Thursday, April 28, 2011
By THANYARAT DOKSONE and SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press
Thailand and Cambodia agreed on a cease-fire Thursday that many hope will hold after a week of fierce artillery duels across their contested border that was some of the worst fighting in years between the Southeast Asian neighbors.
The border was quiet since early morning, when artillery fire boomed across the frontier and one rocket killed a Thai soldier, raising the one-week toll to 15.
Military commanders from both countries reached the deal after a 40-minute meeting at the border and agreed to reopen closed checkpoints, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said. “The news is a good news for every side,” he told The Associated Press.
Thai officials were more cautious, however. Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn confirmed that Thailand’s Lt. Gen. Tawatchai Samutsakorn met his Cambodian counterpart Maj. Gen. Chea Mon and reached a tentative truce. “They have agreed on the cease-fire in principle,” Panitan said. But “we need to see whether this agreement will” hold.
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