THAI ACCOUNT OF APRIL 3 THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000867 SIPDIS STATE FOR P, EAP, NSC FOR PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: THAI ACCOUNT OF APRIL 3 THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER GUNFIRE EXCHANGES IN WAKE OF APRIL 2 LANDMINE CASUALTY REF: A. PHNOM PENH 221 ¶B. USDAO BANGKOK IIR 6 895 0206 09 BANGKOK 00000867 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reason 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Thai military and civilian sources claim the early morning exchange of gunfire between Thai and Cambodian forces April 3 in a disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple grew out of an April 2 incident in which a Thai soldier lost a leg to a newly laid landmine on a path normally patrolled by Thai soldiers. Thai officials claim their forces secured the site overnight prior to the brief five minute gunfire exchange at 0710 local time. They acknowledge that the skirmish took place in an area which both sides had agreed not to carry arms. Thai and Cambodian officials subsequently talked locally and between capitals, pledging to defuse the situation, but a second round of exchanges occurred from 1315-1400, this time involving mortars and RPGs, according to LTG Nipat Thonglek, Director of the Department of Border Affairs, Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) HQ. We counseled Nipat to reinitiate talks with Cambodian counterparts to prevent further such skirmishes. End Summary Another newly planted mine? -------------- ¶2. (C) LTG Nipat told us that the latest Thai-Cambodia dispute started April 2 at 0830, when a Thai ranger (a paramilitary soldier commanded by a line army officer) stepped on a newly laid landmine on a path which the Thai routinely patrol. Nipat noted this was a repeat of a scenario which played out in the same area in OCTOBER 2008, when two Thai rangers lost legs to what the Thai claimed were newly laid landmines. The disputed area to the west of the Prear Vihear temple is called Phu Makua (Eggplant Hill) by the Thai, Field of Eagles by the Cambodians. LTG Nipat said that Thai local commanders sent in additional troops to secure the location, look for evidence/additional mines, and stayed overnight. Early morning words, and fire -------------- ¶3. (C) LTC Pattanapong Seenphuwa of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Second Region, told us that a group of Cambodian soldiers had approached the Thai on site early April 3 around 0700, requesting to discuss the previous day's incident. LTC Pattanapong stated that the Cambodian commander asked the Thai not to patrol in that area; the Thai commander replied that he was under orders to do so. The conversation concluded after five minutes; LTC Pattanapong said the gunfire exchange started at 0710, lasting three minutes. Pattanapong said he heard approximately 50 rounds of gunfire, plus two louder explosions which he thought might have been RPGs. The Thai suffered no casualties, he said. ¶4. (C) Both LTG Nipat and MFA Cambodia desk officer Mongkol claimed that the Cambodians had initiated the gun fire exchange, with the Thai subsequently firing back in self-defense. Mongkol said that the Thai MFA was preparing a note of protest and would call the Cambodia Ambassador in to receive it. Talking afterwards, locally and between capitals -------------- --- ¶5. (C) Seri Jitrakasem, Governor of Sisaket Province, located on the Thai side of Prear Vihear, told us that Phu Makua is located in the overlapping/disputed area in which there are supposed to be no armed troops patrolling, and no landmines either. Seri said that after the brief gunfire exchange, the local Thai and Cambodian commanders at the Captain level, who know each other well, shook hands and pledged to avoid further skirmishing. LTG Nipat told us that Thai Minister of Defense Prawit had called an aide to Cambodian PM Hun Sen seeking to calm matters. Nipat said he had phoned Cambodian Chief of Defense Force GEN Pol Sarin, and they both agreed to tell their "boys in the field" to stand down. A meeting BANGKOK 00000867 002.2 OF 002 between Thai and Cambodian regional army commanders, with LTG Tawatchai, Second Army Area deputy commander representing Thailand, was scheduled for mid-afternoon. A Second round of gunfire early afternoon -------------- ¶6. (C) LTG Nipat subsequently called back to report that Cambodian forces had re-initiated firing at 1315 local time, using mortars and RPGs over a wider area, for 45 minutes, ending around 1400 local time. Nipat surmised the Cambodians were seeking retribution for injuries in the morning skirmish; Thai intelligence had reported 4 Cambodian soldiers injured in the morning exchange. Nipat did not yet have reports of casualties from the afternoon exchange. JOHN