Samdech Hun Sen Calls for Urgent Investigation After Border Gunfire Incident

PHNOM PENH, September 27 – Cambodian President of the Senate Samdech Hun Sen has called on the ASEAN-led Interim Observer Team (IOT) to conduct an urgent on-site investigation following a reported ceasefire violation at the An Ses Border Checkpoint in Preah Vihear province earlier today.

According to Samdech Hun Sen, the incident involved the use of mortars and machine guns, raising serious concerns about the stability of the border area.

“Today, a ceasefire violation occurred involving heavy weapons,” said Samdech Hun Sen. “We must act with responsibility and prevent any escalation. That is why we have chosen diplomacy and transparency over confrontation.”

Samdach adds that he and Prime Minister Hun Manet convened an emergency online meeting to assess the situation and instructed the Cambodian armed forces to exercise restraint and refrain from any retaliatory action.

Following the exchange, both Cambodia and Thailand accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement. Each side has filed complaints to the IOT, with Cambodia issuing an urgent request for the observer team to investigate the incident on the ground.

To uphold transparency, neutrality, and credibility, Samdech Hun Sen submitted a formal proposal to the Malaysian, which currently chairs the ASEAN-member-led IOT. The proposal includes two key investigative tasks:

Conduct ballistic forensics, as the two countries use different types of ammunition, which can help determine the source of the gunfire.

Inspect shell impact sites to trace the direction and origin of fire, whether it came from Cambodian territory toward Thailand or vice versa. “Shell trajectories cannot be manipulated after impact,” he stated.

Cambodian forces are reportedly preserving the shell craters and securing the area to ensure IOT observers can carry out accurate forensic analysis. Samdech Hun Sen also called on the Thai side to provide the same level of cooperation to facilitate an unbiased investigation.

“Just as pure gold does not fear fire, any refusal to allow inspections by IOT observers would imply guilt, whether on the Cambodian side or the Thai side,” he concluded.

The situation remains tense, with both governments under pressure to clarify the events and avoid further military escalation.

By Minea Son