The border clashes occurring near Ta Moan Thom and Ta Krabek temples in disputed areas adjacent to Thailand 's northeastern Surin province on April 27 marked the sixth straight day of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia.

New rounds of small arms fire erupted near the temple at about 5.30 a.m. and lasted for thirty minutes, according to Thai army spokesman, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

He said that Thailand 's Defence Minister has cancelled a planned trip to Cambodia for talks with his counterpart Tea Banh on a border ceasefire, which had been scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh . The cancellation is due to Cambodia media reports that Thailand agreed to negotiate after admitting its failure, he said, adding Thailand will wait till Cambodia shows honesty about wanting to reach a ceasefire.

Also on April 27, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaking at a seminar of the Cambodian Women Association for Peace and Development, said the border disputes could be settled through bilateral negotiations.

PM Hun Sen said the Preah Vihear Temple dispute has been submitted to the United Nations Security Council and ASEAN, therefore, the two sides must respect ASEAN’s role and accept the presence of the third side at every negotiation meeting on disputed border areas near the temple. However, the two countries can hold bilateral talks on Ta Moan Thom and Ta Krabek temples.

He also appealed for a ceasefire, while affirming Cambodia wants to solve every problem peacefully and without using force and urged ASEAN Chair, Indonesia to appoint observers to the disputed border to oversee a ceasefire.

The Lao government and Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed their deeply concern over the latest Thai-Cambodian border clashes and called for peaceful solutions to the conflict through the reconciliation efforts of ASEAN./.