THAI AND CAMBODIAN TROOPS CLASH NEAR DISPUTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 003094

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS
NSC FOR PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV CASC ASEC TH CB
SUBJECT: THAI AND CAMBODIAN TROOPS CLASH NEAR DISPUTED
PREAH VIHEAR AREA

REF: A. BANGKOK 3082

B. BANGKOK 3069

C. BANGKOK 3021

D. PHNOM PENH 814

E. BANGKOK 2854

F. BANGKOK 2487

G. BANGKOK 2464

H. STATE 86724

I. BANGKOK 2428

J. PHNOM PENH 679

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. James F. Entwistle, reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).

SUMMARY AND COMMENT
--------------


1. (C) Despite initial indications that tensions surrounding
the Preah Vihear border dispute had eased (ref A),Thai and
Cambodia troops exchanged fire mid-afternoon October 15 in
the area near the temple. Initial media reports indicated
that at least four Thai soldiers had been injured in the
clash; the Thai army (RTA) claimed to us that one Cambodian
had been killed. The clash came as the Thai military was
rotating troops located in the disputed zone. The Thai
government continued to pursue evidence that Cambodia had
placed mines in the disputed area in contravention of the
Ottawa Convention and appeared ready to soon go public with
the claim.


2. (C) Comment: While we continue to use every opportunity
to strongly urge the Thai government to continue to pursue
bilateral negotiations to resolve the issue peacefully and
diplomatically, the rhetoric and actions of the past few days
are alarming. From our conversations with Thai
interlocutors, and given the domestic political crisis, we do
not foresee a RTG desire to escalate the border dispute.
However, the October 15 clash is evidence that rhetoric from
the two governments and the military buildup could lead to a
wider clash between the two sides. We are advising extreme
caution in border areas. End Summary and Comment.

SHOTS EXCHANGED NEAR PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE
--------------


3. (C) Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire mid-afternoon
October 15 in the area near the disputed territory around the
Preah Vihear temple. MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi
Futrakul told the Charge that the fighting had started at
approximately 2:20 pm and lasted until 3:00 pm. Royal Thai
Armed Forces (RTARF) Headquarters Director for Border Affairs
Lieutenant General Nipat Thonglek told us that Cambodia had
initiated the clash by firing a rocket-propelled grenade
(RPG) at Thai troops. Nipat said the two sides were still
firing as of 4:00 pm with RPGs, machine guns, and other small
arms. Colonel Werachon Sukondhapatipak, Director of the
Foreign Liaison Division at the Royal Thai Army (RTA)
Headquarters, told us that the clash had primarily involved
machine gun and mortar fire.


4. (C) Virasakdi indicated that the Thai military had been
in the middle of a regular troop rotation that the Cambodians
may have misinterpreted as an increase in Thai troops in the
disputed area. Colonel Werachon confirmed earlier reports in
the day that the Thai military had sent 500 troops to Thai
territory adjacent to the disputed grounds surrounding Preah
Vihear temple. The troops were reinforcements for the
security forces that were located in the disputed territory
(Ref A). Werachon said the RTA had one battalion of troops
in the vicinity of the disputed region and one company from
that battalion in the disputed area reinforcing Thai
paramilitary rangers.


BANGKOK 00003094 002 OF 003



5. (C) While Virasakdi confirm four Thai injuries to the
Charge. Werachon said the RTA had four injured Thai
paramilitary rangers and had confirmed one Cambodian killed.
Media reports also indicated that the Thai military was
sending reinforcements to the area via tanks, other armored
vehicles, and buses.


6. (C) The clash occurred despite apparent indications
earlier in the day that tensions were easing. MFA Permanent
Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul told the Charge early October 15
that he believed the situation on the border had improved.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong had called Thai
Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat to express appreciation
for the "restrained tone" of the October 14 Thai MFA
statement (Ref A). The two Foreign Ministers agreed to meet
"as soon as possible", however, no details had been worked
out yet.

