PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia (AFP) — Cambodian and Thai soldiers pointed their weapons at each other for the first time over a tense land dispute on their border, witnesses and officials said Friday.
More than 400 Thai troops and 800 Cambodian soldiers are stationed around a small Buddhist pagoda on the slope of a mountain leading to the ruins of 11th century Preah Vihear temple.
Witnesses said troops twice pointed their guns at each other during 10 tense minutes Thursday evening when 50 Cambodian troops entered the pagoda compound to protect food supplies for dozens of Cambodian monks.
"Our troops and Thai troops pointed their guns at each other. They were on alert," said Brigadier Chea Keo, commander-in-chief of the army at Preah Vihear .
"After that Cambodian military commanders and Thai commanders held talks for approximatly one hour. We solved our problems after talks with Thai commanders," he said. "The situation is stable now."
He said Cambodian troops agreed to stay outside the pagoda during the night to avoid confrontations.
The mood appeared to be less tense Friday morning as Cambodian soldiers went back inside the pagoda and were seen chatting and smiling with Thais.
But Cambodian Premier Hun Sen told his Thai counterpart Samak Sundaravej in a letter Thursday that the row was worsening and harming their relations.
Top officials from both countries plan to meet Monday to resolve the stand-off.
The troops are deployed in a small area claimed by both countries near the Preah Vihear temple.
Thai troops arrived after three Thai protesters illegally broke across on Tuesday vowing to reclaim the temple, which they say rightly belongs to them.
The World Court in 1962 determined the Preah Vihear ruins belong to Cambodia, even though the most accessible entrance lies in Thailand.
The issue has taken on national importance in both countries.
Cambodia is preparing for general elections on July 27, while Thailand has recently been rattled by anti-government protests, driven in part over the handling of the land dispute.
More than 400 Thai troops and 800 Cambodian soldiers are stationed around a small Buddhist pagoda on the slope of a mountain leading to the ruins of 11th century Preah Vihear temple.
Witnesses said troops twice pointed their guns at each other during 10 tense minutes Thursday evening when 50 Cambodian troops entered the pagoda compound to protect food supplies for dozens of Cambodian monks.
"Our troops and Thai troops pointed their guns at each other. They were on alert," said Brigadier Chea Keo, commander-in-chief of the army at Preah Vihear .
"After that Cambodian military commanders and Thai commanders held talks for approximatly one hour. We solved our problems after talks with Thai commanders," he said. "The situation is stable now."
He said Cambodian troops agreed to stay outside the pagoda during the night to avoid confrontations.
The mood appeared to be less tense Friday morning as Cambodian soldiers went back inside the pagoda and were seen chatting and smiling with Thais.
But Cambodian Premier Hun Sen told his Thai counterpart Samak Sundaravej in a letter Thursday that the row was worsening and harming their relations.
Top officials from both countries plan to meet Monday to resolve the stand-off.
The troops are deployed in a small area claimed by both countries near the Preah Vihear temple.
Thai troops arrived after three Thai protesters illegally broke across on Tuesday vowing to reclaim the temple, which they say rightly belongs to them.
The World Court in 1962 determined the Preah Vihear ruins belong to Cambodia, even though the most accessible entrance lies in Thailand.
The issue has taken on national importance in both countries.
Cambodia is preparing for general elections on July 27, while Thailand has recently been rattled by anti-government protests, driven in part over the handling of the land dispute.
16 comments:
Both khmer and thai soldiers are chicken, why just draw?shoot each others and go to hell. Let thais test the tast of war suffering.
i'm ready to kill some thais faggots .trained by american . i'll show them what a real marine sniper can do.i'm in iraq for two yrs. took six of them out in one day.these thais fucker i'll kill them like playin my play station three "tour of duty"
Hero for the sake of Nation!
Bravo Cambodia!
Only strong can stand!
