Border 'win' as mop-up starts
Prior to the confrontation that began on July 28, Thai military personnel had been unable to gain access to the monument zone, which had been occupied by Cambodian troops in what Thai officials described as a violation of Thai sovereignty.
The confrontation marked a turning point in the standoff over the Chong Arn Ma area along the Thai-Cambodian border, said RTA spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree on Saturday.
Cambodian troops had previously maintained a presence near the Ta Om Monument, denying Thai forces access to the disputed zone, he said.
"Following the armed clashes and subsequent ceasefire, Thai troops have re-entered and now maintain a presence in an area under mutually agreed conditions," he said.
As observed on July 30 when the Cambodian army led a delegation of 13 international diplomats to visit the disputed area, both Thai and Cambodian sides have agreed to a set of joint guidelines aimed at easing tensions and avoiding further confrontations, he said.
Under the agreement, Maj Gen Winthai said each side will station five unarmed personnel within the disputed area. All officers are required to refrain from carrying weapons during patrol operations. In addition, joint patrols will be conducted for 15 minutes per session around the Ta Om Monument and nearby areas. Access to the patrol zone will be allowed at all times without restriction.
"Troops have been deployed only in zones firmly within Thai jurisdiction to maintain a tactical advantage and prevent future escalations," said Maj Gen Winthai, who also spent a night with troops in one of the nearby barracks to show support.
Frontline troops told to stay alert
In a show of support for frontline troops, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the Second Army Region, visited border outposts on Saturday to deliver supplies and words of encouragement.
"You have done the right thing," he told soldiers. "The entire chain of command stands with you. Stay alert as anything can happen at any time."
Meanwhile, in Ubon Ratchathani's Nam Khun district, army explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams neutralised a sixth BM-21 rocket that had been fired from Cambodian territory but failed to detonate.
Officers cordoned off a 200-metre radius, placed truck tires over the rocket and used C-4 explosives to destroy it safely.
The blast created a four-metre-wide crater. Five similar rockets were previously destroyed in neighbouring Nam Yuen district.
Cambodians try illegal return
Elsewhere, 16 Cambodian nationals -- six men, six women and four children -- were caught after illegally crossing into Thailand via a natural border trail near Ban Dong Ngu, a border village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district on Saturday.
Security officials say the group had previously lived and worked in Thailand but returned to Cambodia on July 24.
However, they paid an agent 6,000 baht to sneak them back after finding no work and as their children, who attend Thai schools, face examinations next week.
Army's responds with lasers
In response to growing concerns over unidentified drones, the Royal Thai Army has tested and deployed a new laser system which was tested at the Second Army Region's Air Base 1 weapons testing facility.
"This is not an experiment, but a warning. Every inch of Thai soil and sky will be defended with advanced technology and unwavering resolve," according to an army social media post.
The testing follows reports of suspicious drones and stone-throwing incidents allegedly involving Cambodian troops.
In a symbolic gesture of grassroots support, residents in Udon Thani donated truckloads of slingshots and glass marbles to border troops after learning that soldiers had requested them as non-lethal tools to respond to provocations.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand issued a nationwide ban on drone flights until Aug 15. Violators could face life imprisonment or the death penalty under espionage-related laws.
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