Thais repulse Vietnamese

Press, 29 March 1984, Page 6

Thais repulse Vietnamese

NZPA-Reuter Bangkok Thai Army troops backed by artillery and Air Force planes had repulsed intruding Vietnamese forces in a brief clash on the north-east Thai border, informed military officials said yesterday. Sixty to 80 Vietnamese soldiers had crossed into Thailand on Monday in pursuit of Khmer Rouge guerrillas but had been pushed back, they said. Casualties on either side were not known.

The intruders were part of a larger force which launched a heavy attack on Khmer Rouge bases along the Thai-Kampuchean border, forcing 5000 Kampuchean refugees to flee to Thailand.

It was the first reported intrusion by Vietnamese forces this year. Officials said that the Vietnamese had crossed the border at Chong Phra Palai Pass in the Khun Harm district of Sisaket province. The Thai military command said earlier that Khmer Rouge guerrillas had destroyed four T 54 tanks,

and killed several Vietnamese troops in the Vietnamese thrust on Monday.

Thai border officials said that sporadic fighting had continued yesterday between the guerrillas and the Vietnamese 3km inside Kampuchea.

More than a dozen Vietnamese tanks had been seen moving to the fighting, they said.

Unconfirmed reports had been made of a big Khmer Rouge base overrun by the attackers. It was not known if the initial thrust was a prelude to the start of the longexpected dry season offensive by the Vietnamese. Other points along the 700 km Thai-Kampuchean border were reported to be generally quiet. In April last year 150 Vietnamese troops and some tanks intruded into Thailand during an offensive against guerrillas. Thai Air Force planes repeatedly strafed them and the Vietnamese wede reported to have lost half their men before pulling back.