the Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire as early as Friday, breaking a ceasefire agreed the day before to end a week of border clashes that killed 16 people and injured scores in conflict of deadliest border of Asia over the years.
Each side blames the other for shooting first, but both said they still wanted to give the truce a chance.
Brief clashes with weapons fire and hand grenades small broke out two times per night, Thai regional commander of the army that thawatchai Samutsakorn said. The clash killed a Thai soldier and four others wounded. It was not step clear if there were losses on the Cambodian side.
The ceasefire was supposed to put an end to a week of sporadic and petit-rocket artillery inflamed nationalist passions in both countries, threatened to overshadow the elections in Thailand and reinforced doubts about the ambitions of Southeast Asia to form a community of style of the European Union by 2015.
The guns are silent since 3 o'clock in the morning but tension remained high with the troops still stationed nearby on two ancient temples in the Dongrak mountains poorly demarcated.
Thailand blamed the latest skirmish on a misunderstanding on the ground in Cambodia.
"On the side of Thailand, we understand the ceasefire but Cambodia agreement may have problems," Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters. "But give us a chance and examine the situation positively - their communications can have problems and the chain of command may be ineffective."
Commander of Cambodia, Colonel Suos Sothea, denied the Cambodian troops had fired everything first.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it was "regrettable" that Thai troops had attacked and said that the Cambodian army had always respected the ceasefire agreement.
Thursday, the two parties have agreed to keep troops in the region, but regular meetings between commanders on the ground and leave their territorial disputes long reach a joint boundary commission.
They also agreed to open border control points near two Hindu temples in the 12th century challenged at the heart of the fighting, although it was not clear, when the villagers would be allowed back permanently to their distance, ravaged cities.
More than 60,000 were evacuated during the fighting.
"STILL SAFE STEP."
The two parties remained at odds which controlled the Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples after fighting that killed at least eight Cambodian and Thailand eight.
"We have to remain vigilant in the coming days to ensure that everyone on the field includes the agreement," said the Thai regional commander Thawatchai Samutsakorn.
Thailand insists that the ruins stone-walled reside in the province of Surin as a map of 1947. In Cambodia, says that they are in the province of Oddar Meanchey. Sovereignty over three temples - Ta Moan and Ta Krabey border over Preah Vihear - and the jungle they been challenged since the retreat of the French in Cambodia in the 1950s.
Analysts have expressed their scepticism conflict - which erupted in February near Preah Vihear, the death of 11 persons - is really on sovereignty and say that it seems politically driven on both sides. Some say hawkish generals in Thailand is in collusion with the nationalists to foment a crisis that could force the cancellation of the elections, scheduled in July and to marginalize the powerful opposition to preserve the stranglehold of the royalist establishment power.
In the village of border Hua Ang, dozens of civilians returned with mistrust to check their houses and agricultural land.
"This ceasefire seems a little suspicious." Look at what happened last night, "said Pailin Naralit, a 49-year old village Chief Deputy that he walked through his damaged rubber plantation."
"I am to check on my house and dating safe soon." I do not think that it is safe here yet. ?
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