Wed, July 16, 2008
By Deutsche Presse Agenture
Bangkok/Phnom Penh - Cambodia will detain overnight around 17 Thai border troops who had earlier occupied a Cambodian temple after three colleagues were arrested before releasing them to Thai authorities, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Tuesday.
Some 40 Thai border guards entered Cambodian territory after Cambodia arrested and later released three Thais including a Buddhist monk, but border authorities said many guards returned voluntarily soon after, and the three initial suspects were released.
"Let me stress this is a very small problem that can be solved by local officials," Kanharith said. "The Thais entered Cambodia and Cambodia detained them. This issue will be finished by tomorrow."
The first trio of Thais, identified as Phicharn Thapsorn, 35, Chanikarn Singnok, 64, and Buddhist monk Khamphor, were detained Tuesday by Cambodian soldiers for trespassing in the Preah Vihear temple compound on the Cambodian side of the border.
They were reportedly members of a Buddhist peace pilgrimage group and had crossed into the temple area from Khantalak district, Si Sa Khet province, bordering Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, Monday night.
Si Sa Khet Governor Seni Chittakasem confirmed that Cambodian authorities had released the three men unconditionally Tuesday.
An estimated 40 Thai border police had crossed the Cambodian border into Preah Vihear temple to retrieve the trespassing Thais, alarming tourists and sparking urgent bilateral talks, but Kanharith said this issue was local and not of national importance.
"We did not even speak with the Thai government about this. It is a very local issue to that area," he said.
Hang Soth, secretary general of the government's Preah Vihear authority said earlier that around 40 black uniformed Thai border guards with guns arrived at the temple, but was in negotiations when contacted for comment.
Kanharith said not all the Thai troops were armed and that the situation was contained despite their overnight detention.
Cambodia has had riot police and military on standby at the temple since Thai protests began earlier this month.
Preah Vihear temple, known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, was named a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO meeting in Quebec earlier this month, despite Thai opposition to the listing.
The ancient Hindu temple, perched on a 525-metre-high cliff on the Dangrek Mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, has been the source of a sovereignty dispute for decades.
An ownership spat between Cambodia and Thailand led to a suspension of diplomatic relations in 1958 and eventually ended up in The Hague for an international settlement in 1962. Cambodia won.
The temple reemerged as a source of bilateral tensions in 2006 when Cambodia first proposed listing the monument.
Thailand succeeded in blocking the move in 2006 and 2007. Parts of the outlying temple compound are still in dispute.
Cambodia redrew the Preah Vihear inscription map this year, excluding the disputed territory. It was approved by the World Heritage Committee on July 7.
The Thai government at first backed the proposal, but then withdrew support when the issue became a political hot potato.
Residents of Si Sa Khet province, about 400 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, have been protesting the listing since early July, prompting Cambodia to shut access to the temple from the Thai side of the border.
Hang Soth said in an earlier interview that Cambodia believed the protesters had been paid by a political group in Thailand to remain.
Some 40 Thai border guards entered Cambodian territory after Cambodia arrested and later released three Thais including a Buddhist monk, but border authorities said many guards returned voluntarily soon after, and the three initial suspects were released.
"Let me stress this is a very small problem that can be solved by local officials," Kanharith said. "The Thais entered Cambodia and Cambodia detained them. This issue will be finished by tomorrow."
The first trio of Thais, identified as Phicharn Thapsorn, 35, Chanikarn Singnok, 64, and Buddhist monk Khamphor, were detained Tuesday by Cambodian soldiers for trespassing in the Preah Vihear temple compound on the Cambodian side of the border.
They were reportedly members of a Buddhist peace pilgrimage group and had crossed into the temple area from Khantalak district, Si Sa Khet province, bordering Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, Monday night.
Si Sa Khet Governor Seni Chittakasem confirmed that Cambodian authorities had released the three men unconditionally Tuesday.
An estimated 40 Thai border police had crossed the Cambodian border into Preah Vihear temple to retrieve the trespassing Thais, alarming tourists and sparking urgent bilateral talks, but Kanharith said this issue was local and not of national importance.
"We did not even speak with the Thai government about this. It is a very local issue to that area," he said.
Hang Soth, secretary general of the government's Preah Vihear authority said earlier that around 40 black uniformed Thai border guards with guns arrived at the temple, but was in negotiations when contacted for comment.
Kanharith said not all the Thai troops were armed and that the situation was contained despite their overnight detention.
Cambodia has had riot police and military on standby at the temple since Thai protests began earlier this month.
Preah Vihear temple, known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, was named a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO meeting in Quebec earlier this month, despite Thai opposition to the listing.
The ancient Hindu temple, perched on a 525-metre-high cliff on the Dangrek Mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, has been the source of a sovereignty dispute for decades.
An ownership spat between Cambodia and Thailand led to a suspension of diplomatic relations in 1958 and eventually ended up in The Hague for an international settlement in 1962. Cambodia won.
The temple reemerged as a source of bilateral tensions in 2006 when Cambodia first proposed listing the monument.
Thailand succeeded in blocking the move in 2006 and 2007. Parts of the outlying temple compound are still in dispute.
Cambodia redrew the Preah Vihear inscription map this year, excluding the disputed territory. It was approved by the World Heritage Committee on July 7.
The Thai government at first backed the proposal, but then withdrew support when the issue became a political hot potato.
Residents of Si Sa Khet province, about 400 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, have been protesting the listing since early July, prompting Cambodia to shut access to the temple from the Thai side of the border.
Hang Soth said in an earlier interview that Cambodia believed the protesters had been paid by a political group in Thailand to remain.
27 comments:
stupids asked as stupids do
because thai troops don't want to shoot you khmers in the overlapping area and they are there to protect 3 thais, who you are fooled to believe that Khmer soldiers had already released them.
the 3 thais are still in Khmers' ILLEGAL holding as hostages.
fucking khmer soldiers acting like bandits holding thai activists as hostages. what a shame!
why holding thais as hostage?
because fucking khmer soldiers are so scared, need a protection for themselves by holding thai activists for thier safety.
because these morons know too well that they are in the overlapping areas and they are the one who escalate the situation, by holding thai citizens.
what a shame! khmer soldiers use such a low tactics to protect their own safety, not that thai troops will shoot them or harm them...
but they just acted out of their fear to the thai army.
so pathetic 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 product!!
Down A saim!!
khmer neak snea ha cheat,
Why are we (Cambodia) still kowtowing these son-of-bitches Thai.
If captured, release them for the first incident with stern warning. Second incident (if repeated), shoot and kill these son-of-bitiches.
We should now show an inch of mercy toward these son-of-bitches.
Again, if they ignored or warnings, we need to smoke them.
Thai ultra nationalist. Stay out of this site.
Go solve your own internal problems before you get engulfed in a civil war and an islamic revolution.
Then you will have LOST EVERYTHING!
Comeon, you think we Khmers are scare? look at the history, we have experienced in any short of war, have you? we are ready anytime, and that will add your war in ur history book for the first time. go and solve ur internal problems before coming to us.
Just a question? have u got a good neighbour yet? only ur children will suffer of ur narrow minded act.
The Cambodian government should stop playing "Mr. Nice Guy" with the Thais. We should let them know that we mean business. Also, we need the Thai respect our terroritorial areas, and stop the incessant incursions.
The time is now! However, I also urge the Cambodian government act judiciously -- and, if circumstances dictated, we have to utilize force repel the violators.
Khmer ultra-nationalist
WHO IS THAT? Ultra nationaloy!
Some of the Thais (claiming to be Khmer Issiam and ultra...????)are fooled around because of their cheating history lessons from their birth. They are taught to be greedy and encroaching others to survive, but it wont last any longer..fall apart soon! Khmer should have only one blood and soul...if you say you are Khmer Issiam...you are still Khmer who are simply lost and duped plus doped...you are the black sheep of Cambodia's family...should find ways to come back to your cage now! or else you have no face to meet our ancestors and Your MUM!
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
Thai Encroaching, my arse, you are the one who climb up the cliff, remember? Everything up there belongs to Khmer People in Issan province, and you idiot people has no right to be up there.
There are two things here mate: facts and opinion. You seems to be plainly opinionated with no expert values. I guess however your experts are duped and doped too as non of you guys seem to know the fact of the Khmer empire in the past. Ask your great great grand mum!
If you were an architect who built that temple, you are not stupid to build the entrance facing the cliff. It must be to the flat area which is located within its territory. In sum, I suspect and is mostly correct that your Thai were on the run from Chinese motherland where there was no where to stay but came to enchaoch others like the Khmer empire...what a shame of your origin! If you stupidly complain and claim that the temple belongs to Thai's side now. We in Cambodia, can always claim that Thai encroached our borders long time ago! It is a long story, isn't it? You are trying to tell the world that you are a super duper. No one feels sympathy on you anymore mate, look at that UNESCO.
More, I don't think judgment using commonsense and opinion are still sound, or else my commonsense will tell me that all ancient temples in Thai, Vietnam, and Laos belong to Cambodia simply because they belong to the real history of the world.
If one can always use opinion rather than facts to claims other's belonging, one is living in an uncivilised world where human values are ever lost.