RTG STRONGLY PURSUING LANDMINE ISSUE - TO GO PUBLIC?
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Virasakdi said FM Sompong believed that Cambodia
changed its tone (as relected in the call from the Cambodian
FM) because Phnom Penh knew that the Thai government now held
the upper hand on the landmine issue. Virasakdi had met
Bangkok-based ASEAN Ambassadors late October 14 to share
information about the dispute and to share pictures taken in
the area. (Note: The Cambodian and Philippine Ambassadors
did not attend.) Virasakdi said the MFA had planned to show
the ASEAN Ambassadors two Russian mines that the Thai
military had removed from the disputed area, but the mines
had not arrived in Bangkok in time for the meeting. (Note:
The Bangkok Post October 15 reported that the Thai military
had found Russian PMN 2 mines.)


8. (C) The Thai military had located and marked two
additional mines in the disputed area but, according to
Virasakdi, the Cambodians had removed the mines before the
Thai were able to act. This confirmed, in Virasakdi's view,
that the Cambodians knew they had been caught red-handed.
The Cambodian government was worried, Viraskadi speculated,
about the issue being raised in relation to the Ottawa
Treaty, of which Thailand and Cambodia are signatories, as
the treaty bans the use of landmines.


9. (C) Virasakdi told the Charge late October 15 that the RTG
had decided to go public with the evidence that Cambodia had
recently planted the mines in the disputed area. The MFA
would hold a press conference October 16 to provide more
details and produce evidence of landmines retrieved from the
disputed border areas. The mines had been located on routes
in the disputed territory that the Cambodians knew the Thais
routinely patrolled and were clearly "modern," Virasakdi
asserted. We understand the diplomatic corps will be called
in the afternoon of October 16, presumably for a briefing on
both the landmine issue and the border situation.


10. (C) MFA Deputy Director-General of International
Organizations Department Chakarin Chayabongse told us that
RTG had firm evidence to substantiate that Cambodia had
recently placed the mines in the disputed area. The RTG,
however, had not yet decided whether to raise this issue with
the United Nation's Secretary General as provided by the
Ottawa Treaty. Chakarin said the RTG still held to the
principle that bilateral negotiations were the preferred
solution to the dispute. MFA Deputy Director-General of East
Asian Affairs Department Pisanu Suvanajata, however, told us
the RTG would likely raise the issue with the UN Secretary
General as it had substantial evidence in pictures and
shrapnel from October 6 incident that resulted in two Thai
paramilitary rangers losing their legs. We suspect the Thais
may plan to raise it at the meeting of Ottawa Treaty
signatory states in Geneva November 24-28.

BANGKOK 00003094 003 OF 003



THAILAND PREPARES FOR NEO CONTINGENCY
--------------


11. (C) The Bangkok Post reported October 15 that the Thai
Navy (RTN) had dispatched ships to patrol the waters off of
Thailand's Trat province while the Thai Air Force (RTAF) had
put jet fighters and C-130 aircraft on stand-by. We learned
before the clash October 15 that the RTN and the RTAF were on
alert but were essentially in normal force employment
patterns. Both services had begun planning for a response in
the event of non-combatant evacuation (NEO) operations of
Thai citizens from Cambodia that would likely involve the
RTN's aircraft carrier and RTAF C-130s. DAO will report
separately a more comprehensive look at Thai air and sea
assets that could come into play in the event of a wider
conflict. Thai C-130s successfully conducted a NEO in
January 2003 after Cambodian rioters burned down the Thai
embassy in Phnom Penh.

PURSUING THAI-CLAIMED VIETNAMESE INVOLVEMENT
--------------


12. (C) According to Virasakdi, Foreign Minister Sompong had
planned a "four eyes" with the Vietnamese Ambassador to
Bangkok on October 14 to discuss the allegations that Vietnam
was providing aircraft and troop support to Cambodia, but the
Vietnamese Ambassador had canceled the meeting. The MFA
would try to again to schedule a meeting October 15.

EMBASSY REPRESENTATIVES TO ASSESS THAI MILITARY MOVEMENTS
-------------- --------------


13. (C) In order to try to obtain more information on Thai
military movements, members of the Embassy Bangkok Defense
Attache Office plan to travel to Si Sa Ket province October
16 to look for military movements along transportation routes
that lead to the disputed area. DAO representatives will
keep a safe distance from the areas of potential conflict.


14. (U) We are putting out a short warden message advising
Amcits in Thailand to stay away from the Preah Vihear area
and to exercise caution anywhere along the Thai-Cambodian
border.
ENTWISTLE