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Four Thai soldiers were killed and eight others wounded, one of them seriously, in a five-hour clash with Cambodian soldiers on the border in Phanom Dong Rak district of Surin province on Friday morning, deputy army spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said.
Col Sirichan said the fighting began about 6.30am on the border between the Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom temple ruins in Phanom Dong Rak.
Before the clash, a number of Cambodian soldiers were seen moving over a hill in violation of an earlier agreement that no armed troops either side would be allowed to trespass on the hill, she said. Cambodian tried to take the hill in violation of the agreement.
Thai soldiers asked them to pull back, but the Cambodians instead open fire at the Thai soldiers, Col Sirichan said.
This clash lasted until about 11am.
The picture shows two Thai soldiers wounded from a military clash between Thailand and Cambodia along the disputed border on April 22, 2011. (Photo by Nopparat Kingkaew)
Four Thai soldiers were killed and eight others hurt, one of them seriously. The wounded were admitted to Surin and Phanom Dong Rak hospitals.
About 7,500 people in tambons Bak Dai and Ta Miang were evacuated from their villages. Four temporary evacuation centres - one in Prasat district and three others in Phanom Dong Rak district - were set up to take them, the spokeswoman said.
Surin governor Serm Chainarong went to Phanom Dong Rak district to oversee the evacuation. Food supplies and water were being rushed to the evacuation centres.
The 2nd Army ordered the closure of the Chong Chom-O Samed border crossing on the Thai-Cambodian border in tambon Dan in Surin’s Kap Choeng district for an indefinite period.
Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara put all Thai armed forces on high alert in the wake of this morning's clash.
Gen Songkitti issued the order via video teleconference to the army, navy and air force from the aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet while inspecting the joint navy-air force exercise in the Gulf of Thailand.
He said he had ordered the armed forces commanders to be ready to implement their own contingency defence plans.
"If Cambodia attacks us with artillery, we will return with artillery fire. We have to protect our sovereignty," he said.
During the video conference, Gen Songkitti was briefed on the morning's clash by the commander of the 2nd Army.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thai troops were not the aggressors and did not start the fight.
Mr Abhisit said he had instructed officials to find out the cause of the clash and to ensure that villagers in the area were well cared for.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his ministry had sent a letter protesting that Cambodian troops violated an agreement, instigating a violent clash along the border.
He said the ministry called on Cambodia not to violate Thai sovereignty and comply with a ceasefire agreement between the two countries, and to attend Joint Boundary Committee meetings and Regional Border Committee meetings.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
The ministry had issued a statement explaining the situation to foreign countries, Mr Kasit said.
He said the ministry had also written a letter of explanation to other Asean countries, through Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, as current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The letter explained that Cambodian soldiers trespassed on a disputed hill near the Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom temple ruins in Phanom Dong Rak.
This was in violation of an agreement that no armed troops from either side would be allowed to trespass on the hill.
Mr Kasit said that after this morning's clash senior soldiers in Cambodia had telephoned him to negotiate for a ceasefire.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, the current chairman of Asean, called for the cessation of hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia.
Mr Natalegawa told the Bangkok Post that "Indonesia as chair of Asean strongly calls for the cessation of hostilities" which erupted on the border in Phanom Dong Rak.
"I call for both sides to resolve their differences through peaceful means. The use of force has no place in relations among Asean member countries," the Asean chairman said.
AFP reported that three Cambodian soldiers were killed. This could not be confirmed.
Cambodia accused Thai troops of entering 400 metres into its territory.
"The Thai troops marched directly towards Cambodian troop positions stationed at Cambodia's Ta Krabei temple and launched unprovoked attacks," said government spokesman Phay Siphan.
"This is yet another invasion by Thailand on Cambodia. We cannot accept this," AFP reported.
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