Cambodia-Vietnam border: Installation of first border marker for the new border delineation
By Chheang Bopha
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
The ceremony for the installation of the first border marker displaying the new delineation born out of the Supplemental Khmer-Vietnamese border treaty which was concluded last October, took place Thursday in the Vietnamese commune of Mok Bai, in front of the border post of Bavet (Svay Rieng province). After the official ceremony which gathered officials from the two countries in a Vietnamese shopping mall, the authorities planted the marker at the exact same location as the 1986 border marker which was never recognized by the international community because during that time, the Vietnamese army was occupying the Cambodian territory. The marker will soon be replaced by a new boundary milestone, numbered 171, which will be inaugurated on September 27 by the prime ministers from the two countries.
From now until the end of the year, seven new major markers will be installed in seven border posts, the 353 minor border markers would be installed by the end of 2008 along the 1,270-kilometer border. If this marker is installed at the exact same location as the old one, the others would change the border delineation, Var Kim Hong, the government advisor in charge of border issues, claimed. All the markers have been produced by Vietnam at a total cost of $1.5 million, Cambodia is sharing the installation cost. The seven major markers will be adorned by an emblem showing the Angkor Wat temple on the Vietnamese side, whereas the Cambodian side will bear an emblem showing a star.
During the official ceremony in the Vietnamese shopping mall, to which the public is not invited, SVar Kim Hong and Vor Hong Viet, the chief of the people’s committee of the Vietnamese province of Tai Ninh, stressed the importance of this “historical day” which, according to the pair, is awaited by their respective population. Vor Hong Viet declared that the two countries would work to develop this border zone and attract tourists who would want “to take snapshots” in front of the marker.
On the other side of the border, simple Cambodian citizens, not invited to the ceremony, are hesitating between curiosity and resignation to comment on this “historical” event long awaited for. “I would like to go there, but we did not have the right to go nearby,” Miek Ny, a motodop driver, complained. If he regrets not being able to observe close by the installation of the marker, he is not holding any illusion: “Before the Khmer Rouge [era], the [current] Vietnamese border post was [occupied by] a Cambodian army barrack. The government promised that we would recover a little bit of land, however, it still remains at the same place [where the Vietnamese encroached on],” he observes while expressing his fear that in more remote areas, such as wooded zones, the markers will completely encroach on Cambodia’s territory. One of his colleagues explains that with the constant complaints to the deaf ears of the [Cambodian] authorities, the population ended up being no longer interested on the “painful” border issues. “One must think about filling our stomach first,” he added.
The loss of interest seems to take over the authorities as well, Ouk Bonnath, an electrician from Bavet claimed. “Some time back, a truck hit the old [border] marker, making it lean onto the Vietnamese side,” Ouk Bonnath said. “The Vietnamese authorities immediately rushed in to the spot to observe if there was any territorial violation before having the marker straightened up. Even the Vietnamese businessmen came [to look]. The Cambodian authorities did not show up until two days later …”
From now until the end of the year, seven new major markers will be installed in seven border posts, the 353 minor border markers would be installed by the end of 2008 along the 1,270-kilometer border. If this marker is installed at the exact same location as the old one, the others would change the border delineation, Var Kim Hong, the government advisor in charge of border issues, claimed. All the markers have been produced by Vietnam at a total cost of $1.5 million, Cambodia is sharing the installation cost. The seven major markers will be adorned by an emblem showing the Angkor Wat temple on the Vietnamese side, whereas the Cambodian side will bear an emblem showing a star.
During the official ceremony in the Vietnamese shopping mall, to which the public is not invited, SVar Kim Hong and Vor Hong Viet, the chief of the people’s committee of the Vietnamese province of Tai Ninh, stressed the importance of this “historical day” which, according to the pair, is awaited by their respective population. Vor Hong Viet declared that the two countries would work to develop this border zone and attract tourists who would want “to take snapshots” in front of the marker.
On the other side of the border, simple Cambodian citizens, not invited to the ceremony, are hesitating between curiosity and resignation to comment on this “historical” event long awaited for. “I would like to go there, but we did not have the right to go nearby,” Miek Ny, a motodop driver, complained. If he regrets not being able to observe close by the installation of the marker, he is not holding any illusion: “Before the Khmer Rouge [era], the [current] Vietnamese border post was [occupied by] a Cambodian army barrack. The government promised that we would recover a little bit of land, however, it still remains at the same place [where the Vietnamese encroached on],” he observes while expressing his fear that in more remote areas, such as wooded zones, the markers will completely encroach on Cambodia’s territory. One of his colleagues explains that with the constant complaints to the deaf ears of the [Cambodian] authorities, the population ended up being no longer interested on the “painful” border issues. “One must think about filling our stomach first,” he added.
The loss of interest seems to take over the authorities as well, Ouk Bonnath, an electrician from Bavet claimed. “Some time back, a truck hit the old [border] marker, making it lean onto the Vietnamese side,” Ouk Bonnath said. “The Vietnamese authorities immediately rushed in to the spot to observe if there was any territorial violation before having the marker straightened up. Even the Vietnamese businessmen came [to look]. The Cambodian authorities did not show up until two days later …”
5 comments:
Cool, now we know where and how much the viets took land from Cambodia. They planted the evidence.
