The Southeast Asian neighbours have resorted to arms several times this year since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a May skirmish, reigniting a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
Thai military commanders have been discussing blocking fuel exports to Cambodia, including asking the navy to be “vigilant against” ships carrying strategic supplies and designating maritime zones near Cambodian ports as “high-risk”, a navy official told a press conference on Sunday.
“At this time there are no orders on these measures,” said Captain Nara Khunkothom, assistant spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, adding that the matter would be discussed at a security meeting on Monday.
The Thai energy ministry said on Friday that Thailand had halted exporting oil to Cambodia since June. Thailand last year exported 2.2 billion litres of fuel to Cambodia, according to the energy ministry’s data.
Cambodia accused Thailand of striking civilian infrastructure, including the use of fighter jets and shelling in civilian areas. Thailand said it has targeted only military targets.
Thailand announced a curfew in its southeastern Trat province on Sunday as fighting continues across the two countries’ 817-km (508-mile) border. A soldier and a civilian were killed by BM-21 rockets fired by Cambodia on Sunday, Thai authorities said.
At least 16 soldiers and 10 civilians have died, and hundreds injured since the latest round of clashes which started on Monday with 258,626 civilians displaced, according to the Thai authorities.
Cambodia did not report any new deaths or injuries on Sunday. At least 11 have died, 74 injured and 394,706 have been displaced since Monday, according to Cambodia’s interior ministry.
Trump – who brokered a ceasefire in the long-running dispute in October – said he spoke to Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian premier Hun Manet on Friday, and said they had agreed to “cease all shooting”.
Anutin vowed on Saturday to keep fighting “until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people”.
Thailand is open to a diplomatic solution but “Cambodia has to cease hostility first before we can negotiate”, Surasant said.