BANGKOK: Second Army Area says Cambodia mobilised tanks and rocket launchers, training fire on Buri Ram airport and a Surin hospital as pre-dawn border attacks escalate.
The Second Army Area announced on Monday (Dec 7) that Cambodia had mobilised tanks and rocket launchers late on Sunday night in preparation for attacks against Thailand, and had even trained its artillery and rockets on Buri Ram airport and a hospital in Surin.
It said full-scale military preparations by Cambodia had been detected following an attack on Thai soldiers in Si Sa Ket, which led to a brief clash on Sunday. The Second Army Area reported that Cambodian forces had directed their fire-support weapons at Buri Ram airport and Prasat Hospital in Surin.
According to the Second Army Area, at about 3.25am the Cambodian military ordered its troops to fire support weapons at Ban Kachai Noi village in Ban Dan district, just 13km kifrom Buri Ram airport, and at Ban Jarook Kwae village in Prasat district of Surin, around 31km inside Thai territory from the border.
These incidents showed that Cambodian forces had effectively aimed their weapons at the airport and the hospital, the Second Army Area said.
The statement added that Cambodian forces began mobilising heavy weapons at about 10pm on Sunday, including T-55 tanks, which were moved through the Chong Khana and Chong Rayi crossing areas.
There was also movement of RM-70 multiple rocket launchers into Chom Krosan district of Preah Vihear province at about 0.00am, as well as the detection of BM-21 and Type-90B multiple rocket launchers in Krong Samraong, Oddar Meanchey province, at around 1am.
At about 5am, Cambodian troops opened fire on Thai military positions at Chong An Ma in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani, the Second Army Area said.
Then, at around 6am, Cambodian forces launched salvos of projectile weapons at Thai positions. Thai troops returned fire in line with the rules of engagement. All Thai soldiers were reported safe in the 6am attack, according to the statement.
The Second Army Area said Cambodia had raised its level of military readiness to the highest level after the clash with Thai troops at Phlan Hin Paet Kon in Si Sa Ket on Sunday.
Cambodian forces had reinforced outposts, built additional bunkers and prepared to receive high-ranking commanders who would be deployed to direct combat operations. Cambodia had also begun evacuating its own citizens from border areas, it added.
As of the time of the announcement, the Second Army Area said that about 70% of residents in four provinces along the border had been evacuated, with 35,623 villagers sheltering in temporary evacuation centres.
It added that one villager had died during the evacuation in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani. - The Nation/ANN
