01 July 2009
Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Ki Media
Prime minister Hun Sen issued a warning to neighboring Thailand, which is currently embroiled in a border dispute with Cambodia, that it should be careful with its planes so that they never fly into Cambodian airspace otherwise danger awaits them because Cambodian soldiers cannot hold back.
Hun Sen made this declaration during a ceremony to distribute diploma for 975 students from the Norton University on 30 June 2009.
Hun Sen also talked about the explosion incident which took place in the evening of 28 June and which was caused by the inattention of two soldiers who lit up their matches to look at the gas tank of their truck and caused a fire which led to the explosion of 29 BM-21 rockets loaded on the same truck. The explosion injured 2 persons, and Hun Sen said that Cambodia had these ammunitions since long ago, and they are not new. Each of the rockets costs $3,000 and Cambodia does not want to boast that these are merely medium-size ammunitions, [in fact Cambodia] has even larger size [ammunitions] than these and the exploded ammunitions make up only about 1% [of the total].
Hun Sen added that he frankly told Thailand’s defense minister and its deputy-PM during their meeting with him last weekend that [Thailand] should be careful with its planes trespassing into Cambodian airspace. Hun Sen added that earlier, Cambodia destroyed 270 shoulder-launched missiles, but Cambodia has replaced them with even more modern ones and he cannot order those who have their fingers on the trigger. Therefore, Thailand should be careful and look at its maps properly and not fly into someone else’s airspace. Hun Sen said: “I am telling you frankly that even if each missile costs $200,000, I will still buy them.” Hun Sen added: “I am concerned that they fly into [our airspace] when they are transporting Thai leaders in them, because we do not have planes to fly back and forth, only Thailand flies airplanes and they circle them around, what if those who are below can not hold back.”
Hun Sen said that he frankly told Thailand that the number of Cambodian soldiers along the border will remain the same, and there is no troops pullout as long as the 30 [Thai soldiers] are not being pulled out, their bones will be [buried] there.”
Regarding his private meeting with Suthep Thaugsuban, Thailand’s deputy-PM, on 27 June at his residence in Takhmao, Hun Sen said: “Samlor Kor-ko (mixed vegetable soup allegedly cooked by his wife) was very good” because, like what Hun Sen said before, there were no discussions about Preah Vihear temple.
Hun Sen added that, nevertheless, in this issue, he is not boasting to Thailand. Thailand has more modern weapons than Cambodia, and it has more troops than Cambodia: Thailand had 300,000 troops, and Cambodia has only 100,000 soldiers. However, in the national defense, Cambodia will be pleased to oblige Thailand to the end. Hun Sen added that: “We don’t want war with neighboring countries, but it is an automatic right to defend when it comes to one’s border.”
Hun Sen also criticized [Singapore] Channel News Asia which falsely reported that he discussed Preah Vihear issue with Thailand’s ministers. In reality, whatever Hun Sen said, that’s how it was, and there was no need to talk about Preah Vihear issue. We have several issues to discuss with each other, including the overlapped maritime sea area between the two countries in order to bring in joint development, and also the border problems between the two countries where tension and confrontations must be lowered.”
To conclude, Hun Sen claimed: “I will not lose a single minute to tell the Thai counterpart to pull their troop out of Cambodia. It is a fact that I have to tell them, if I forget this point, it means that I am forgetting my own nation.” Hun Sen added that this is the actual problem, but the results will have to wait for the upcoming negotiations.
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