Liam Cochrane, Alex Khun and Paul Allen
Australia Network News
Last Updated: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:15:00 +1100
Cambodia is reinforcing its border with Thailand, establishing new villages full of soldiers, building roads and buying new equipment.
The strengthened military presence is part of an ongoing dispute over land surrounding the Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodia-Thailand border.
The 12th century temple has been the site of numerous violent clashes between the two countries in recent years.
Cambodia's Ministry of Defence made the announcement and said the program was necessary for national protection.
It says the military bulwark is part of a five-year plan, with work already underway on five new villages that will be populated with soldiers.
Preah Vihear program officer for the Wildlife Conservation Society, Tan Setha has witnessed the flurry of new construction activity.
"At the moment I can see the government establish some new village for the army family along the border."
It's believed a total of 14 new villages will eventually be established at a cost of hundreds of millions of US dollars.
A multi-ministerial committee, headed by former Phnom Penh governor and long-time Preah Vihear supporter, Chea Sophara, is driving the development.
Development
Cambodia is clearing land along the heavily-mined border so new infrastructures can be built to sustain the permanent relocation of soldiers and their families.
Heng Ratana, from the Cambodian Center for Mine Action says more than 300 de-miners are clearing land for the first five new villages being built for soldiers and their families.
"In Preah Vihear province, we've deploy more than 300 de-miners there to support demining activity which [has] tasks prioritised by local community and provincial community there."
"Our team is clearing a number of areas for supporting their development activity there, such as building new schools, new roads, irrigation system and so on."
The plan comes amid ongoing tension between Cambodia and Thailand over who owns 4.6 square kilometres of land surrounding the ruins of Preah Vihear.
Since July 2008 there have been several deadly clashes on the border and troops from both sides are prepared for a long standoff.
The paved road that leads from the Thai side to the foot of the temple, gives Thailand a distinct military advantage over Cambodia where dirt roads are full of pot holes, making the movement of troops and equipment difficult.
But that looks set to change, with this major investment to boost the number of Cambodian troops in the area and enhance their capacity to respond to any future incidents.
Thailand's Government says it has no problem with Cambodia constructing new villages along the border of the countries, so long as the buildings are not on disputed land.
Thai Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn says Thailand has no plans to increase troop numbers on the border in response.
"If it's within the Cambodian sovereign areas we have no comment, that's within the rights of Cambodia. But if it's in the disputed areas, we hope that the joint border committee will have a guideline on how to move forward," he said
The troubled relationship between the two countries have been recently inflamed by Cambodia appointing former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic advisor.
It's understood Mr Thaksin will make his next visit to Cambodia later this month.
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