Thai Border Incident Prompts Finger-Pointing
By Prak Chan Thul and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A dispute that has pitted Cambodian villagers backed by RCAF soldiers against Thai military forces has prompted an investigation in Thailand and finger-pointing between Cambodian government officials and the military.
Last week, some 300 Thai soldiers dismantled seven wooden houses that were built with RCAF permission in a disputed border zone in Banteay Meanchey province's O’Chrou district.
On Monday, government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith called for soldiers involved in the border dispute to be dismissed.
"They incited the villagers to go and build houses there," he said. "I want to say to [Defense Minister] Tea Banh that some people should be removed, they look like cowboys....That group made us look violent—they did not look at the agreement."
Khieu Kanharith said that the Thai and Cambodian governments had already clearly agreed that no houses were to be built in the disputed zone.
"But Thailand is wrong for coming to remove the houses themselves," he added.
Tim Sareth, deputy director of the Northwest Military Border Commission office, said that the Cambodian villagers who built the houses were not involved with anyone in his office, and said they were land-grabbers.
"Nobody lived in the houses. People just went there to grab the land and built the huts," he said.
But Tim Sareth had harsh words for the Thai military.
"They came in without informing us.... It is a violation of Cambodian sovereignty," he said. "The negotiation could be done without using armed forces.... We are hurt. They look down on us because they know that we can’t do anything to them."
Thai Embassy First Secretary Songchai Chaipatiyut said that the embassy has sent three requests to Bangkok for an investigation of the incident and expects a full report within days.
"At the government level, we want this resolved peacefully," he said, adding that disputed border areas are slowly being demarcated by a bilateral commission that began setting up new demarcation posts north of Poipet town two months ago.
Last week, some 300 Thai soldiers dismantled seven wooden houses that were built with RCAF permission in a disputed border zone in Banteay Meanchey province's O’Chrou district.
On Monday, government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith called for soldiers involved in the border dispute to be dismissed.
"They incited the villagers to go and build houses there," he said. "I want to say to [Defense Minister] Tea Banh that some people should be removed, they look like cowboys....That group made us look violent—they did not look at the agreement."
Khieu Kanharith said that the Thai and Cambodian governments had already clearly agreed that no houses were to be built in the disputed zone.
"But Thailand is wrong for coming to remove the houses themselves," he added.
Tim Sareth, deputy director of the Northwest Military Border Commission office, said that the Cambodian villagers who built the houses were not involved with anyone in his office, and said they were land-grabbers.
"Nobody lived in the houses. People just went there to grab the land and built the huts," he said.
But Tim Sareth had harsh words for the Thai military.
"They came in without informing us.... It is a violation of Cambodian sovereignty," he said. "The negotiation could be done without using armed forces.... We are hurt. They look down on us because they know that we can’t do anything to them."
Thai Embassy First Secretary Songchai Chaipatiyut said that the embassy has sent three requests to Bangkok for an investigation of the incident and expects a full report within days.
"At the government level, we want this resolved peacefully," he said, adding that disputed border areas are slowly being demarcated by a bilateral commission that began setting up new demarcation posts north of Poipet town two months ago.
1 comment:
finger-pointing between Cambodian government officials and the military! hahahhah!
Now tell me who is the fuck that dismantle the Cambodian fucken house? Why even bother pointing fingers? Oh well! You don't need to anything and sit and watch your fucken house dismantle or burn to ash by your fucken enemy!
AH Khieu Kanharith need more schooling because he can't even identify who violate Cambodian sovereignty in the first place!
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