Tension reigns in Cambodia-Thai border
Web posted at: 3/26/2009 1:27:55
Source ::: REUTERS
Phnom Penh: Cambodia yesterday threatened to use military force against up to 80 Thai soldiers who reportedly entered a disputed border region and set up camp, officials said. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodian military police threatened to open fire unless the Thai soldiers retreated from the area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple site, where a fatal skirmish between Cambodia and Thailand erupted last year.
The Thai soldiers entered the area yesterday afternoon and were immediately confronted by Cambodian military police, Phay Siphan said.
He said Cambodian military officials were negotiating with their Thai counterparts to prevent an armed confrontation.
A Cambodian military police officer who asked not to be named said hundreds of additional Thai soldiers were stationed on the other side of the border.
The 11th-century Hindu temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court in The Hague, but the territory around the temple is still disputed.
The South-East Asian neighbours amassed troops along the border in July after UNESCO named the temple a World Heritage Site. Meanwhile, Thai and Cambodian soldiers are reportedly faced each other near a 900-year-old Hindu temple on their disputed border yesterday, but both sides pledged to avoid a repeat of last year’s armed clashes. Tensions rose when 100 Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said.
“We are trying to push the Thais back to their border through negotiation. We do not want violence again,” he said, referring to a firefight that killed 4 soldiers last October.
Thailand’s military commander in the area said the troop movements were routine. “Both sides move their troops from time to time. We inform our Cambodian friends of our movements and vice versa,” Major General Kanok NetraKaveysana said. The border had been quiet for months while the Southeast Asian neighbours sought to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in last year’s exchange of rifle and rocket fire. Cambodia’s deputy military commander in chief, General Kun Kim, said the Thais had only entered the disputed area and had not crossed into Cambodian territory.
“We would have shot the Thai soldiers if they had crossed into our land,” he said.
Web posted at: 3/26/2009 1:27:55
Source ::: REUTERS
Phnom Penh: Cambodia yesterday threatened to use military force against up to 80 Thai soldiers who reportedly entered a disputed border region and set up camp, officials said. Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodian military police threatened to open fire unless the Thai soldiers retreated from the area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple site, where a fatal skirmish between Cambodia and Thailand erupted last year.
The Thai soldiers entered the area yesterday afternoon and were immediately confronted by Cambodian military police, Phay Siphan said.
He said Cambodian military officials were negotiating with their Thai counterparts to prevent an armed confrontation.
A Cambodian military police officer who asked not to be named said hundreds of additional Thai soldiers were stationed on the other side of the border.
The 11th-century Hindu temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court in The Hague, but the territory around the temple is still disputed.
The South-East Asian neighbours amassed troops along the border in July after UNESCO named the temple a World Heritage Site. Meanwhile, Thai and Cambodian soldiers are reportedly faced each other near a 900-year-old Hindu temple on their disputed border yesterday, but both sides pledged to avoid a repeat of last year’s armed clashes. Tensions rose when 100 Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said.
“We are trying to push the Thais back to their border through negotiation. We do not want violence again,” he said, referring to a firefight that killed 4 soldiers last October.
Thailand’s military commander in the area said the troop movements were routine. “Both sides move their troops from time to time. We inform our Cambodian friends of our movements and vice versa,” Major General Kanok NetraKaveysana said. The border had been quiet for months while the Southeast Asian neighbours sought to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in last year’s exchange of rifle and rocket fire. Cambodia’s deputy military commander in chief, General Kun Kim, said the Thais had only entered the disputed area and had not crossed into Cambodian territory.
“We would have shot the Thai soldiers if they had crossed into our land,” he said.
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