VZCZCXRO8337
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0221 0930207
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 030207Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0571
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK IMMEDIATE 2693

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 000221 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR THE WATCH; EAP/MLS, P, D, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019 
TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV TH CB
SUBJECT: APRIL 3 MORNING CLASH ON THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER AT 
PREAH VIHEAR 
 
REF: STATE 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CAROL A. RODLEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D) 
 
¶1.  (C)  A clash between Thai and Cambodian infantry erupted 
at 7:20 a.m. April 3 inside the disputed border area near the 
Cambodian Preah Vihear UNESCO World Heritage Site according 
to Council of Ministers Secretary of State Phay Siphan. 
Fighting erupted in an area called the Field of Eagles, the 
site of a clash last October 15 that left one Thai and three 
Cambodian soldiers dead.  Phay Siphan told Pol/Ec Chief that 
Thai soldiers had tried to enter the site on March 30, but 
were turned away after a period of negotiations.  Since then, 
the Cambodians had been negotiating access to the area, which 
Phay Siphan described as thick jungle cut by a path used by 
Cambodian infantry patrols. 
 
¶2.  (C)  The local Cambodian commander had offered to escort 
unarmed Thai soldiers in the area.  However, early in the 
morning of April 3 as many as 100 Thai soldiers occupying the 
high ground around a Cambodian platoon position of about 
30-40 soldiers descended on them and an exchange of gunfire 
took place.  Phay Siphan said the fighting continued as of 
08:15 hours.  He did not have any reports on casualties. 
Prime Minister Hun Sen would be briefed at the Friday morning 
Council of Ministers meeting, he said. 
RODLEY