We fight with spirit and soul
Let's carry out a guerilla warefare deep inside Thailand. The Thai muslim in south Thailand will definitely cooperate since this will be the second front to help them and to help us evict the Thai from our lands (Preah Vihear, Surin, Sisaket, Nokorachsima etc..). The Thai has nationalists, so have we.
Cheyo Kampuchea
Cheyo Cheat Khmer
11:45, no one in Indochina is shaken at the US Marine. Come over and teach us what you learn in Iraq, moron!
American marine. Make sure don't kill your own Khmers in Thailand when you invade Thai provinces near Cambodia.
I want to see Hun Sen, a ruthless Khmer Rouge uses his ruthless Khmer Rouge style to beat ah Kapik.
12:50PM. But the They will be shaken when the Muslim nationalsts blow themselves up in your places, bridges etc., to free their land.
at this time i want to be a soldier, i want to kill theft thai. but every time when heard the theft thai invade our land, it make me like to kill them. but we should calm down now our leader want theft thai lose face with law and diplomatic not weapons cause we have experience with war many years and now my leader test with you by diplomatic and law. sorry theft thai no cambodian people fear you.
Thais have never tasted how ruthless the khmer Rouge thugs is. They think they have fancy weapons can kill Hun Sen thugs?
I hope Thai governmnet don't gambling with the khmer rouge thugs will lost many lives.
Cambodia is doom.
I dare these son-of-bitches Thai black-clad extremists to fire first shot at (or in the air), and see what'll happen -- who's tough. Would these faggots dare?! They've already chicken out.
You fucking Thai shit, go ahead and fire the first shot, you shithead.
Tell your government and your faggot king to fuck off.
How to settle Preah Vihear Dispute ?
No Problem with Preah Vihear issue-- we will win-win
Because-
1. We have much more Army Generals than Thailand has( we have a lot of Generals from 1 stars to 4 Top Gold stars
2. We have more Excellencies than Thailand has
3. We have more Samdachs, Oknha, Bandits (Phd.), Prime ministers (in 1995), Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, provincial Governors.... that Thailand has/ or than other counties world wide...
4. We have a lot of Military equipment such as Military trucks which are used to Transport illegal Loggings and Military Vehicles used countrywide to anywhere such as to restaurants and Bars...... We have a lot of Guns/pistols which are used every day in the cities and county sides to fire on people in ladies affairs disputes.
5. We have much more Luxury Cars-Lexus Landcruisers with Army & Police Plate Numbers that represent Our Top Generals and Excellency countrywide.....
6. The best way to settle such a problem is to send some hundreds of Cambodian Generals to the Disputed Borders.....Thais will be afraid of our numerous Multi-Generals which increase from day to day.
7. But is the National Embarrassment that our Army (Royal Cambodian Armed Forces) have used a lot of forces to fight with Local unarmed-Cambodians in Land grabbling... so our Armed forces (Army, Police Economy Police, and military Police-PM) may be too weakened now...
8. It is a National Embarrassment that most of our Generals just attack in the Cities and with Local Cambodians in Land disputes, small Disputes in Night Clubs, Karaoke and any unnecessary Fire shots.
Note: when I saw the Cambodians army in Dispute with Thai Army ..It reminds me about the Royal Cambodian Army disputing with Unarmed People in Land Disputes in Cambodia; They can protect their land But for Preah Vihear how will it be going on....?
From Excellency Phd. Bandit, General 7 Diamond Stars, Oknha Achar Knoy
It's time for pay back!
We have lost and learn so much about war and time to join with our muslim brother in the world to blow these thai and youn invader of our vast land and don't let you live for a few meters in peace.
I will look and watch how Cambodian Army dare to confront with ennemy?? I have seem them fighting with Local Cambodians in Land SGrabbling....
Gyuen Ay Koy
Why do you have to see it, 4:29? Don't you trust your judgment?
The Preah Vihear temple must be free of damage.
Otherwise, Thai must responsible.
It is belonging to the United Nations.
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