PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian officials said more Thai troops crossed into their country's territory Wednesday in the second day of alleged incursions amid tensions over disputed border land near a historic temple.
Thai officials have denied any incursion, saying the troops are deploying on Thai territory to protect their country's sovereignty.
"Their troops have increased in number. They have not pulled back yet," said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for the Preah Vihear temple. Both sides were due to resume negotiations Wednesday morning, he said, but did not elaborate.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Tuesday night that 170 troops and Thai civilians had crossed into Cambodian territory. He could not say how many civilians were among the group.
The number of Thai troops swelled to about 200 on Wednesday, Cambodian border guard unit commander Seng Vuthy said by telephone from Preah Vihear.
"Both the Cambodian and Thai forces have their hands on their guns at all times," Seng Vuthy said.
The latest confrontation came after UNESCO declared Preah Vihear — which is at the center of a long-standing border quarrel between the neighbors — a World Heritage site last week.
Both countries claim land around the temple, and Thai anti-government activists have revived nationalist sentiment over the issue. The activists and some government officials fear the temple's new status will jeopardize their country's claims to land adjacent to the site.
The incident has claimed at least one casualty. A land mine explosion sheared the right leg off a Thai soldier patrolling in the area, said Thai army Col. Sirichan Ngathong.
Stretches of the Thai-Cambodian border are still strewn with land mines sown by various sides during the 1970-75 Cambodian civil war and the guerrilla conflict that followed the fall of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.
Maj. Gen. Kanok Netakawesana, a Thai army field commander in the region, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that his troops were on Thai soil close to the disputed area. He declined to give the number of soldiers deployed.
"We are not violating the territory of Cambodia. We have every right to deploy troops here to protect our sovereignty," Kanok said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied any incursion, saying the relationship between the two countries remained normal.
The ministry said in a statement late Tuesday that the troops were ensuring that any protests by Thai activists were being done "in an orderly manner."
The Thai troop movements followed the arrest by Cambodia of three Thai citizens for crossing the border earlier Tuesday. The three were returned to Thailand later Tuesday.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.
Thai officials have denied any incursion, saying the troops are deploying on Thai territory to protect their country's sovereignty.
"Their troops have increased in number. They have not pulled back yet," said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for the Preah Vihear temple. Both sides were due to resume negotiations Wednesday morning, he said, but did not elaborate.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Tuesday night that 170 troops and Thai civilians had crossed into Cambodian territory. He could not say how many civilians were among the group.
The number of Thai troops swelled to about 200 on Wednesday, Cambodian border guard unit commander Seng Vuthy said by telephone from Preah Vihear.
"Both the Cambodian and Thai forces have their hands on their guns at all times," Seng Vuthy said.
The latest confrontation came after UNESCO declared Preah Vihear — which is at the center of a long-standing border quarrel between the neighbors — a World Heritage site last week.
Both countries claim land around the temple, and Thai anti-government activists have revived nationalist sentiment over the issue. The activists and some government officials fear the temple's new status will jeopardize their country's claims to land adjacent to the site.
The incident has claimed at least one casualty. A land mine explosion sheared the right leg off a Thai soldier patrolling in the area, said Thai army Col. Sirichan Ngathong.
Stretches of the Thai-Cambodian border are still strewn with land mines sown by various sides during the 1970-75 Cambodian civil war and the guerrilla conflict that followed the fall of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.
Maj. Gen. Kanok Netakawesana, a Thai army field commander in the region, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that his troops were on Thai soil close to the disputed area. He declined to give the number of soldiers deployed.
"We are not violating the territory of Cambodia. We have every right to deploy troops here to protect our sovereignty," Kanok said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied any incursion, saying the relationship between the two countries remained normal.
The ministry said in a statement late Tuesday that the troops were ensuring that any protests by Thai activists were being done "in an orderly manner."
The Thai troop movements followed the arrest by Cambodia of three Thai citizens for crossing the border earlier Tuesday. The three were returned to Thailand later Tuesday.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.
17 comments:
no. cambodia shouldn't shoot them or do anything stupid yet. thais may kill khmer like animal but do we have to be like them? they didnt draw first blood so we stay cool...just arrested them and let the world know who are really these siamese.
Who's willing to fire the first shot?
Cambodia must get out of Issan Province and return everything to Khmer People, and stop provoking problem in the area.
F.UCKING THAI ARMY DON'T HAVE RESPECT TO CAMBODIA. THE WORLD WILL SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WHO WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE A FIRST SHOT!! KILL THEM ALL BRING BACK THE KHMER EMPIRE!!!DOWN A SIEM!!!!!!!!!!!
So Siam will return Issan provinces to Cambodia, Right, 12:00 PM?
I think so to be calm my repective Khmer soldier. Just keep the immigrant into doucment signing and take photos to highlight where are the Thai located in our soil to show the media.
I support Bang Khmer soldiers to be strong and nationalist for our temple and land.
Thais do not act like the stupid monkey/dog
are you sure that they entered in Cambodia territory? check it out first, as Thais also claim that they entered in the disputed areas.
thus if you shoot them (ILLEGALLY) i'm sure Khmers will be in trouble.
that's why Khmer soldiers know too well that they cannot shoot any Thai in such area(that you people here love to claim falsely that it belongs to Khmers)
Mr. Hun Sen must sent the troop more this border!!
Hun Sen must spend all cost including diplomacy by calling back our khmer ambassador from Bankok, complaint to ASIAN, UN, ICJ and fighting to protect our land from A Siam thief!! if you do like this, you will become a hero of Cambodia. My vote for you if you follow this idea.
Now our country faces the biggest problem with A Siam thief. Please all khmer people joint with us to make demonstration infront of Thai Embassy to protest this problem!!
Boycott the thai production!!
Down A saim!!
khmer neak snea ha cheat,
besides, your government already accepted that the surrounding areas of PVH belong to Thai. that's why UNESCO registered PVH as the World Heritage.
Only the PVH, the temple belongs to Cambodia, not the surrounding areas. So Thais have rights to walk on their own soils.
if you don't believe me, check the info with your gov.
it's interesting to see how Khmers manage the PVH (only the temple) without its surrounding areas and access to the PVH.
will you climb from the cliff to visit PVH? or fly to it?
12:12pm
You are dreaming. keep on dream...dream...dream...
We are Cambodian, we are a highly respect culture, we all know clearly the stupidest actions of the un-humanity Siamese people. They are cheaper than our foot; they have no moral; they have no knowledge; they have no civilization. Finally, they are the cheapest civilization.
Remember United Khmer People,
Don't forget Khmer Isan, Khmer Surin, Khmer Krom, and Koh Tral. Must return back to Mother Land. Vote for me 2033 Thank You
No way, Jose, no one is stupid enough to do that. The Khmer in Issan want to stay divorce from the ugly and stinky monkeys in Cambodia, and they also what to keep there share of the asset that include everything on the cliff. So get your stinky arse out of Issan province now!
2:30 PM
you are just a POS SOB bad loser issan that love to pao khen,sing morlam and eat khao niao. Ee ngo kwa kway kiss thai ass for thousand years.
Give us Koh Pors(snake island), we will send troops from Hanoi to help you to pull Thai troops back. hehehe
From Vietnamese commander
Once we're done with the Siam we get Khmer Krom territory back.
So save your breath for later Vietminh. hehehe
From Dick Tram Nguyen.
Siam you don't need to think too much it will hurt your single neuron brain, just fire the first shot so we can finish you off.
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