THE Thai military, involved in a vicious border dispute with Cambodia, is desperate not to lose face given its historic role as defender of the nation's frontiers, Western military observers say.
Thailand's policy of phasing out support for ethnic guerilla groups on its borders has brought it into more frequent and sometimes violent contact with the armies of its neighbours.
The best guess of experienced observers is that Thai soldiers penetrated Cambodia, triggering a border dispute that has allegedly claimed 14 lives so far.
The Thai Army said at the weekend it had killed at least a dozen Cambodian soldiers and wounded dozens more last week when they attempted to move across the border to attack Khmer Rouge guerillas from a vulnerable flank.
'The enemy has retreated back into their country after suffering heavy losses,' according to a Thai Army officer on the border.
Although many military organisations which lose some soldiers might be inclined to make belligerent statements like this, the Thais do have a deep historical distrust of their neighbours.
'The confidence of the countries in the region can be very fragile - with some good reason given the long history of territorial theft and banditry. Thailand's no exception - we've been taught that everyone covets what we own so we have to be forever vigilant,' said one Thai academic.
