Thai soldiers rest in the Preah Vihear temple compound, 245km (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh July 16, 2008. Thailand and Cambodia moved on Wednesday to ratchet down tensions on their border where hundreds of troops face each other over a disputed ancient temple. Senior Thai and Cambodian officials were trying to negotiate an end to the stand-off, triggered by Thai protests against the the listing of the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site earlier this month, Thailand's Supreme Commander, Boonsrang Niumpradit, told Reuters. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
16 July 2008
About 380 Cambodian troops have moved to the Thai border near Preah Vihear temple, officials said Wednesday.
Cambodian and Thailand both have increased the number of troops along the border near Preah Vihear temple, but officials said Wednesday there was "no tension" between the two sides.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told reporters that Cambodia had 380 soldiers near the border, where Thailand was keeping about 200 troops.
Cambodian authorities said Tuesday more than 40 Thai soldiers had crossed into Cambodian territory following the detention of three Thai demonstrators at Preah Vihear temple.
The temple, which perches on a high cliff in a disputed border zone, has been the focus of rising nationalist furor on both sides, following its inclusion on a Unesco World Heritage protection list earlier this month.
Long Sovann, deputy governor of Preah Vihear province, said Wednesday the situation was "normal" and both sides were "quiet."
Keo Sen, Preah Vihear's O'Chhouv district governor, said Wednesday Thai troops were digging positions along the border.
Meanwhile, the two countries are seeking to establish a committee to prevent further incidents, after Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej phoned Defense Minister Tea Banh, Khieu Kanharith said.
On Wednesday morning Prime Minister Hun Sen met with top government officials from the ministries of Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs to resolve the issue.
Thailand has denied its troops entered Cambodian territory.
"It is true that we introduced a few paramilitary personnel into the border area within Thai territory [Tuesday]," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said in a statement. "But this is only to ensure that the current protests by a group of Thai people in the area, about their beliefs on territorial claims, be done in an orderly manner."
Both sides have troops staying together in a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, but there is no tension between them, Khieu Kanharith said.
Khieu Kanharith called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm over the issue and urged journalists to report "carefully" and "not pour gasoline onto the fire."
Cambodian and Thailand both have increased the number of troops along the border near Preah Vihear temple, but officials said Wednesday there was "no tension" between the two sides.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told reporters that Cambodia had 380 soldiers near the border, where Thailand was keeping about 200 troops.
Cambodian authorities said Tuesday more than 40 Thai soldiers had crossed into Cambodian territory following the detention of three Thai demonstrators at Preah Vihear temple.
The temple, which perches on a high cliff in a disputed border zone, has been the focus of rising nationalist furor on both sides, following its inclusion on a Unesco World Heritage protection list earlier this month.
Long Sovann, deputy governor of Preah Vihear province, said Wednesday the situation was "normal" and both sides were "quiet."
Keo Sen, Preah Vihear's O'Chhouv district governor, said Wednesday Thai troops were digging positions along the border.
Meanwhile, the two countries are seeking to establish a committee to prevent further incidents, after Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej phoned Defense Minister Tea Banh, Khieu Kanharith said.
On Wednesday morning Prime Minister Hun Sen met with top government officials from the ministries of Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs to resolve the issue.
Thailand has denied its troops entered Cambodian territory.
"It is true that we introduced a few paramilitary personnel into the border area within Thai territory [Tuesday]," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said in a statement. "But this is only to ensure that the current protests by a group of Thai people in the area, about their beliefs on territorial claims, be done in an orderly manner."
Both sides have troops staying together in a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, but there is no tension between them, Khieu Kanharith said.
Khieu Kanharith called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm over the issue and urged journalists to report "carefully" and "not pour gasoline onto the fire."
20 comments:
Look at the five dogs in the picture , they are look drunk , and prepare to run if they hear the bullet sound.
Thank you to all hero who help to protect Issan Province from the wild monkeys from Cambodia.
Thank you to all the heros in cambodia that help defend tai invader. Thank you to all khmer and laos issan who refuse to participate in thai ladybois drama over preah vihear.
Get rested up before you die, Thai soldiers. The soldiers of the wild side vs. the defenders.
I am quite sure these five Thai guys have Khmer blood in their vein also but from long past. So why are they doing this to their own bloodline? Are they dumber than the dumbest? You Thai guys suck, really.
Thais definately need to reform their educational system and get rid of those elites who brainwash thai people. Why do you let the PAD trick thai people into believing that khmer is taking away their land when both side agreed to draw boundaries in 1907.
Khmer would be willing to work with thai if they weren't so arrogent.
No, the Khmer in Issan is only asking for a joint development, but the greedy monkeys in Cambodia want everything to themselves, and they know fair well that that is not going to happen. Everything will be destroyed when the war commences, and no one will get shit.
Who is to say that the khmer in issan will not benefit from this ordeal. Haven't you thought of the idea that maybe tourist dollars could also trickle to the thai side given the easy access to the entrance on the thai side? Dont' you think that by being designate a world heritage site more tourist will be more incline to visit the place. Look at angkor wat and all the visitors it has brough over the years. Look at the boom in the local economy around it.
A joint venture is inevitable even sihanouk at in 1962 offered an olive brance to the thais by not having thais require visa to visit preah vihear. To say that cambodia want everything is just plain ignorance. In fact it is the thai who are reluctant to work with the khmer.
THE KHMER AND LAO OF ISAN had better ask the tai to use their own language officially,instead of longing for nothing.
No, they are free to use any language they please, just like most Khmer King did.
The Siam soldier never fought in real war, they will be slaughter by the thousands.
The only courage they have is on their military hardware, but this is no use for war in the jungle.
Well then why is it that Thailand is bigger than Cambodia.
Is this will prevent the Siam soldier from being slaughtered?
It will be tiny real soon if you keep provoking us!
Khmer Issan were the slave of Khmer in Cambodia and now they become the slave of Thai and Chinese
I think they are tired. Give them some bullets for breakfast.
MOST THAI men are gaysss lady boysssss how can they fight in the war????? it cracks me up seeing this! you fool go back to ur country FOOL THAI SHIT!!!!!
OUCHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! LADY BOY !!!!
8:12 AM , you want to know why are bigger then CAMBODIA ?
1/ Khmer are not depand on saling their UNDER AGE girls to having sex with foreigner for money like you Siam did.
2/khmers men are a real men , they don't fuck each other ass like Siam did , that why Siames are bigger then Khmers and also thier asshole are also bigger then Khmers , got it?
every one remember during world cup in Germany? Thai prostitute wanted to do their businese there. it is ashame for Thai queen who is the mother of Thai.lele
8:12 AM
Don't be too cocky, Siamland is not that stable anymore.
Is this Thaicong so called elite army? Ahhahhahhahahhahhahah
They certainly don't look so elite to me! If these Thaicong soldiers are so elite and maybe their skin and bone is immune to bullet, bombs, and landmines! Ahahahhahah
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