BORDER CRISIS ESCALATES: CAMBODIA DEMANDS ACTION OVER THAI EVICTIONS
PHNOM PENH – Long-simmering border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have erupted once more, prompting urgent regional and international attention. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet accused Thailand of forcibly blocking more than 20 families from returning to their homes in Banteay Meanchey province, an area disputed for months.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Hun claimed Thai troops had erected barbed wire fences, installed barriers, and carried out forced expulsions from villages long inhabited by Cambodian civilians. He further warned that hundreds of other households were now threatened with displacement, adding that Thai forces were seeking to seize control of at least 17 additional sites along the contested frontier.
The crisis escalated on Wednesday when Thai forces reportedly deployed rubber bullets and tear gas against villagers staging a protest at the border. Nearly 30 people were said to have been injured during the clashes, fuelling outrage in Cambodia and drawing condemnation from human rights observers.
Hun Manet has urged ASEAN, currently chaired by Malaysia, to step in and pressure Thailand to refrain from the use of force and to halt its plans for mass evictions. Cambodian officials argue that the actions undermine the ceasefire agreement reached just two months ago, which sought to reduce tensions following skirmishes that previously claimed 43 lives.
Responding to the allegations, Thai military spokesman Winthai Suvaree maintained that the individuals involved were illegally occupying Thai territory for an extended period. He asserted that the government was acting within its rights to enforce national sovereignty.
With both nations trading accusations, regional stability once again hangs in the balance. Analysts warn that unless diplomatic intervention is urgently pursued, the border conflict risks spiralling into a broader crisis that could destabilize ASEAN cooperation.
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