Thailand closed its international points on Monday passing through the land border with Cambodia while the cycle of reprisals of a territorial dispute between the neighbors of Southeast Asia has become more intense.
Cambodia, on the other hand, said that at midnight on Monday, it suspended all imports of fuel and gas from Thailand. He already boycotates Thai Internet services and electricity supplies. Cambodia imports around 30% of its petrol and other fuel from Thailand.
Thai regional military orders ordered the closure of the seven international border crossings with Cambodia, blocking vehicles, pedestrian traffic and trade – including fuel trucks. The only exceptions concern humanitarian cases, such as medical emergencies and for students.
The tit-for-tat follows an exchange of shots on May 28 where the Thai forces killed a Cambodian soldier on a contested territory ribbon. The relations crisis was aggravated last week when Cambodia disclosed a private telephone conversation between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the former Cambodian leader Hun Sen., the call was intended to help calm tensions, but ended up aggravating things.
In this call, Paetongtarn urged Hun Sen not to listen to a Frank Thai general who supervises the army in the border area. The revelation has exerted internal political pressure on Thai Prime Minister who threatens the stability of his coalition government. The upper chamber of the Parliament of the Thai nation also called for a legal inquiry into its conduct.
On Monday, Paetongtarn made the diplomatic offensive, saying that Thailand was to take action to limit the threat of the scam centers in Cambodia. After chairing a meeting of Thai officials on cross -border crime, she described Cambodia as “a world -class crime hub and a national threat” and announced that Thailand would intensify controls in seven border provinces with Cambodia and would reduce Internet services to military and security agencies.
Cambodia has already bristled Thailand by shortening the opening hours to the borders. A week ago, he prohibited imports from all Thai vegetables and fruits, and last Friday, Hun Sen urged the government to consider suspending the import of all preserves of Thailand, including alcoholic drinks, energy drinks and canned fish.
The two countries have close commercial links. According to data from the Thai government quoted by Reuters, they had $ 10.4 billion in double -way trade last year, dominated by precious stones, jewelry and fuels. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrants work in Thailand.
Monday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said that Cambodia had decided to import additional Singapore oil to meet domestic demand after reducing Thailand supplies.
In addition to the economic means to counter Thailand, he confirmed Cambodia’s military preparation, including the preparation of missiles to shoot down planes and heavy weapons to destroy tanks.
“We are now sitting and we are considering … For each Thai or drone war plane our troops, how much encouragement or reward should they give them? This is what we are thinking of,” said Hun Manet.
Thailand and Cambodia have a history of quarrels above their 800 kilometers (500 miles), which was transferred to armed confrontations in the past. Cambodia requests the rule of the International Court of Justice on the demarcation of four areas, including the places of the fight against fires of May 28. Thailand, however, says that it does not recognize the compulsory court of this court.
Edited by Mat Pennington.