RNO marks milestone in landing craft project
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Mohammed bin Nasser al Zaabi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Defence and attended by Rear Admiral Saif bin Nasser al Rahbi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Issa bin Abdullah al Alawi, the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Thailand, senior officers from the Ministry of Defence and Thai officials.
On the sidelines of the visit, HE the Secretary-General and his accompanying delegation met with HE Lieutenant General Nattapon Narkpanit, Deputy Minister of Defence of Thailand, discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The delegation also toured the Defence Industries and Military Energy Centre at the Thai Ministry of Defence and participated in a workshop with leading Thai defence manufacturers. — ONA
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Observer
a day ago
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Cambodia asks Thailand to release detained soldiers
Cambodia accused Thailand on Thursday of detaining 20 of its soldiers and killing another in post-ceasefire incidents, as a fragile peace held for a third day along their disputed border. Five days of intense clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours that began last week killed at least 43 people, many of them civilians, and displaced more than 300,000, until a truce brokered in Malaysia on Monday halted the fighting. Thailand has since accused Cambodian troops of violating the ceasefire multiple times, a charge denied by authorities in Phnom Penh, who instead allege that the Thai military has wrongfully detained a number of its soldiers. "We appeal to the Thai side to promptly return all 20 of our forces, including other forces if any are under Thai control," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Thursday. In a statement, senior Cambodian defence official Lieutenant General Rath Dararoth said one Cambodian soldier had died in Thai custody since the ceasefire and his body had been returned. He did not provide further details. Thailand currently has custody of 20 Cambodian soldiers who had surrendered, including two who are under medical treatment, Thai Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri told reporters. "We are investigating them to verify the facts. After this is finished, they will be released," Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said, stressing the Thai military had not violated the ceasefire agreement. As per talks between military commanders held after Monday's truce announcement, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to facilitate the return of wounded soldiers and bodies of those deceased, besides refraining from reinforcing troops along the border. Cambodia took military attaches and diplomats to a border checkpoint on Wednesday to verify the ceasefire as both sides exchanged accusations of violating the truce. For decades, Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled over undemarcated points along their 817-km land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th-century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. The recent truce followed a push by Malaysia and calls by US President Donald Trump's phone calls to leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, warning them that trade deals would not be concluded if the fighting continued. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, said that trade deals had been made with both countries ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline. - Reuters
Observer
2 days ago
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Thailand, Cambodia trade allegations of truce break
Thailand and Cambodia exchanged allegations on Wednesday of breaching a ceasefire deal which has largely halted the open combat that engulfed their frontier. The nations agreed a truce starting on Tuesday after five days of clashes that killed at least 43 on both sides, as a long-standing dispute over contested border temples boiled over into fighting on their 800-kilometre boundary. But Thailand's foreign ministry said its troops in Sisaket province 'came under attack by small arms fire and grenade assaults launched by Cambodian forces' in an offensive which continued until Wednesday morning. 'This represents a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement,' said a foreign ministry statement. Thai government spokesman Jirayu Huangsab also reported overnight clashes but said in a statement, 'the Thai side maintained control of the situation' and 'general conditions along the border are reported to be normal' from 8:00 am. On Wednesday, a Cambodian defence ministry official accused Thailand of breaching the ceasefire, intended to end fighting which has seen the two countries evacuate a total of more than 300,000 people from the border region. At a temple in Thailand's Surin city serving as a shelter and field kitchen 50 kilometres away from the frontier, volunteer Thanin Kittiworranun said evacuees remain in limbo. 'We don't believe Cambodia will hold the ceasefire,' the 65-year-old said. But a journalist on the Cambodian side who heard a steady drumbeat of artillery fire since fighting began last Thursday reported hearing no blasts between the start of the truce and Wednesday morning. And Beijing said deputy foreign minister Sun Weidong hosted a Shanghai meeting with Thai and Cambodian officials where both 'reaffirmed to China their commitment to abide by the ceasefire consensus'. The armistice got off to a shaky start in the early hours of Tuesday, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of continuing attacks in 'a clear attempt to undermine mutual trust' -- before peace generally prevailed. Meetings between rival commanders along the border — scheduled as part of the pact — went ahead, with Thailand's army saying de-escalation steps were agreed including 'a halt on troop reinforcements or movements that could lead to misunderstandings'. But later in the day, a foreign affairs spokeswoman for Bangkok's border crisis centre, Maratee Nalita Andamo, warned: 'In this moment, in the early days of the ceasefire, the situation is still fragile'. Jets, rockets and artillery have killed at least 15 Thai troops and 15 Thai civilians, while Cambodia has confirmed only eight civilian and five military deaths. — AFP
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