Asia 905
by Thailand. A Thai reconnaissance plane was shot down and the Vietnamese sunk a
Thai trawler. In June and July 1984 reports came of the Vietnamese firing on a Thai
trawler and downing another Thai reconnaissance plane that was allegedly directing
artillery on Cambodian territory.
From November 1984 to March 1985 Vietnamese and Cambodian troops attacked
the Thai-supported CGDK (a coalition of mostly Khmer Rouge) along the border, and
in January they downed a Thai attack aircraft operating against Vietnamese forces
who had crossed the border. In February 1985, Thai and Vietnamese troops exchanged
artillery rounds across the border, and on April 22, 800 Vietnamese troops surged into
Thailand. Thai forces regained that lost ground by May 8. In July Thai aircraft entered
Cambodian airspace several times and provided support to CGDK troops. In August,
a Vietnamese unit crossed into Thailand and killed two civilians. In January and Feb-
ruary 1986, two dozen Thai citizens were killed or injured in border incidents, and
in September, 100 Vietnamese troops captured Hill 538 in Thailand, then launched
attacks on Thai troops. The Thai military recaptured the hill a month later. Thailand
accused Vietnamese and PRK troops of border incursions in December 1986 and
January 1987. In January a Thai reconnaissance plane was downed. For the next four
months Thai and Vietnamese troops clashed in the area where the borders of Thailand,
Cambodia, and Laos converge. Negotiations took place throughout the conflict, but no
settlement was ever reached.
MID#4001
Dispute Number: 4001
Date(s): January 1, 1994 to September 23, 1996
Participants: 800 Thailand/811 Cambodia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Both Cambodian and Thai forces engaged Khmer Rouge guerillas, and
each other, for two years following United Nations-led elections in Cambodia. Most
of the interactions between regular forces resulted from cross-border fire gone astray
or repulsed border incursions. Only near the end of the conflict did the conflict turn
toward each navy protecting its territorial waters.
MID#4135
Dispute Number: 4135
Date(s): August 15, 1997 to May 2, 1998
Participants: 800 Thailand/811 Cambodia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Thailand fortified its border in August 1997 over fears of spillover from
the conflict between the Cambodian government and Khmer Rouge rebels. In Decem-
ber Cambodian forces chased the Khmer Rough to the Thai border, and artillery shells
landed in Thai territory. Thailand’s military reciprocated with their own artillery.