Opening fire between Cambodian and Thailand soldiers twice on Saturday bordering Oddar Meanchey province’s O’Smach commune, in Samrong district is over a settlement built in territory claimed by both sides.

According to the official at occurred area, the Thais opening fire with rifles and M79 grenade launchers and Cambodian troops responded with B-40 rockets and AK-47s.

Leu Chandara, deputy chief of the Thailand-Cambodia relations office at the Poipet border crossing was quoted by the Post as saying that Thai soldiers “ordered the Cambodian soldiers to remove their small, wooden houses, but our soldiers refused these demands because the houses were built in Cambodian territory.”

He added that four Thai troops were injured during a 15-minute firefight at around 7:45am and Saturday and another five-minute clash around 9:30am.

After the contentious arm forces have broken out between Cambodia and Thailand along border near Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodian government take more attention to its arm forces until Prime Minister Hun Sen also paid visit to militaries protecting borders and disputed areas.

The military exercise was done yesterday which was overseen by Minister of Defence Tea Banh in Kampong Chhnang province. There were 200 BM-21 rockets tested but the Premier also said that it is a normal part of military exercise.

The Prime Minister added that Cambodia is not flexing its muscles but it is a work to strengthen the abilities of the military in national defence.

Mr Abhisit said, stating that the Cambodian military drill was unrelated to the current political situation in Thailand, he added that he don’t believe the test is intended to threaten the Thai Military as He understand that it is a normal military exercise.

Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying that he suspected that muscle-flexing was exactly what the government had in mind.