BANGKOK: Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul (pic) insists the landmine blast that maimed Thai soldiers was no accident and says Thailand will continue military action against Cambodia until all threats to its land and people are removed.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday (Dec 13) publicly rejected comments by US President Donald Trump, who had claimed that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and described the landmine incident that killed and injured Thai soldiers as an “accident”.
Responding in English, Anutin posted:
“It’s definitely not a roadside accident. Thailand will continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people. I want to make it clear. Our actions this morning already spoke.”
On Friday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that, after speaking with Anutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, both countries had agreed to “CEASE all shooting effective this evening” and to return to the original peace accord he had brokered with the help of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Trump’s post read in part:
“The roadside bomb that originally killed and wounded numerous Thai Soldiers was an accident, but Thailand nevertheless retaliated very strongly. Both Countries are ready for PEACE and continued Trade with the United States of America.”
Anutin’s sharp rebuttal makes clear that, from Bangkok’s perspective, the landmine blast was not accidental, and that Thai military operations will continue until there is no longer any perceived threat to Thailand’s territory or its people. - The Nation/ANN
