First Army targets military installations in Poipet, destroys BM-21 rocket system
Thailand's First Army attacks military targets in Poipet, Cambodia, destroying a BM-21 rocket system. The strike was a response to threats to national security.
On Thursday, December 18, Thailand’s First Army Area launched an attack on military targets in Poipet, a key economic city in Cambodia, located across from Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo province.
The attack was prompted by the discovery of unusual military troop movements in the area, which were deemed a threat to Thailand’s national security. The strike aimed to neutralise the threat posed by Cambodian forces.
Sources from the First Army Area confirmed that the attack was limited in scope, specifically targeting military installations to avoid civilian casualties and damage to property.
Poipet is known as an economic hub driven by casinos and scammers, with many casino buildings and scam syndicate offices in the area.
The source further explained that the targets in the attack were not located in the central part of Poipet but in a deeper area away from the economic zone, where Cambodia’s BM-21 multiple rocket system and military gathering points were situated. The Cambodian forces had been moving close to civilian areas or economic zones, likely to deter Thailand from launching an attack.
Earlier on Thursday, at 1:00 pm, Thailand’s Air Force F-16 fighter jets carried out an airstrike, dropping two bombs on the Cambodian military’s base located on Highway 58, near Stung Bot, Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province. The strike targeted Cambodia’s weapon depot and the building serving as the centre for scam operations. This action followed intelligence from the First Army Area, which detected Cambodia’s military buildup and weapon stockpiles in Poipet, posing a threat to Thailand’s security and sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence reported the situation to the public, stating that the Thai military continued its attacks on Cambodian territory in Military Region 5, Poipet, using F-16 fighter jets to drop two bombs. The Cambodian forces vowed to remain strong and resolute, continuing to fight against the invaders fiercely while guarding their territorial integrity and the dignity of Cambodia with courage, no matter the circumstances.
