Latest news with #CambodianArmy
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Cambodia bans fruit and vegetables from Thailand amid border row
Cambodia on Tuesday banned imports of fruit and vegetables from Thailand as the two countries face off over a border dispute that led to a bloody military clash last month. One Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28 as troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence. Thailand has imposed border restrictions with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia banned Thai dramas from television and cinemas, closed a popular border checkpoint, and cut internet bandwidth from Thailand. On Monday, Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen issued an ultimatum to Thailand to lift border crossing restrictions within 24 hours or face a ban on all Thai fruit and vegetable imports. Thai police officers and a soldier stand guard at a border checkpoint with Cambodia last week. Photo: Royal Thai Government / EPA-EFE Cambodian authorities said on Tuesday that their Thai counterparts were still imposing the border restrictions and Hun Sen's ultimatum had taken effect.
CNA
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Cambodia bans Thai fruit, vegetables in border spat
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia on Tuesday (Jun 17) banned imports of fruit and vegetables from Thailand as the two countries face off over a border dispute that led to a bloody military clash last month. One Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28 as troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence. Thailand has imposed border restrictions with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia banned Thai dramas from TV and cinemas, closed a popular border checkpoint and cut internet bandwidth from Thailand. On Monday, Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen on Monday issued an ultimatum to Thailand to lift border crossing restrictions within 24 hours or face a ban on all Thai fruit and vegetable imports. Cambodian authorities said on Tuesday their Thai counterparts still imposed the border restrictions, and Hun Sen's ultimatum took effect. "We have implemented the ban on imports of Thai fruit and vegetables since this morning," Sok Veasna, director general of the General Department of Immigration, told AFP. He said visitors could still cross the border between the two countries. Cambodia has formally asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to help resolve the border dispute in four areas - the site of last month's clash and three ancient temples. Hun Sen said on Monday that his country had to go to the ICJ because Cambodia wanted "peace" as the two countries would never reach an agreement in the four areas. Hun Sen also called on tens of thousands of Cambodian migrants working in Thailand to return home, saying they would face increasing discrimination as the border spat drags on. The row dates back to the drawing of the countries' 800km frontier in the early 20th century during the French occupation of Indochina. Cambodia has previously sought help from the ICJ in a territorial dispute over a border temple. In 1962, the court ruled then the disputed Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia and in 2013, the ICJ awarded an area next to the temple to Cambodia too. Thailand said it did not accept the court's jurisdiction.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Cambodia threatens to ban Thai fruits amid escalating border tensions
Cambodia has warned it will ban all imports of Thai fruits and vegetables if Bangkok does not lift new restrictions at border crossings, escalating tensions between the two neighbours. The standoff has rekindled a decades-long territorial dispute and threatens to upend regional trade flows. The roots of the dispute lie in colonial-era border demarcations dating back to the early 20th century. Past clashes over the same stretch of land, notably around the historic Preah Vihear temple, have resulted in fatalities and legal battles at the ICJ, which in 1962 and again in 2013 ruled in favour of Cambodia. Thailand has never formally accepted the court's authority on the issue. The ultimatum was delivered by former Cambodian prime minister and current senate president Hun Sen on Monday in a televised address. 'If the Thai side does not open border crossings to normalcy today, tomorrow we will implement throughout the border banning the imports of fruit and vegetables to Cambodia,' he said, according to AFP. He added that the ban would apply across all entry points if Thailand failed to restore normal operating hours. This comes in the wake of a military skirmish on 28 May in the Emerald Triangle, a disputed area where forces from both countries exchanged fire, resulting in the death of one Cambodian soldier. The Thai and Cambodian armies have blamed each other for the incident, claiming self-defence. Following the clash, Thailand tightened its border controls, citing public safety. Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the restrictions were necessary due to heavier presence of armed forces in the area and cautioned that any inflammatory rhetoric outside of official dialogue could harm bilateral relations, according to Associated Press. Cambodia responded by implementing a series of retaliatory measures, including banning Thai television dramas and films, cutting internet bandwidth from Thailand, and closing a key checkpoint. The trade ban, however, marks the most economically significant threat yet. Over the weekend, Cambodia also formally submitted a request on Sunday to the International Court of Justice seeking arbitration on four contested areas, including the site of the May clash and three ancient temple zones. Hun Sen said bilateral talks had failed and that legal recourse was the only path to peace. 'Only a thief is afraid of a court,' he said, adding that Cambodia would accept any ICJ ruling. Thailand has expressed disappointment in Cambodia's appeal to the ICJ, saying it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction in the matter. However, both countries have agreed to hold another round of border negotiations in Thailand this September after talks in June failed to resolve the issue. In Cambodia, Hun Sen has called on tens of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand to return home to avoid potential discrimination amid rising tensions, while Ms Paetongtarn is facing domestic pressure from nationalist critics, including opponents of her father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. According to the Thai labour ministry, there are currently around 500,000 Cambodian nationals working in Thailand. A source from the Thai Chamber of Commerce told The Nation that the escalating tensions have raised serious concerns within the private sector with businesses urging both governments to resolve the dispute swiftly through diplomatic dialogue, warning that prolonged uncertainty will be detrimental to both countries, which rely heavily on each other for trade and investment.
