PHNOM PENH – Thai and Cambodian troops clashed with heavy artillery for a sixth day on Wednesday near two disputed 12th-century Hindu temples, the Cambodian defense ministry said following a night of shelling that killed a Thai villager.
Talks between Thai and Cambodian defense ministers to end Southeast Asia's bloodiest border dispute in years were abruptly canceled, dashing hopes of an imminent end to fighting that has killed at least 14 people and sent more than 50,000 into evacuation centres.
Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had been expected to meet his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh, in Phnom Penh, but he instead was flying to China for previously scheduled meetings.
"We welcome talks but only if Cambodia stops the shooting first," said Thai Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva took a more conciliatory approach, saying talks between defense ministers have merely been "rescheduled."
Many experts say the fighting over territory and sovereignty is fueled by political interests, as each government seeks to discredit the other by appealing to nationalists at home, especially as Thailand prepares for an election due by July.
A change in government could be in Cambodia's interests.
Analysts said the Thai military could also be flexing its muscles to preserve its sizeable stake in Thailand's political apparatus and to satisfy conservative elites at odds with the country's powerful opposition forces.
Thailand says it wants a bilateral solution to the dispute. Cambodia seeks international mediation and independent monitors in the disputed area as agreed by Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers in Jakarta in February.
"The two countries appear to be calling for different kinds of talks. Cambodia is calling for ceasefire talks, which Thailand says are pointless," said Surachart Bumrungsuk, a security expert at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Reuters
