UPDATES WITH DETAILS OF MEETING; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE
By Saadet Gokce
ISTANBUL (AA) - Thailand and Cambodia held their first military talks in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province amid fresh clashes Wednesday, as the death toll on both sides stands in the dozens, according to the Thai Enquirer news website.
The meeting comes as the first military talks since the renewed clashes began on Dec. 8.
As yet there has been no official statement from either side on the meeting.
The two sides will hold military negotiations through Friday, according to public broadcaster Thai PBS.
Wednesday's meeting reportedly lasted less than an hour.
The choice of venue was earlier contested by Cambodia, which reportedly wanted to meet in Malaysia, but this was rejected by Thailand.
Thailand was earlier reportedly ready to bring up the issues of landmines, historical sites, civilian buildings, and communities allegedly being used as military positions, the outlet said.
On Saturday, a full General Border Committee meeting will be co-chaired by the two defense ministers after secretariat-level meetings are concluded, but if the talks do not result in agreements on key technical frameworks – such as troop deployments and specific measures needed to ensure a ceasefire – Bangkok has said it will not proceed with the meeting or sign any agreements.
- Nearly a million displaced by clashes
Cambodia's Defense Ministry said that Thailand fired two shells into the Poipet area on Wednesday, adding that forces later fired one shell into the Banteay Meanchey province, injuring two civilians, according to the Khmer Times.
Thai forces opened fire near the Preah Vihear Temple, it said, adding that Cambodian forces also opened fire with BM-21 rockets.
Thailand said Tuesday that its troops destroyed two buildings in the Cambodian border town of Poipet which were allegedly being used to house scammers and store munitions, according to public broadcaster Thai PBS.
Thai forces also said that clashes continue across three points along the Sa Kaeo border Wednesday, according to The Nation website.
Thai jets bombed the Banteay Meanchey province and Battambang province on Wednesday, according to the Khmer Times.
A video from the Cambodian side showed students in Battambang fleeing in panic.
Separately, the Royal Thai Army said Wednesday on US social media platform Facebook that a report from Cambodia alleging that Thailand committed environmental crimes was a "serious distortion of facts.”
Thai authorities said 23 Thai soldiers and one civilian have been killed in the fighting, adding that another 33 civilians died as “collateral effects of the situation.”
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry said 21 Cambodian civilians were killed.
Nearly a million people have been displaced on both sides since the clashes began.