Cambodian soldiers disrupt ASEAN observer visit

Second Army Region commander Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang said the attempt by Cambodian soldiers to block the Interim Observer Team (IOT) from visiting the Chong An Ma pass in Ubon Ratchathani damaged Cambodia’s image, as their behavior showed a lack of courtesy.

“The Cambodian soldiers were merely staging a symbolic act, probably because the Thai army had succeeded in reclaiming the land from them. The Cambodians also violated the signed agreement, which stipulates that no buildings are allowed near the borderline,” he said.

The visit of the IOT to conflict zones at the pass conducted as part of the July 28 Thai-Cambodian ceasefire agreement, was briefly disrupted when Cambodian soldiers attempted to prevent them from entering the area.

Thai soldiers escorting the team explained the situation before the group was eventually allowed access.

The Cambodian side later claimed that they had not been informed in advance about the IOT’s visit.

The IOT, comprising 14 representatives from Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, was in the second day of its visit.

The delegation was led by Maj Gen Shamsul bin Musa, Malaysia’s defense attaché to Thailand.

Their mission is to examine reports of Cambodian violations of the ceasefire agreement, particularly at Chong An Ma, in Ubon Ratchathani province, where incursions and wire fence cutting were reported.

IOT members

According to the Second Army Region Command’s website, the delegation spent nearly an hour at the Chong An Ma site, where they saw the debris of the Ta Om Monument, which was completely destroyed during the five days of fighting that began on July 24.

IOT representatives stand before the debris of Ta Om monument.

During the visit to the monument, Cambodian soldiers approached IOT members, claiming that Thai troops had fired rockets into the area, destroying the monument.

The Thai side denied the allegation, insisting that it was Cambodian rockets that misfired and struck the monument. The monument was constructed by Cambodian villagers living in the area.

Thai officials also explained that the Cambodian side of Chong An Ma had once hosted a UNHCR refugee centre, which has since been converted into a casino.

Ta Om monument, before and after attacks.

Currently, both Thai and Cambodian forces are stationed in the area without weapons, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. The site remains a key flashpoint though.

The group also visited Pha Mo E Daeng, in Si Sa Ket province, a strategic point overlooking the disputed Preah Vihear area, Chong Ta Thom and Satta Som, to gain a contextual understanding of the situation.

Tomorrow, they will visit Cambodian prisoners of war detained in Thailand, to assess the country’s compliance with international humanitarian principles and the Geneva Conventions, including the provision of food, medical care and basic rights.

The Cambodian government has demanded the immediate release of the prisoners, while the Thai side is insisting that they will only be released once the fighting ends.