Surin: Region 2 Army Commander has urged citizens to remain calm following a disturbance at Prasat Ta Muen Thom involving Thai and Cambodian soldiers. Tensions arose when a Cambodian woman confronted Thai soldiers, asserting that they were on Cambodian territory, leading to a confrontation with Cambodian soldiers. The situation was eventually de-escalated through dialogue between both sides.
According to Thai News Agency, around 12:50 p.m. on September 15, 2015, security units reported that a Cambodian female tourist was observed near a Cassia tree by the stairs leading to Prasat Ta Muen Thom. She accused the Thai soldiers of being in Cambodian territory and demanded they leave. Following this, she brought approximately 60 Cambodian soldiers to the site, leading to a heated exchange with the Thai soldiers. Voices were raised, and there was mention of setting up guns, prompting Thai soldiers to swiftly evacuate tourists from the area for their safety.
After about 10 minutes, discussions took place between the two countries. The Cambodian delegation included Lt. Col. Kong Run, Deputy Commander of the 422nd Infantry Regiment. The Thai delegation was represented by Lt. Col. Chakkrit Piyasupharik, Commander of the 21st Infantry Regiment, and Lt. Col. Phatthakorn Klankandee, Commander of the 211th Infantry Company. The dialogue resulted in an agreement to restore normalcy and ease tensions between tourists from both nations.
Lt. Gen. Boonsin Phadklang, commander of the 2nd Army, stated that he received an initial report on the incident and confirmed that the situation remains stable without any alarming developments. He reassured the public that Thai and Cambodian military officials have communicated and reached an understanding, urging people not to panic.