San Francisco Frontiers - Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce with over 250 drones

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to the "immediate" ceasefire on Saturday, pledging to end renewed border clashes that killed dozens of people and displaced more than a million this month.

But the fresh allegation from Bangkok and its threat to reconsider releasing Cambodian soldiers held by Thailand left a sustained truce in doubt -- even as the two nations' foreign ministers wrapped up two days of talks hosted by China aimed at rebuilding trust and improving relations.

The Thai army said Monday "more than 250 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected flying from the Cambodian side, intruding into Thailand's sovereign territory" on Sunday night, according to a statement.

"Such actions constitute provocation and a violation of measures aimed at reducing tensions, which are inconsistent with the Joint Statement agreed" during a bilateral border committee meeting on Saturday, it added.

The reignited fighting this month spread to nearly every border province on both sides, shattering an earlier truce for which US President Donald Trump took credit.

Under the truce pact signed on Saturday, the Southeast Asian neighbours agreed to cease fire, freeze troop movements and cooperate on demining efforts and combatting cybercrime.

They also agreed to allow civilians living in border areas to return home as soon as possible, while Thailand was to return 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July within 72 hours, if the ceasefire held.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn described the drone incident as "a small issue related to flying drones seen by both sides along the border line".

In remarks aired on Cambodian state television on Monday, he said the two sides had discussed it and agreed to investigate and "resolve it immediately".

Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree, however, said in its statement that the drone activity reflected "Cambodia's continued provocative actions and hostile stance toward Thailand", which could affect the security of military personnel and civilians in border areas.

Thailand's army "may need to reconsider its decision regarding the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers, depending on the situation and the behaviour observed", the statement added.

Five days of border clashes in July killed dozens of people before a truce was brokered by the United States, China and the chair of ASEAN regional bloc Malaysia.

Trump witnessed the signing of a follow-on declaration between Thailand and Cambodia in October, but it was broken within months, with each side blaming the other for instigating the fresh fighting.

The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of the 800-kilometre (500-mile) Thai-Cambodian border, where both sides claim centuries-old temple ruins.

While both sides agreed Saturday to stop fighting, they will still need to resolve the demarcation of their border.

At the end of talks in China's Yunnan province on Monday, Cambodia, Thailand and China issued a statement, saying the three sides had discussed "working step by step through mutual efforts to resume normal exchanges, rebuild political mutual trust, improve Cambodia-Thailand bilateral relations, and safeguard regional stability".

Cambodia also said Monday it had called on Thailand to join another bilateral meeting in Cambodia in early January to "to discuss and continue survey and demarcation work" at the border.

H.Reyes--SFF