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Thai commander of the Chantaburi-Trat Airbase has written a letter of apology to Cambodian commander for repeated airspace violations over Pailin and Samlaut areas in early an mid August.

The Cambodian military claimed that on 3rd and 12th August, Thai jet fighters had flown at low altitude and at high speed over Pailin and Ratanak Mondul, more than 3o km deep inside Cambodian territories, which caused panic among shoppers at Pailin Market.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Deum Ampil on the afternoon of 17th that the Thai commander had sent a letter of apology. He said: "The Thai Command based at Chantaburi province had sent a letter on 14th August 2009 to the Cambodian military commander to apologise for the violations of Cambodian airspace three times recently by Thai planes."

Mr. Koy Kuong added: "In the letter the Thai side said that the violations happened accidentally as a result of bad weather and the planes' compasses did not work, that's why the planes accidentally entered Cambodian airspace. In the letter, the Thai said that they respect Cambodian sovereignty and will do their utmost not to repeat the violations again."

Mr. Koy Kuong said Cambodian has already warned Thailand not to repeat these sorts of violations again.

Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization