Abhisit says govt ready for ICJ petition defence

Cambodia's request to the International Court of Justice for legal clarification to settle the border dispute around the Preah Vihear temple is not unexpected, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.

Mr Abhisit added yesterday that he had prepared for Cambodia's petition to the ICJ and the government is ready to present its defence if necessary.

Cambodian and Thai ceasefire promise reached

Cambodian army

A ceasefire on the border is effectively underway after contacts on Thursday morning between Thai and Cambodian military commanders in the area where fighting has been occuring, national army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said.

Hun Sen urges ceasefire Abhisit says fighting must stop before talks

Cambodia must stop firing before negotiations can be held to solve the border dispute, says Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Hun Sen urges ceasefire

A war of words between the two country's leaders broke out yesterday, dimming hopes for ceasefire talks.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen accused the Abhisit government of being war-happy, in a manner he had not seen under previous Thai governments.

''Cambodia is appealing for a ceasefire,'' Mr Hun Sen said in a speech in the capital Phnom Penh, adding that he was ready to hold talks with his Thai counterpart.

He said in his first remarks since border fighting began last Friday that he welcomed talks with Mr Abhisit at a meeting planned for Indonesia early next month.

But Mr Abhisit struck back in his response. ''Cambodia said it was ready to talk, so why don't they stop shelling,'' he said.

Each side accuses the other of firing first. Shelling continued for a sixth day yesterday. Cambodia opened fire into Surin for 15 minutes late last night, but Thai troops did not return fire. There was no immediate report of casualties.

Prawit open to talks after China trip

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon would be open to having talks with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh after he returns from a visit to China, his secretary Noppadol Inthapanya said on Wednesday.

Gen Noppadol said Gen Prawit left for China on Wednesday morning for a visit at the invitation of the Chinese defence minister issued during his visit to Thailand several months ago.

Hun Sen to discuss potential ceasefire with Thailand early next month

PRIME Minister Hun Sen said this morning that he intends to discuss a potential ceasefire with Thailand at an ASEAN meeting early next month.

The comments came hours after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thailand’s resolution that it would use “retaliatory military action to push Cambodia soliders out of the disputed area”, passed yesterday, was “tantamount to a declaration of war”.

Fighting on the Thai-Cambodian border spreads to site of previous clash

DEADLY clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border spread yesterday to a new front near Preah Vihear temple, as fighting 150 kilometres away in Oddar Meanchey province raged for a fifth straight day. 

Deal for Thai-Cambodian ceasefire still up in the air

DEFENCE Minister Tea Banh has agreed to meet his Thai counterpart Prawit Wongsuwan “soon” to discuss a possible ceasefire following bloody clashes along the countries’ shared border, a tentative step towards peace in a conflict that otherwise appears in danger of further escalation.