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Fruit and veg threat extends Thailand-Cambodia border row
Cambodia has threatened to halt imports of fruit and vegetables from Thailand unless its neighbour lifts border restrictions as tempers flare during a long-running dispute that turned deadly last month. The ban will take effect if Thailand doesn't lift all border crossing restrictions within 24 hours, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen said in a televised speech on Monday. The announcement followed weekend talks that had aimed to defuse the tensions. 'If the Thai side does not open border crossings to normalcy today, tomorrow, we will implement throughout the border a ban on the imports of fruit and vegetables to Cambodia,' said Hun Sen, a former prime minister and father of the current premier. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra retorted that her country would not be bullied or threatened and warned that 'unofficial' communication would harm diplomatic efforts. 'Messages via unofficial channels do not bring good results for both countries,' she said after meeting Thai military commanders and officials from the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs. The rhetoric and diplomatic efforts come after decades of arguments over border territories have flared up. On May 28, soldiers exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. A Cambodian soldier was killed during the skirmish. The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence but agreed to reposition their soldiers in a bid to avoid future confrontations. However, heightened tensions remain. Bangkok has tightened border controls since the clash and threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to Cambodia. Phnom Penh ordered troops on Friday to stay on 'full alert' and announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce while also ordering local television stations not to screen Thai films. Amid the rise in diplomatic temperature, officials from the two countries met over the weekend in Phnom Penh to discuss their conflicting territorial claims. While both sides said the meeting was held in a good atmosphere, it appears little progress was made. The dispute dates back to the drawing of their 820km (510-mile) frontier, largely done during French colonial rule of Indochina from 1887 to 1954. Parts of the land border are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The region has seen sporadic violence since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Cambodia on Sunday formally asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to help resolve the dispute in four areas, including the site of last month's clash and three others where ancient temples are located. Cambodia has repeatedly asked Thailand to join the case, but Bangkok insists on a bilateral solution. It rejected a 2013 ICJ ruling that a disputed area next to the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia. Both countries have agreed to participate in another round of meetings on border issues in Thailand in September.
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Cambodia Threatens Thai Fruits Ban as Tensions Over Border Disputes Continue to Soar
Cambodia announced on Monday it would halt imports of Thai fruits and vegetables if Thailand refused to lift border restrictions implemented after a deadly clash in a disputed border area. An armed confrontation on May 28 resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier. The incident, which both sides blamed on the other, reportedly occurred in a relatively small no-man's-land along their border that both countries claim as their own. Cambodian and Thai authorities have engaged in saber-rattling since last week and continue to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high. Thailand has added restrictions at border crossings, and Cambodia has banned Thai movies and TV shows and implemented a boycott of the neighboring country's international internet links. Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, the former prime minister, said in a televised speech Monday that the ban on Thai fruits and vegetables would take effect if Thailand doesn't lift the border restrictions by Tuesday. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra later said Thailand decided to impose the border restrictions out of safety concerns for the citizens of both countries due to the heavier presence of armed forces along the areas. She also said any unprofessional communication conveyed outside a bilateral mechanism would only hurt the interests of both sides. Officials from the two countries met over the weekend in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, regarding the conflicting territorial claims that led to last month's deadly confrontation. While both sides said the meeting was held in a good atmosphere, it appears no major breakthrough was achieved to resolve the current spat. Cambodia announced on Sunday it had officially submitted a request to the UN's International Court of Justice seeking a resolution to the ongoing border disputes with Thailand in four areas. The Cambodian State Secretariat of Border Affairs said after the weekend meetings concluded that Cambodia would no longer discuss these areas under the bilateral mechanism of the two countries. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that it was deeply disappointed that Cambodia refused to address the disputes through the existing mechanism and reiterated that Thailand does not accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Both, however, agreed to participate in the next round of meetings on border issues to be hosted by Thailand in September. Much of their war of words has appeared intended to mollify nationalistic critics on both sides of the border. In Thailand, the elected government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn has been attacked by right-wing nationalists who are longtime foes of her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. There is a long history to the territorial disputes between the two countries. Thailand is still rankled by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded Cambodia the disputed territory where the historic Preah Vihear temple stands. There were sporadic, though serious, clashes there in 2011. The ruling was reaffirmed in 2013.
