By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press Writer
AP
PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia - Cambodia and Thailand were working Wednesday to avert a clash over a temple site, even as soldiers from both countries faced off in "disputed border territory."
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Thai authorities had offered to meet to resolve the disagreement, a day after his government said about 170 Thai troops had crossed into Cambodia.
It is the latest incident in a long-standing conflict over competing claims to land surrounding the historic Preah Vihear temple. UNESCO declared the temple a World Heritage Site status last week, providing new fodder to the old debate.
The border between the two countries near the temple has never been demarcated.
Khieu Kanharith said a Thai senior official had called Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh to propose a meeting at the highest level to try to resolve the situation. He did not say who the Thai official was or what the terms of the negotiations were, but that the call was made on behalf of Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
Khieu Kanharith said Cambodia would not "use force unless attacked" and would seek the withdrawal of Thai troops at any meeting. "After that, we will talk about border problems," he said.
While Thai officials could not reached to confirm a meeting, Thai army commander Gen. Anupong Paojindasaid told reporters he has ordered the troops to refrain from using force and urged that the two countries resolve the issue peacefully.
"The problem has been there for a long time because there has been no demarcation of the border yet," he told reporters. "There should be talks between the two countries."
Thai officials have publicly denied that their troops crossed the border with Cambodia, saying the soldiers are in Thai territory to protect the country's sovereignty.
However, a senior Thai military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Wednesday that about 200 Thai troops were inside what he called "disputed border territory."
Khieu Kanharith said the number of Thai troops increased to about 200 Wednesday from some 170 on Tuesday night. He said Cambodia has about 380 troops in the area but insisted, "the situation is stable."
In the jungle on Preah Vihear mountain, Thai troops - armed with rifles and combat gears - sat in small groups. A few feet (meters) away, Cambodian troops were pacing back and forth. Some were carrying B-40 rocket launchers.
Cambodian troop reinforcements were also seen on the road Wednesday.
"I have received an order from our commander to back up our forces over there," Ouch Borith, an army captain, told The Associated Press at a village several miles (kilometers) from the Preah Vihear mountain. He did not elaborate on the numbers of soldiers to be deployed.
"We are trying as hard as we can to avoid a situation that could lead to fighting," said Maj. Gen. Sor Thavy, a Cambodian commander in Preah Vihear.
He said he has reached an agreement with a Thai commander there that both sides would not make any troop movement Wednesday night, but the situation was likely to extend into a third day.
Cambodian border guard unit commander Seng Vuthy said some of the 900 residents on the mountain where the temple is located have fled their homes because they consider it safer.
Preah Vihear temple, at the center of the border quarrel, was last week declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both countries claim 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometers) of land around the temple, and Thai anti-government activists have recently 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.
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.
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Associated Press writers Sutin Wannabovorn and Ambika Ahuja in Bangkok contributed to this report and Ker Munthit from Phnom Penh.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Thai authorities had offered to meet to resolve the disagreement, a day after his government said about 170 Thai troops had crossed into Cambodia.
It is the latest incident in a long-standing conflict over competing claims to land surrounding the historic Preah Vihear temple. UNESCO declared the temple a World Heritage Site status last week, providing new fodder to the old debate.
The border between the two countries near the temple has never been demarcated.
Khieu Kanharith said a Thai senior official had called Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh to propose a meeting at the highest level to try to resolve the situation. He did not say who the Thai official was or what the terms of the negotiations were, but that the call was made on behalf of Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
Khieu Kanharith said Cambodia would not "use force unless attacked" and would seek the withdrawal of Thai troops at any meeting. "After that, we will talk about border problems," he said.
While Thai officials could not reached to confirm a meeting, Thai army commander Gen. Anupong Paojindasaid told reporters he has ordered the troops to refrain from using force and urged that the two countries resolve the issue peacefully.
"The problem has been there for a long time because there has been no demarcation of the border yet," he told reporters. "There should be talks between the two countries."
Thai officials have publicly denied that their troops crossed the border with Cambodia, saying the soldiers are in Thai territory to protect the country's sovereignty.
However, a senior Thai military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Wednesday that about 200 Thai troops were inside what he called "disputed border territory."
Khieu Kanharith said the number of Thai troops increased to about 200 Wednesday from some 170 on Tuesday night. He said Cambodia has about 380 troops in the area but insisted, "the situation is stable."
In the jungle on Preah Vihear mountain, Thai troops - armed with rifles and combat gears - sat in small groups. A few feet (meters) away, Cambodian troops were pacing back and forth. Some were carrying B-40 rocket launchers.
Cambodian troop reinforcements were also seen on the road Wednesday.
"I have received an order from our commander to back up our forces over there," Ouch Borith, an army captain, told The Associated Press at a village several miles (kilometers) from the Preah Vihear mountain. He did not elaborate on the numbers of soldiers to be deployed.
"We are trying as hard as we can to avoid a situation that could lead to fighting," said Maj. Gen. Sor Thavy, a Cambodian commander in Preah Vihear.
He said he has reached an agreement with a Thai commander there that both sides would not make any troop movement Wednesday night, but the situation was likely to extend into a third day.
Cambodian border guard unit commander Seng Vuthy said some of the 900 residents on the mountain where the temple is located have fled their homes because they consider it safer.
Preah Vihear temple, at the center of the border quarrel, was last week declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both countries claim 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometers) of land around the temple, and Thai anti-government activists have recently 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.
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.
___
Associated Press writers Sutin Wannabovorn and Ambika Ahuja in Bangkok contributed to this report and Ker Munthit from Phnom Penh.
23 comments:
KIll them all! Every thai dog!
