until 06:00 a.m. on Friday, during which the Cambodians fired small artillery and threw bombs at us and we have to fire back at them," the spokesman said.

The clashes happened less than 12 hours after ceasefire talks between Lt Gen Thawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thai Army Region 2 and Major General Chea Mon, commander of Military Region 4, during which both sides agreed to halt fighting.

"Lt Gen Thawatchai is responsible for the area of fighting while Chea Mon is not, instead, the deputy Army chief of Cambodia is the man who is responsible for the area, " Col. Sansern said.

The Thai army will continue watching the situation, the spokesman added.

The last seven days of clashes have left seven Thai soldiers, one civilian dead, several dozens injured, and forced 60,000 civilians of both countries to flee home.

Editor: Xiong Tong

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