Bangkok, December 12 (EFE). – The Thai army assured this Friday that it had caused at least 165 casualties in the ranks of the Cambodian military in the clashes that the two countries have had since Sunday on their common border, while Cambodia assured EFE that this information was “false”.
The Thai Armed Forces told the media this Friday that 9 soldiers from their ranks had died and 190 were injured, in addition to the 4 other civilian deaths they reported.
On the other hand, they stated that “no fewer than 165 Cambodian soldiers died” and that they destroyed at least 9 armored vehicles and tanks.
“Fake news (…). Thai soldiers must stop laughing at Cambodia,” Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat told EFE when asked about the figures released by the Thai army.
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry has so far reported 11 civilian deaths but has avoided providing data on casualties among military personnel during attacks with Thailand at various points along the shared border as part of the historic territorial dispute the two nations are fighting.
Based on the official figures from the respective governments, which are engaged in a numbers war, the total number of deaths is 24.
A new wave of attacks broke out on the border between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday, triggering the worst episode of violence since July, as the armies of neighboring countries clashed for five days, leaving around fifty dead.
The July conflict ended with a ceasefire agreed in Malaysia and brokered by the United States, which was reinforced in October by a peace deal promoted by that country’s president, Donald Trump.
The American offered this week to also mediate in this new escalation of the conflict and, as announced by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, both leaders will hold a telephone conversation this Friday at 9:20 p.m. Bangkok time (9:20 a.m. Washington).
Trump announced on Tuesday during a political event in Pennsylvania, USA, that he would call the leaders of the two warring countries.
Amid the conflict, Anutin, who governs in a minority as the leader of the conservative Bhumjaithai, submitted a request to King Vajiralongkorn the day before to dissolve parliament with a view to calling new elections.
According to the Royal Gazette, the motion was passed today and calls for Thailand to hold elections within a period of 45 to 60 days.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh have a historic dispute over the sovereignty of several areas on their shared border, which is about 820 kilometers long and was mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was part of French Indochina. EFE
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