Thailand’s prime minister and Cambodia’s influential former premier visited different parts of their disputed land border yesterday as tensions simmer between the two neighbours over a territorial dispute and the Thai government teeters on the brink of collapse.
The deterioration of relations was sparked by brief armed clashes in a border area late last month that left one Cambodian soldier dead.
What followed were a series of tit-for-tat measures by both countries including troop mobilisations, Cambodia’s suspension of all fuel and gas imports from its neighbour, and the partial closure of checkpoints by Thailand along the 817 km land border.
The conflict has added fuel to a crisis facing Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is battling to revive a faltering economy and scrambling to keep a fragile coalition together in the face of protests as well as a parliamentary no confidence vote.
As she arrived yesterday morning at the Thai bordertown of Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province, opposite Cambodia’s Poipet, Paetongtarn was greeted by a crowd of supporters, with several of them holding a large sign saying “Love You Prime Minister Paetongtarn”.
The Prime Minister said the purpose of her visit was to survey the ongoing crackdown on transnational crime and gauge the impact of border restrictions, which saw Thailand halting all vehicles, tourists and traders from all land border crossings into Cambodia.
“We want to see the impact from this policy and what the government can do to help, this is our main goal for the visit today,” Paetongtarn said in a meeting with officials.
The Thai Prime Minister earlier this week linked the proliferation of illegal online scam centres to Cambodia, but Cambodian authorities have denied involvement.
Human rights group Amnesty International yesterday accused Cambodia’s government of “deliberately ignoring” abuses by cybercrime gangs who have trafficked people from across the world, including children, into slavery at brutal scam compounds.
At another part of the border, former Cambodian premier Hun Sen yesterday morning visited troops and officials in Oddar Meanchey province, opposite the Thai province of Surin.
Local media footage showed Hun Sen, in military fatigues, arriving by helicopter and meeting with officials in the area.
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