KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia, Dec. 30 -- Cambodia on Monday conducted a live fire exercise to build capacity for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in defending territorial integrity, an army chief said.

The drill was held at the military training field in Kampong Speu province, about 70 km west of capital Phnom Penh, with the participation of about 1,900 soldiers.

Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, said that BM-21 rocket launchers were fired during the exercise.

"The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen the capacity for our armed forces in defending our territorial integrity and national interest only," he told reporters at the event. "The drill is also to test our new weapons."

About 145 shells had been fired and all had hit the target in the distance between 20 km and 40 km, he said.

It was the third time that the country held live fire drill with BM21 rockets. The first one was made in March 2010 and the second was in April this year.

Cambodia has begun to strengthen its defense capacity since it had territorial dispute with Thailand in 2008. The dispute had triggered several times of deadly armed clashes between troops of the two countries.