PHNOM PENH, June 13: Cambodia ordered troops to stay on “full alert” and banned Thai dramas on television on Friday in an ongoing border spat between the Southeast Asian neighbours.
Phnom Penh also shut off internet connections routed through Thailand on the eve of a meeting between the two sides aimed at defusing tensions following deadly clashes last month.
Violence flared on May 28 in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet, with one Cambodian soldier killed.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on Facebook late Thursday that the country was disconnecting all internet bandwidth from Thailand, leaving some users complaining of slow speeds.
The ministries of information and cultures also ordered television stations and cinemas to stop airing Thai TV series.
Influential former leader Hun Sen — Hun Manet’s father — urged the government on Friday to halt “imports of Thai goods into the Cambodian market” if Thailand refused to lift restrictions imposed on border checkpoints in recent days.
He  told troops to be on alert, writing on Facebook: “All armed forces must remain on full alert 24 hours a day, ready to respond and defend in the event of aggression.”
Hun Sen also urged authorities in provinces near the border be prepared to evacuate residents to safer areas.
Cambodian authorities also announced that the popular Daung-Ban Laem border crossing with Thailand would be closed indefinitely from Friday.
The Cambodian immigration department said the measure was to keep “security and safety for people”.
In another Facebook post, Hun Sen encouraged Thai farmers to protest against their military.
He said Cambodia would reopen the border crossing when all border restrictions imposed by the Thai military were lifted.
Cambodian and Thai officials will meet in Phnom Penh on Saturday to discuss the border dispute.
The row dates back to the drawing of the 800-kilometre (500-mile) frontier, largely done during the French occupation of Indochina.
The region has seen sporadic violence since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths.
Hun Manet announced earlier this month that Cambodia would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over four disputed border areas, including the site of the latest clash.
The ICJ ruled in 2013 that a disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand says it does not accept the ICJ’s jurisdiction.
On Sunday, armies from both countries agreed to reposition their soldiers in the site of the latest clash to avoid confrontations.
Thailand has closed some border crossings and tightened border controls with Cambodia in recent days. – TVS
