Two armed Thai nationals were arrested by the military yesterday morning after allegedly illegally entering Cambodian territory in Preah Vihear province to hunt animals, according to military and police officials.

Sin La, 57, and Thak Vin, 39, from Thailand’s Si Saket province, were handed over to local police after they were briefly detained by the army shortly before 9am.

Two guns were confiscated from the men and handed over to the police.

Brigadier General Si Kiri, the police commissioner in Preah Vihear province, said the men would not face charges and his office would contact Thai authorities to arrange for the men to be sent back across the border.

“The authorities will release them when the Thai authority comes to take them,” he said.

The arrests came less than a week after Thai and Cambodian soldiers near the Preah Vihear temple had a brief shootout during a routine patrol.