Thailand contradicts Trump’s statements on ceasefire

Conflict with Cambodia

Thailand contradicts Trump’s statements on ceasefire

Donald Trump speaks of a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. But from Bangkok it is said that the fight will continue.

Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia continued on Saturday despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire. The Thai armed forces continued their attacks with warplanes across the disputed border, the Cambodian Information Ministry said on Saturday. The Thai military, for its part, accused Cambodia of repeated violations of international rules. Trump said on Friday after telephone calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet that both countries had agreed to cease all hostilities from Friday.

However, neither Anutin nor Hun mentioned such an agreement in subsequent statements. The Thai prime minister said there was no ceasefire. “Thailand will continue military actions until we no longer feel any threat or danger to our country and our people,” he wrote in a Facebook post afterwards.

Cambodia’s prime minister on Facebook on Saturday referred to the conversation with Trump but said Cambodia continued to seek a peaceful solution based on an earlier agreement signed in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur in October.

Since Monday, Cambodia and Thailand have been fighting again with rockets and artillery at several points along their 817-kilometer-long border. These are some of the toughest fights since a five-day clash in July, which Trump ended with calls to both heads of government. However, Thailand suspended this agreement last month. A Thai soldier was previously maimed by a landmine. The government in Bangkok blames new mines laid by Cambodia, which the government in Phnom Penh rejects.