Thailand has rejected mediation attempts from third-party countries to resolve its ongoing conflict with Cambodia, insisting that Phnom Penh must first halt its attacks and that a solution should be reached solely through bilateral talks.
Fighting Continues for Second Day as Tensions Escalate
The country’s foreign ministry made the announcement as heightened border tensions erupted into open clashes at several points along the front line. Artillery fire has been exchanged for the second consecutive day.
The United States, China, and Malaysia, the current chair of the regional ASEAN bloc, have all offered to facilitate dialogue. However, Bangkok is pushing for a bilateral resolution to the conflict, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.
“I don’t think we need third-party mediation at the moment,” he stated.
At least 16 people, most of them Thai civilians, have reportedly died so far in the heaviest fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in over a decade.
Both Cambodia and Thailand blame each other for initiating the conflict on Thursday morning in a disputed area that has been a source of contention for more than a century.
