BANGKOK, Thailand – Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has clarified to the Al Jazeera news agency in a live interview that Thailand did not start the latest border clashes, insisting Cambodian forces opened fire first. He pointed to the joint declaration signed in October, saying repeated anti-personnel mine incidents harming Thai troops showed Cambodia was not complying with the agreement.
Minister Sihasak noted that Thailand has exercised maximum restraint but has faced continued provocations from Cambodia, which have led to the current escalation. When asked about the Preah Vihear Temple, he affirmed Thailand respects the International Court of Justice ruling granting the temple to Cambodia, but stressed that many other Khmer-era temples along the border reside in Thai territory and that Khmer heritage sites are located throughout Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
The minister reiterated that Thailand is open to negotiations and had already engaged in a joint declaration process witnessed by the United States and Malaysia, emphasizing that Bangkok wants “real peace, not just a peace document.” However, he said Cambodia’s actions on the ground contradict its stated readiness for peace, leaving “no space” for diplomacy at this moment.
Sihasak underlined that Thailand is not an aggressive state and has historically preserved its independence through diplomacy, which remains its preferred path. He said hostilities must end as soon as possible because military operations harm both sides, but argued Cambodia must first demonstrate it is prepared to halt its current actions before Thailand can re-engage fully through diplomatic channels. (NNT)
