PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen Monday issued an ultimatum to Thailand to lift border crossing restrictions or his country will ban all Thai fruit and vegetable imports in the latest round of the border spat between the two countries.
One Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28 as troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence.
Thailand has tightened border controls with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia ordered troops on Friday to stay on “full alert”, banned Thai dramas from TV and cinemas, closed a popular border checkpoint, and cut internet bandwidth from Thailand.
In an address to the nation, Hun Sen — father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet — threatened to ban all fruit and vegetables from Thailand unless Bangkok lifted all border crossing restrictions within 24 hours.
“If the Thai side does not open border crossings to normalcy today, tomorrow we will implement throughout the border banning the imports of fruit and vegetables to Cambodia,“ Hun Sen said.
He said Hun Manet had already told his Thai counterpart about the measures.
Cambodia on Sunday formally asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to help resolve the border dispute in four areas — the site of last month’s clash and three ancient temples.
Hun Sen also said his country had to go to the ICJ because Cambodia wanted “peace” as the two countries would never reach an agreement in the four areas.
Cambodia has repeatedly asked Thailand to jointly bring the case to the ICJ.
“Only a thief is afraid of a court,“ Hun Sen said.
He said Cambodia would not back off and would respect the ICJ’s ruling.
Hun Sen also called on tens of thousands of Cambodian migrants working in Thailand to return home, saying they would face increasing discrimination as the border spat drags on.
“We must come back home, and it is the suitable time. The border dispute will not end easily, so insults happen at times, and this time is more serious,“ he added.
The row dates back to the drawing of the countries’ 800-kilometre (500-mile) frontier in the early 20th century during the French occupation of Indochina.
Cambodia has previously sought help from the ICJ in a territorial dispute over a border temple.
In 1962, the court ruled then the disputed Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia and in 2013, the ICJ awarded an area next to the temple to Cambodia too.
Thailand said it did not accept the court’s jurisdiction.
Violence sparked by the dispute has led to 28 deaths in the region since 2008.
