BANGKOK: Eighteen Cambodian soldiers surrendered to Thai forces on Tuesday (July 29) morning after their position inside Thai territory in Si Sa Ket’s Kanthalak district was overrun, according to Royal Thai Army (RTA) spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree.
Winthai said the Second Army Area reported that the troops surrendered at a clash point in the Sam Te area of Kanthalak district.
The surrender followed an incident in which Cambodian troops fired artillery and projectile weapons from a position near the border into Thai territory.
In response, the Second Army Area deployed a cavalry battalion taskforce to repel the assault.
The Thai cavalry battalion successfully overran the Cambodian position and encountered 18 soldiers who surrendered without resistance.
“Thai troops disarmed the soldiers and treated them strictly in accordance with international humanitarian principles,” Winthai said.
The group of 18 included:
1 captain
2 sergeant majors (2nd class)
12 sergeants
2 corporals
1 private first class
One soldier was injured with bullet wounds to his right hip and left arm. He was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Thai troops also found the bodies of two Cambodian soldiers at the scene.
The captured troops are being held in a secure area under the jurisdiction of the Second Army Area, where they are being provided with basic necessities, including clothing, food, drinking water, and medical care—all in line with international military and humanitarian practices, Winthai said.
He added that the Second Army Area would handle the surrendering troops in accordance with official procedures, and that the two bodies would be returned to Cambodia with full respect and in line with international protocols.
“The RTA strictly adheres to human rights, international law, and Thailand’s commitments under the Geneva Conventions regarding the treatment of captured soldiers and the handling of the deceased,” Winthai said. - The Nation/ANN
