PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — An agreement to end a tense border standoff between Cambodian and Thai troops near an ancient temple stalled Tuesday as both sides waited for the other to make the first move and redeploy their forces.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said he was ready to pull troops back, but was leaving the timing up to Thailand.
A Thai army commander said his troops had made no immediate plan to leave.
The two countries agreed Monday to pull back the 800 Cambodian troops and 400 Thai soldiers stationed near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, but failed to resolve the main dispute over rights to a strip of land near the temple.
It remained unclear where the troops would be sent or when the move would take place.
"For our side, there is no problem at all," Hun Sen told reporters in the capital, Phnom Penh. "The issue is up to Thailand to decide when to act. For us, anytime."
Cambodian Maj. Gen. Srey Doek, contacted by telephone at the border, said his troops "still have a standing order to remain calm and exercise restraint. Thai troops are keeping the same position and so are we.
"But both sides do not want to wage war and only desire to live in peace with each other," he said.
Thai army commander Gen. Anuphong Paochinda said his troops also had no immediate plan to budge.
"Thai soldiers will pull out from the area only after we receive an order from the government," Anupong told reporters in the Thai capital, Bangkok.
The standoff has stoked nationalist sentiment in both countries and helped strengthen Hun Sen's popularity ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Hun Sen, whose ruling party appears to have won in a landslide, has taken a tough stance in the dispute.
The dispute over 1.8 square miles of land near Preah Vihear temple escalated earlier this month when UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site.
Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking anti-government demonstrations near the temple. Both sides stationed soldiers near the temple July 15, claiming the other had moved troops in first.
Shots were almost fired on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.
A first round of talks July 21 foundered over which map should be used to demarcate the border. It prompted Cambodia to request a meeting of the United Nations Security Council before agreeing to the second round of talks with Thailand.
Monday's talks ended with both sides agreeing that further talks were needed to resolve the larger border dispute.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia. The decision still rankles many Thais even though the temple shares the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex.
The decision was based on a French colonial map demarcating the border, which Thailand says favors Cambodia. Thailand relies on a map drawn up later with American technical assistance.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said he was ready to pull troops back, but was leaving the timing up to Thailand.
A Thai army commander said his troops had made no immediate plan to leave.
The two countries agreed Monday to pull back the 800 Cambodian troops and 400 Thai soldiers stationed near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, but failed to resolve the main dispute over rights to a strip of land near the temple.
It remained unclear where the troops would be sent or when the move would take place.
"For our side, there is no problem at all," Hun Sen told reporters in the capital, Phnom Penh. "The issue is up to Thailand to decide when to act. For us, anytime."
Cambodian Maj. Gen. Srey Doek, contacted by telephone at the border, said his troops "still have a standing order to remain calm and exercise restraint. Thai troops are keeping the same position and so are we.
"But both sides do not want to wage war and only desire to live in peace with each other," he said.
Thai army commander Gen. Anuphong Paochinda said his troops also had no immediate plan to budge.
"Thai soldiers will pull out from the area only after we receive an order from the government," Anupong told reporters in the Thai capital, Bangkok.
The standoff has stoked nationalist sentiment in both countries and helped strengthen Hun Sen's popularity ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Hun Sen, whose ruling party appears to have won in a landslide, has taken a tough stance in the dispute.
The dispute over 1.8 square miles of land near Preah Vihear temple escalated earlier this month when UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site.
Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking anti-government demonstrations near the temple. Both sides stationed soldiers near the temple July 15, claiming the other had moved troops in first.
Shots were almost fired on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.
A first round of talks July 21 foundered over which map should be used to demarcate the border. It prompted Cambodia to request a meeting of the United Nations Security Council before agreeing to the second round of talks with Thailand.
Monday's talks ended with both sides agreeing that further talks were needed to resolve the larger border dispute.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia. The decision still rankles many Thais even though the temple shares the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex.
The decision was based on a French colonial map demarcating the border, which Thailand says favors Cambodia. Thailand relies on a map drawn up later with American technical assistance.
8 comments:
It's clear this is Cat and mouse game is being played by Thailand. Thai Government said this, Thai army did another thing. When ask Samak, of cause, he transfers the word to Anupong / Bunsrang. if ask Thai army, they said up to Samak. How Cambodia Government can play such game with Thailand?
The best is to go ahead with UNSC and ICJ immedietly to stop the game of Thailand. It's just only wast the time.
Cambodians get out!
Samdech Hun Sen,
You know they try to delay the Preah Vihear invasion matter just to figure out other tactics to fool us and the UN. Thai has no good intetion with Cambodia. If they do, they would never continuously keep invading and encroaching our borders. It is so obvious about their dishonest characters. They said go left but they go right instead. You know their weakness, the UN and ICJ. Let's give them the consequence that Cambodian never have the opportunity to give them before. Please don't wait before it's tool late. If you can do this, you are Jayvaraman VIII. Cambodian don't want to regret again and again.
A.S
Don't worry ah Hun will pull our troops it's just a question of time.
If Cambodia does not get rid of ah Hun we're doomed. Come KR soldiers put a bullet into Hun Sen's head.
For the sake of our country.
Stop being so stupid Hun Sen. Give deadline to Thai, and dont wait any longer. If they dont withdraw the troops from Cambodia land, just go streight to UNSC. Come on you can do this. Nothing for Cambodia to lose to go UNSC, and it is the best way to prevent Cambodia for further invasion from Thai.
"The problem comes from the same root, which is mapping based on unequal treatment by powerful countries in the past," he said (Thai Vice-Admiral Pratheep).
= There is no one on this planet Earth who has more irrational thinking and illogical reasoning than the Thai leaders! These Thai leaders like to twist Cambodian history to fit their need and their ego to show the world of how powerful and influential the Thai politic on Cambodia!
Now! I want to know. What is so unequal treatment about the Thai who doesn't want to be colonized by the European Powers? If the Thai were willing to submit to colonialism and maybe the Thai can get special treatment from the British or the French! But the problem is the Thai was never wanted to be colonized and now they complain about unequal treatments which help save them from colonialism!
So who can blame Cambodia for wanting to be French Protectorate which helps save Cambodia from Thai and Vietnamese aggression! For Cambodia being a French Protectorate, Cambodian people were never treated anything special more than the Vietnamese! Because the French allowed the Vietnamese to work as Cambodian government officials at every level in Cambodian government while Cambodian people were looking down by the French as being lazy, uneducated, and not hard working! So is this how the Thai people want to be treated under the French colonial master? Of course not! So what is the point for the Thai to complain about unequal treatment under the French?
Now that the Thai leaders are in the spot light on the issue of violation of Cambodian territory, The French map of Cambodia which recognized by International Community and United Nations will be used to verify every square inch of Cambodian territory on Thai side and the Vietnamese side to see if they both had violated Cambodian territory in anyway shape or form! Cambodian leaders can’t afford to have endless ongoing bilateral talk between the Thai and the Viet to solve Cambodian border conflict because bilateral talk is nothing more than a whisper which nobody can hear or understand including International Community or the United Nations!
I believe International Community and United Nations have a role to play in helping Cambodia in verifying the French International Map to end the Thai-Viet-Cambodian conflict! Otherwise the Thai and the Viet will insist on using their own map to violate Cambodian territory forever! At the end, I believe there won’t be peace and stability in the mainland Southeast Asia!
Now you know why even the Vietnamese government blocked Cambodian leaders from seeking the help from United Nations to solve the Thai-Cambodia conflict because the Vietnamese government is also in violation of Cambodian territory too!
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