One civilian killed, second province placed under curfew: Thai army

Bangkok, Dec 14 (LatestNewsX) The Thai army on Sunday condemned Cambodia’s attack on civilian areas in Si Sa Ket Province, leaving one Thai civilian dead. A Thai army spokesperson said on the same day that there are currently no ceasefire plans in place.

In a statement, the Royal Thai Army said Cambodian forces fired BM-21 rockets at a civilian neighbourhood and a school zone in Si Sa Ket Province on Sunday. The strikes killed one civilian who was hit by shrapnel and set one residential house on fire.

The army strongly condemned Cambodia’s act of targeting civilian areas unrelated to military operations for two consecutive days, which has caused casualties among civilians, reports Xinhua news agency.

Regarding ceasefire arrangements, Royal Thai Army Spokesperson Winthai Suvaree announced on Sunday that there are currently no ceasefire plans in place.

He noted that the absence of a ceasefire is due to Cambodia’s persistent attacks on Thai military positions and civilian settlements, which pose a severe security threat to Thailand. The current military operations will continue until Cambodia ceases all hostile acts.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s military announced on Sunday the imposition of a curfew in parts of Trat Province, citing the ongoing situation along the border areas.

In an official order, the military said that a curfew was immediately enforced in five districts of the province, namely Khlong Yai, Bo Rai, Laem Ngop, Khao Saming, and Mueang Trat. Residents in these areas are prohibited from leaving their homes from 19:00 to 05:00 the following day.

According to Thai media reports, the military’s announcement came in the wake of an incident on the night of Saturday, when three M79 grenades were fired at the headquarters of the Marine Corps Task Force in Trat Province. The projectiles are believed to have originated from within Thailand. No casualties were reported as the grenades landed in an uninhabited area.

This marks the second province to impose a curfew since the latest round of Thailand-Cambodia border clashes erupted. The Thai military had already put a curfew in place in four border districts of Sa Kaeo Province on Wednesday.

Source: IANS