KHMER ISSIAMS OR ULTRA NATIONALOY, you both are the black sheep of the Cambodian family. You are fooled around by your Thai masters who are from birth warmongers! You dare now, ICJ is waiting although you try to bark, time and justice will always follow you. Let's go hang yourself!
2:44 PM
Go fuck yourself, asshole!
khmer issan,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.
Cambodia must consider double their troop to exceed any Thaicong troop at the borders! Cambodia must have at least 50,000 troops at the border to resist any Thaicong incursion and eventually will have to reach 100,000 troops ready for full battle field!
The Thaicong are begun to play troop number game with Cambodia in trying to intimidate Cambodian officials with their 200 troop! The 200 Thaicong troop station at the border must not be allowed to intimidate any Cambodian officials! Since the Thaicong have 200 troops and there is no reason why they can't stop any Thaicong protesters from entering Cambodia illegally! And eventually bullet will fly and the blood will flow!
My number one weapons of choice is the use of more landmine, and anti-tank landmine, RPG, rockets and missiles…and machine guns and big guns!
Fear no Thaicong!
look at the history
because i look at the history and i can only see how cruel and helpless khmers all are.
you may have a great past, but look what you have left now. you lost everything to others in wars.
and you cannot admit that you were at loss, so you called other thieves.
to go further, your own people chased down your own race, killing more than millions without sorrow.
you khmers came to thailand for help. thais ain't no perfect either, some really treated you badly in the past while some vigorously helped you from the masacre.
look at now, khmers overseas behaved like snakes which bite the ones who saved them everythime it has an opportunity.
that's you, khmers.
and look at the history again
you blames other nations for taking what you had, in war.
you people were weak and it's just a nature of war.
if thais were weaker, you wouldn't
act different from thais or viets anyway.
and it's so pathetic, that when you were given back all your sovereignty, you khmers didn't do it own your own but received it from others.
and yet, even now your own race still exploits your own people with corruptions and sucking greedily money from international organizations like a beggar.
thais may have our own problem, internally but we'll manage it by ourself. so mind your own race and be careful 'coz you know right?that snakes always bite even to their own race.
Landmines are good for their minds, if they won't changing their from encroaching in our land.
Next time, we'll have to shoot them.
Mr. Hun Minister, we're humbly and respectfully asking you to authorize our troops to shoot to kill. And please no more hostages or prisoners. Please understand that these Thais are encroaching into our torritorial areas, and we need to do something. Again, we need you to give us a green light to shoot and kill the intruders.
Hey fucker 5:49pm if u are so sure about history, what does the ICJ court verdict in 1962 mean?? The temple and the surrounding area belongs to us and recognized internationally. We are not claiming anything lost to u rather protecting what is ours and our sovereignty. And it was the UN who helped the refugees, still i appreciated some of ur good people, but then u couldnt just base on that go claiming other belongings. Learn to accept the fact fucker!
Asian stocks declined Tuesday on worries about the regional financial sector's exposure to troubled US mortgage firms. The Stock Exchange of Thailand index fell by more than 3.3 per cent - down 23.65 points to 693.41.
Looks as if the financial collapse is imminent. Also, this looks like a repeat of the 1990s.
Khmer ultra-nationalist
Give us Koh Pors(snake island), we will send troops from Hanoi to help you to pull Thai troops back. hehehe
From Vietnamese commander
Khmer untra-nationalist
the only market you have is the grey market, selling and buying the stolen cars from thailand, so please keep your thieves mouths shut. not to mention you have any knowledge about the stock market.
9:14 PM
fuck you!
To 9:14PM
It is funny that you Thaicong mother fucker claimed that Khmer people want to buy stolen car from Thailame! The fact is Cambodia has a law which outlaws any car that has right steering wheel! Since all the fucken cars from Thailame have right steering wheel and it is not allow to enter Cambodia! But the fucken problem is the Thaicong thieves made it possible to have their junk y cars pass through the corrupted Thaicong and Cambodian military checkpoint which can be sold in Cambodia at a reasonable price! Now Cambodia has become a place where old and very old cars come to die!
To combat against junk cars from Thailame, AH HUN SEN government is passing a new law which allows only the car model start from the year 2000 and up to come to Cambodia! So now it would be very difficult for the Thaicong thieves to dump their junky cars in Cambodia. Since there is tension along Cambodian-Thaicong border and the Thaicong thieves will have no chance of slipping through Cambodia again!
Nobody wants Thaicong junks!
Siam tell your soldiers just to fire one shot at us, so we can see if you are that strong.
11:47 PM
I'm with you, brother!
Yes, I say: let the son-of-bitches Thai shit take the first shot ... then, they'll find out what will happen. However, I think these Thai shit are fucking chicken shit, that's why they don't want to swim in the fire.
9:53 PM
fuck you mom and sis!
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