With 4 updates: Clashes on the Cambodian border

From the Bangkok Post: “Two or three Thai soldiers were wounded in fighting with Cambodian troops on Friday afternoon near the 4.6 square kilometre area under dispute near Preah Vihear temple. The Cambodians had fired artillery shells which landed on Thai soil, an informed military source said. The clash took place about 3.20pm and fighting was  continuing around the Preah Vihear temple area.” The Nation also has a brief report.

As usual, The Thai Report is providing many useful links on this. See PPT’s earlier post.

Update 1: The Bangkok Post report is updated here. There’s also an AP report here.

Update 2: It seems that the really interesting point of the politics of this clash is that while the military is “yellow-shirting” on the border, Foreign Minister, one-time, big-time yellow shirt and now considered a fake yellow shirt by PAD, Kasit Piromya has been in Cambodia “celebrating” the relationship. This from the Bangkok Post:

The border clash occurred not long after Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said in Siem Riep on Friday morning that Thailand and Cambodia have reached agreement not to blow up the dispute over the national flags put up in their disputed border area near Pheah Vihear temple.

The  announcement followed talks between Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on the sidelines of Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission (JC) meeting on Friday.

Mr Kasit said afterwards they have agreed not to blow up the dispute over the flags and not to incite their people into hatred for each other.

In addition, the two countries would continue efforts to ease border tension by continuing  demarcation  negotiations through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

Thailand earlier demanded that Cambodia remove both the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda and the Cambodian flag flying over the pagoda gate, while reasserting that the pagoda is on Thai territory. Thai troops also erected the Thai national flag in the disputed area in response.

Mr Kasit said he would visit the two yellow-shirt Thai activists, Veera Somkwankid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, who were sentenced by a Cambodian court to eight and six years in jail repectively for espionage, and discuss with them what further help can be provided by the government.

Throw in the arrest and rapid bailing of PAD/Thai Patriot Network activists charged with “terrorism” from 2008, and maybe all those coup rumors now have just a little more credence? Red shirt leaders languish in jail for months awaiting trial on the same charges.

Update 3: Here’s the headlines at MCOT News, 36 minutes apart:

Thailand and Cambodia agree to avoid incident leading to conflict
Friday, February 04, 2011 6:29 AM
SIEM REAP, Feb 4 —  Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to avoid any incident that could eventually lead to conflict between the two countries and will jointly build peace along their shared border.

Thai, Cambodian troops clash near Preah Vihear templeFriday, February 04, 2011 7:05 AM
SI SA KET, Feb 4 – Fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out on Friday afternoon along the border near the disputed Preah Vihear temple and artillery shells fell into Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province.

Update 4: Bangkok Pundit is blogging on the border events.