War and Conflict Journal

Renewed Fighting Along Thailand-Cambodia Border

http://www.historyguy.com/thailand_cambodia_border_dispute.htm

April 22-23, 2011–Renewed clashes along the disputed border erupted on April 22 and continued into the next day. Initial reports from Thailand indicated that casualties totalled eight dead and 32 wounded. The renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia involved rocket launchers and artillery. Cambodia claimed that Thai aircraft overflew Cambodian territory during the fighting, as well as claiming Thailand was again using cluster muntions.

The renewed fighting comes after several weeks of peace, and a resumption of peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand-Cambodia

Border Dispute 

Thailand and Cambodia are neighboring countries in Southeast Asia with a long common border and a history of wars and disputes between them. The lastest border dispute erupted into violence in October of 2008 and April of 2009, as troops from both nations exchanged fire over ownership of an ancient temple and the surrounding land.

In addition to the border dispute, the Thai government expressed extreme displeasure when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen recently praised former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra and offered a him a job. Hun Sen appointed Thaksin, who convicted on corruption charges in Thailand, as an economic advisor. Thaksin was overthrown by the Thai military in a coup in 2006.

October 3, 2008–Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire with each other on the disputed territory near the Preah Vihear Temple. The fighting lasted for nearly only a few minutes, leaving two Thai soldiers and one Cambodian soldier wounded.October 6, 2008– Two Thai soldiers were wounded by exploding landmines in the border area after entering a little more than a half mile into Cambodian territory.

October 14, 2008 –Cambodian and Thai forces opened fire on each other in the border area, leaving three Cambodian soldiers dead and two Cambodian and seven Thai soldiers wounded. One wounded Thai soldier later died of his wounds. The Cambodians claimed to have captured 13 Thai soldiers during the battle, but the Thais denied this.

April 2, 2009–Fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces left at least 3 Thai soldiers and 2 Cambodian soldiers dead. Cambodia claimed 4 Thai soldiers were killed, 6 wounded, and 10 captured. 2 Cambodian soldiers were also reported killed in the border clash.

January 31, 2010–Fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces left one Thai soldier dead.

April 16, 2010 Cambodia and Thai Forces opened fire on each other near Cambodia’s northwestern border in a clash which lasted for a quarter of an hour,. There were no reports of casualties in this incident.

February 4-5, 2011–Fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces result in deaths among both the Thai and Cambodian military forces. Civilian deaths were also reported. As of mid-day on February 5, firm numbers of dead and wounded are not available, as both sides report widely divergent numbers. It appears that total deaths hover around ten.

  Resources and Links:

http://www.historyguy.com/thailand_cambodia_border_dispute.htm 

Thai, Cambodia troops clash again near temple, one killed–Business Recorder, Feb. 5, 2011

Thailand, Cambodia Border Fighting Breaks Out Amid Tensions–Voice of America, Feb. 4, 2011

Cambodia rattles Thailand’s chain –Asia Times Online, Nov. 10, 2009

Thailand-Cambodia Tensions Rise Over Appointment of Fugitive Thai Official –Voice of America, Nov. 6, 2009

Why Thai-Cambodian temple dispute lingers--Christian Science Monitor, July 22, 2008

Two bombs exploded in Thailand during the New Year’s celebration. At least 27 were reported wounded in an attack apparently conducted by Thailand’s southern Muslim rebels.

New Year’s Eve bombs injure 27 in Thailand–CNN, Dec. 31, 2007

Weekly Update–Week of November 25, 2007

Iraq War Casualties (U.S.)–As of Nov. 25, 2007

U.S. Military Casualties:

    Total Fatalities–3,875

    Fatalities due to Hostile Action–3,157

    Total Wounded–28,350

    U.S. Civilian Fatalities–158  (Contractors killed in Iraq)

Total Allied Fatalities:  300

Malaysia’s ethnic Indian community staged its largest anti-government protest on Sunday, November 25, 2007, with more than 10,000 protesters taking to the streets to complain about racial discrimination. Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to break up the protests. At least 20 were arrested.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict:

The upcoming peace conference at Annapolis, Maryland will host not only leaders from the U.S., Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but it will also feature representatives from the governments of Syria and Saudi Arabia. Diplomats from the Arab League, the European Union, Russia, and China are also expected to attend.

Fighting broke out November 25 between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters of Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Three Palestinian militants were killed, and seven others were injured in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during armed clashes with Israeli soldiers. Over 35 people were arrested in the West Bank. Dozens of Israeli soldiers with armored vehicles entered the Marba’ at Hanoun neighborhood of Ramallah on the West Bank and exchanged shots with Fatah’s military wing. Also on Nov. 25, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) in the area east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.

South America:

Venezuela and Colombia moved toward a diplomatic crisis on Sunday Nov. 25, following an an exchange of insults between Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez and the Colombian President, Álvaro Uribe. The two South American nations are neighbors, but Chavez is a major critic of American policies in Latin America, while Uribe is supported by the Bush Administration. Columbia is fighting a leftist insurgency and in the past, Colombia has expressed concern over large Venezuelan arms purchases; fearing that some of the small-arms purchased with Chavez’ oil money may end up in the hands of Colombian rebels. Look for the Bush Administration to support Colombia in any dispute with Chavez.

Thailand:

The Thai Army captured the eight Muslim insurgents arrested in a raid November 24, 2007 on an insurgent hideout in the troubled southern province of Narathiwat, Thailand.

Since January 2004, more than 2,600 people have died in fighting and terrorism in the Muslim-majority southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala where Muslim insurgents are fighting for independence from Thailand.

Sri Lanka:

Sri Lankan air force jets attacked a satellite communications center operated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in an attempt to reduce the Tamil rebels’ intelligence gathering-capability. The military attacked a Tamil base at Dharmapuram, near the LTTE’s headquarters at Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka, on November 25. The LTTE claimed the attack was on a civilian settlement, killing four people.

In a separate clash, the Sri Lankan army repulsed an attack by the Tamil Tigers Nov. 25 near Mannar in the northwest, killing at least five rebels.

Nepal:

Nepal’s former rebel leader, Prachanda, threatened to renew the long-standing civil war if his demands for immediate abolition of the monarchy are not met. Prachanda and his Maoist followers, while giving up the armed struggle for now, have been arguing with mainstream political parties over their demands for Nepal to be immediately declared a republic. The Maoists ended their decade-long insurgency in November of 2006. The Nepal Civil War claimed over 13,000 lives.