Before the halt: Thai-Cambodian Tensions flare

As Thailand halts its peace accord with Cambodia, this story looks back at the fragile calm and unresolved tensions that simmered along their shared border.

Thailand and Cambodia may have signed (and halted) another peace deal, but unresolved issues at their shared border firmly remain.

President of United States of America, Donald Trump had supervised the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord agreement at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October, when both Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet signed another deal towards peace.

The agreement outlined that both Bangkok and Phnom Penh would withdraw heavy weapons from the border, remove landmines in disputed areas, and cooperate on combating transnational crime. According to reports, that process has begun, which is a start.

But even though this is the second peace deal to be signed by Thailand and Cambodia in three months, and the fighting has ceased, it does not solve decades-old territorial disputes between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.

 The war in July saw Thailand and Cambodia’s military fight it out along several disputed points along their shared 800km border. Tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery systems, drones and fighter jets, along with frontline soldiers were deployed at the height of the conflict. The human impact was significant, with hundreds of thousands of civilian's living on the border displaced and at least 48 people were killed, although that figure is likely much higher. The conflict officially lasted for 5 days until the July 28th ceasefire was signed.

The Aranthyapet and Poipet checkpoint, usually the busiest border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia, was one of the least affected by military conflict. Image supplied/AMC

The cause for these decades long disputes between Thailand and Cambodia are well documented. One of the key reasons is that both country's claim ownership of the area surrounding Phra Wihan (Thai) or Preah Vihear (Khmer), an 11th century Hindu temple with deep cultural and religious significance. 

Fighting did take place along border points including at Preah Vihear, and along with other adjacent borderlines including Chong Chom and O Smach, and Chong Sa Ngam and Choam. Those were some of the red zones of the conflict, and on the Thai side at least, villages were deserted, military checkpoints were common, temples, homes and buildings were damaged, while shelling and gunfire were frequent. It was a war zone albeit for less than a week.

But the Aranthyapet and Poipet checkpoint, usually the busiest border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia, was one of the least affected by military conflict.

Why?

Aranyaprathet is in the Thai province of Sa Kaeo, and on a good day it is only 3.5 hours’ drive from Bangkok. It’s the most common land connection between Thailand and Cambodia, and a popular checkpoint for overland travel. But since May, this border has been closed, cutting off the millions of dollars’ worth of trade that usually flows both ways here.

Aside from a couple of military engagements, which included the Thai military ousting a couple of Cambodian strongholds without incident, this border remained silent during the peak of July's conflict. The economic value this border point can provide was one possible reason the area was left unscathed.

But there might be another reason.

That’s because Cambodian settlers are living within the village of Ban Nong Chan, Thailand.

The area is now the subject of a border dispute. Image supplied/AMC

In 1979 it became a refugee camp where many fled Cambodia’s civil war and at its height the Khmer camp saw over up to 48,000 refugees staying there until the mid 1980's.

The area is now the subject of a border dispute. Thailand claims sovereignty between boundary markers 46 and 47, where Ban Nong Chan village is situated, but Cambodia questions this.

Today, there are reportedly 135 Cambodian occupied households remaining in the village, and 35 households in nearby Ban Nong Ya Kaew. If, during the conflict, the areas had been cleared of settlers, this sensitive situation could have escalated, leading to unnecessary clashes or worse.  It’s also worth mentioning that both sides would have risked fighting ferociously in areas with unexploded landmines dating back from clashes during the 1970’s and 80’s.

Fortunately, Sa Kaeo was not a battlefield this time.

 But conflict has highlighted the issue once more and now the Thailand  has ordered the remaining Cambodians to leave the villages. Sa Kaeo governor Parinya Phothisat, gave an October 10th deadline for this to happen. It didn’t.

Now the anger is increasing on the Thai side with civilians trying to intervene.

On Friday, Thai nationalists attempted to march towards the settlement demanding the Cambodians vacate. The settlements are only set apart from make-shift blockages of wood, tyres and barbed wire, away from officially boundary marker points.  The crowd were eventually prevented from moving forward by Thai authorities, with the Cambodian settlement only 800 metres away.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

It comes after Thai social activist Kan Jom Phalang blasted ghost sounds from loudspeakers into the Cambodian settlements in October, even earning praise from PM Anutin.

International experts and Thai politicians criticized that method, while human rights groups said it could be deemed as psychological warfare.

Patience may be running thin, but controversial, flamboyant stunts risk inflaming the situation even more.  Admittedly, this particular dispute in Ban Nong Chan has flared up more than others in recent months, but Thailand very much holds the cards.

And it's more than likely that Thailand will clear these settlements in the coming months, it's just about when.

But it does beg the question, could the clearing of these settlements, so soon with tensions still high, spark further hostilities between the two countries? Could a protest from Cambodia, whether it be civilian, or military led, re-ignite clashes similar to those in recent months? Would this lead to small arms fire or worse? The risks are many.

One wrong move from either side, and this sensitive issue could renew conflict once more.  Time is a healer, and some things can wait. Even though the world today may suggest not, diplomacy still works. 

This is a developing situation. Details may evolve as official statements and reports emerge.

-Asia Media Centre