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By Martin Petty
"Hun Sen scores political points domestically by standing up to what he would like Cambodians to see as a bullying Thailand, as long as the military losses are small and the outcome is inconclusive. "
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A bloody conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces has added another twist to Thailand's political crisis, and not without benefit to Cambodian strongman, Hun Sen.
Regardless of which side fired first, the border battles have handed Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) a chance to score points at home by taking a stand against an eternal rival he accuses of flexing its superior military muscle.
On the surface, the latest flare-up is a fight over a stretch of border close to Tan Moan and Tan Krabey, two 12th century Hindu temples both sides lay claim to. So far, 18 people on both sides have been killed in 12 days of gunfights, grenades and artillery bombardments that have displaced 65,000 people.
Analysts say political factions on both sides of the frontier have something to gain from prolonging the fight and scuttling a fragile ceasefire agreed between the two armies.
The clashes have struck a chord with Cambodians and Hun Sen's efforts to internationalize the issue by calling for help from the United Nations, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the International Court of Justice have helped stoke nationalist fervour.
"This conflict is being played to the full extent by Hun Sen and with this tough stance he will seek to gain as much status as he can from this," said Ian Bryson, a Southeast Asia analyst at consultants Control Risks.
"The CPP government recognizes that the sovereignty issue is a vehicle for popularity that has almost become policy and gives it a mandate for its rule."
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