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BANGKOK: Thailand's air force has put fighter jets on standby as a border dispute with Cambodia appeared to be escalating, the air force spokesman said on Wednesday.
"Normally we have fighter jets on stand-by at various regional headquarters ready for operation within five minutes, but under the current circumstances we have increased our readiness," Group Captain Montol Suchookorn told AFP.
He said that transportation planes were also being prepared in case they were needed to evacuate Thai nationals from Cambodia, but added that he expected the stand-off to be settled through talks, rather than an armed conflict.
"I do hope the use of force is the last resort," he said.
On Tuesday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen accused 84 Thai soldiers of entering a disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple and demanded they leave before midday or risk conflict.
Cambodian officials said the troops had left before the deadline, but Thailand's foreign minister said they were standing their ground.
On Wednesday, a Cambodian army commander said that 500 Thai troops were massing near one of a number of disputed border areas.
Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, the Thai army spokesman, said there had been a reinforcement of troops on both sides of the border, but declined to say how many soldiers were being readied.
Tensions between the neighbours flared in July and escalated into a military confrontation when up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers.
- AFP/so
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