Unleash the dogs of war.
"The Thai troops could leave the Cambodian territory only after they signed documents to admit their incursion," local newspapers Wednesday quoted him (Khieu Kanharith)as saying.
=The Thaicong army is weak because they try to use the Thaicong protesters as human shield! Why would the fucken Thaicong army want to go to war by hiding among the Thaicong protesters? Why?
The fucken Thaicong army is cheaper than a terrorist by hiding themselves among the unarmed Thaicong civilians and hoping that Cambodian soldiers would shoot the unarmed Thaicong civilians so that the Thaicong army can claim their righteousness!
Fuck all you Thaicong mother fucker and you are cheaper than a terrorist for putting your unarmed civilian in harm way! And it is no wonder the Muslim militants in Southern Thailame will target any Thaicong civilians because this is how the Thaicong army behaves by hiding among their population!
There is no such thing as overlapping area according to the world map of 1904 and 1907 ruled by the world court! I suggest the fucken Thaicong army get the hell out along with their sorry arse Thaicong unarmed civilians who are being use as human shield!
Fear no Thaicong!
Thank you to all soldiers for protecting Issan Province from the greedy monkeys in Cambodia. They have no business on our mountain. Just throw them back to Cambodia over the cliff. You can't talk to greedy monkeys who think they own everything.
YEAH Kill the thai dogs . everyone of them. That way we can claim we committed genocide on the thais. Bigger than Hitler, Rwanda, armenia, darfur combined.
We dont mind making history again. world record for killing all thai dogs.
Death to thais. Death to the dogs.
Every single one of that fucking thieving race be wiped off the face of the earth.
Both sides here should be embarrassed. Do you think the Buddha would approve of so much hatred over 4 km of land? The whole thing is a terrible distraction from fighting poverty and corruption in both countries. These guys need to play more sports to deal with too much energy
Well, talk the monkeys from Cambodia. They has no business on Issan Province's cliff.
1:54 AM...
We khmers don't have business on Issan Province's cliff which doen not exist. But, I have business to maintain our Preah Vihear Temple. Your stupid slaves issan poeple have no right to illegally come to our country. If you do, you should be arrested and sent back to your boss thais. By the way show me a map of issan province.
2:39 AM
I think Isan is the north-eastern region in Thailand. I don't we call it a province like the stupid issan person says. See this site for more
http://www.north-by-north-east.com/ISAN/province_NongBuaLumphu.asp
Thanks.
Here's a better description of Issan Province.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isan
2:39, don't be stupid. You are not the French. You don't know how to use the cliff of the mountain as military strategy as the French does. You will we thrown over to feed the wild animal at the base of the cliff soon. Better to get your ass out of there.
3:26 AM
All I hear is that one thai solder stepped on a landmines and lost a leg. Which strategy is better? You die of landmines before you even come to near the temple.
3:10 AM...
It is a good site. The area is big. I think the people leaving in Isan region should raise up and create their own country. To have a share of the temple, its official language must be Khmer. So, for your next generation, please all people there go to school and learn khmer. One day, your children will thank you for creating a country for them. Don't just live like slaves to the thais. Your language and culture will be extinct soon.
to 4:13 AM....
I think Khmers are the minority in Isan region. The official language should be Loas, not Khmers. Read more on that site you mentioned.
The land’s around Preah Vihear temple definitely is belonging to the Cambodia.
No one build the temple without lands around it, it does not make any sense.
Alex, Sunland, California, USA
Impossible, the Khmer in Issan has been independent from the monkey ruling for centuries up until they were invaded by them and the French in the early 1900's.
4:13, stop being so hypocrite; hardly any of your king speak Khmer. Everything I've seen so far were in French.
4:47 AM....
You should stop being so hypocrite. Don't you watch TV when our is giving speeches? Maybe you don't because you are so thais. But, you really want to see my proof, then you watch Cambodia TVs during Khmer New Year or other traditional events. Our king will give speech in Khmer. Or go to youtube and you'll see he even sings in khmer. Well, if you understand it. It is ashame that a person who claims to be khmer, but can't even speak khmer. You should claim that you are mixed with khmer instead. It makes more sense. The reason that he posts in French or sometimes in English is because it is for westerners and khmers who can't speak or read khmer like you to understand what he what to say.
Impossible, the Khmer in Issan had been dependent on Khmer Empire for centuries up until they were invaded by the Siams in early 1200's. That is why they lost identity in this century.
Khmer soldiers should kill three Thai protesters that crossed to Cambodia land illegally just like they did to two Khmers gunned down in Thailand. Cambodia wanted justice for the killings which we might find no hope for justice. Thai government never admit that their troops cross the border to Cambodia Preah Vihear temple. What Cambodia should do is to kill all Thais that we see. They're here for one reason to steal and rob lands.
If I were Mr. Hun Sen,
I would meet the bestard Thais at the Hague. Then I go to the UN make the bestard Thais ashame once more time just like in Ville de Quebec and the Hague 1962. I think Thailand is doomed, the Muslim fighter in the South, Burmese on the West and Cambodian on East. It's time for Thailand to burn. I can't wait to see Bangkok fall down and burn.
Khmer USA
Fuck Cambodian is ungrateful never know love favor or service Thailand performed , try battle with is Thai once again ? man to man , the other don'ts intrude. come to see that what are you willleft ? let's practices to stare oneself shade in the water ? it the gang lack of civilized .
THAI ARE SO SO GAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
since ancient come to your habit nevers to change really . ever ungrateful ? today , still be like that like this how is million you ? arrive at to kill intimately wash the lineage is a person. because never remember the word that elder brother , younger brother , or , even the word that *friend* .
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