Now, that is an excllent thought. You took the word out of my mouth, "500riel toilet". Thank you for sharing. Have a pleasant one!
09/08/06
AKnijaKhmer
The Vietcong will always treat AH HUN SEN government officials as little children and for AH SVA KIM HONG as monkey! I don't have to say anymore than this! The Vietcong will pay everything that they had taken from Camodian people!
The Khmer Krom will be free!
"The Cambodian authorities did not show up until two days later …"???
This makes me sick to the stomach! Damn you Ah Veit dog HUN SEN!
09/08/06
AKnijaKhmer
Please take a look at this site below
http://www.cambodiaforum.com/index.php?showtopic=9585
(15th Century - The Rare Opportunity Being Destroyed By A Fatal Mistake Now Inherited By The Cambodians For Centuries To Come, The Story of King Srei Reachea Options
In 1417, Poea Yat became the King in Angkor at the age of 21 under the full occupation of the Siamese.
He took the name Borom Reachea II. He formed an army outside Angkor and then attack Angkor.
Soon he was able to defeat them out of Angkor in 1427.
However, during the Siamese retreat, they took thousands of Khmer familes, including intellictuals from Angkor.
Also, the retreating Thai army occupied the western part, namely Chantabourey (Chantaburi), Roeng, Baschimbourey (Prachin), and
Nokor Reach Sima (Korat/Ubon Ratchathani).
Fearful of having his capital too close to Ayuthaya, the capital of Siam, King Borom Reachea II moved his capital from Angkor to Basin in the east side of Mekong in 1431. A year later, he moved again to Phnom Penh.
The Siamese saw these moves as a sign of weakness and unwillingness to fight, and it virtually invited them to further encroach on the land between the new Siamese frontier and new Khmer capital at Phnom Penh.
After 47 years, King Borom Reach II gave up his throne in 1463 to his eldest son, Noreay Reachea II.
Noreay Reachea II reigned until his death in 1468 where his younger brother, Srei Reachea, succeeded him.
Unlike his father and elder brother, King Srei Reachea was not content with his diminished kingdom they had left him.
He began preparing his army to reconquer the four lost Khmer provinces to the west.
King Srei Reachea ordered his army to attack the kingdom of Ayuthaya in 1475. The army was to attack the Siamese from sea and land.
King Srei Reachea's Samdech Choavea Tolha (Prime Minister) will lead his sea army from Kampot toward Chantabourey, while King Srei Reachea will lead the land army.
Before the war campaign, King Srei Reachea asked his younger brother Srei Thomma Reachea to reign in his place at Phnom Penh.
King Srei Reachea's army crossed through Battambang and Sra Keo, and then arrived at Nokor Reach Sima (Korat) so swiftly that it took the Siamese governor by surprise. Without much of a fight, the Siamese governor surrendered Nokor Reach Sima and Baschimbourey to the army.
King Srei Reachea then concentrated all his forces at Baschimbourey in preparation to attack Ayutthaya. He launched many offensives against Ayuthaya but the Siamese were able to push back the army each time.
While King Srei Reachea was busy, his nephew Srei Soriyotei (son of Noreay Rechea II, his elder brother) revolted in Phnom Penh out of greed for power.
Srei Soriyotei formed his army and then he took over Kompoung Siem, Stung Treng, Baray, Nokor Prey and Cheoung Prey.
Srei Thomma Reachea then expanded his control over the old western provinces such as Battambang, Siem Reap, Pursat.
After hearing his brother and nephew had betrayed him, King Srei Reachea decided to return to Phnom Penh but was prevented by Srei Thomma Reachea. Srei Reachea asked his generals to become governors of the newly regained provinces.
Thus in 1478, the Khmer kingdom was ruled by three kings from east, central and west. King Srei Reachea wasted time and energy fighting Srei Thomma Reachea and vice versa.
The civil war gave the Siamese King Maha Chakrabatti his greatest opportunity to weaken the Khmer empire once and for all.
King Chakrabatti considered King Srei Reachea too powerful and anti-Siamese, Srei Soriyotei illegitimate so he chose Srei Thomma Reachea.
He supplied Srei Thomma Reachea with his military so was able to defeat both King Srei Reachea and Srei Soriyotei where the pair was captured and bought back to Ayuthaya to be executed.
If the rebellion and betrayal of King Srei Reachea's brother and newphew never happened, the khmer land might have been an empire streaching from Ayuthaya to Prey Nokor.
Realistically, Cambodia is not able, and will never ever be able to regain the lost provinces from Thailand and Vietnam again, not even in a thousand years.
Cambodian disunity is the cause of the loss. And the Cambodians never learnt from its mistake.
From the royal family to the lowly peasants, the disunity is always founded.
They have repeated their mistake prior the Khmer Rouge era.
Now they still have repeated their mistake in this current time)
Dear compatriots,
The only way to save our land is to present a united front with Samrainsyparty to fight the traitor HUN SEN out of the power.
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
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