(BangkokPost.com, Agencies) - Cambodia on Sunday escalated the border dispute over the Preah Vihear temple, accusing Thai troops of "occupying" a temple far to the west, long considered a totally different matter.
About 70 Thais have been at the 13th Century Ta Muen Thom temple complex in Surin province "since Thursday", a Cambodian spokesman in Phnom Penh claimed.
But Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said no troops have moved into the area.
Cambodia and spokesman Sim Sokha appeared to be linking the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom disputes. Although both are in border areas, they are not connected in either distant or recent history - until now.
On the ground, military commanders were more relaxed and there was no apparent tension at the site.
"We have a paramilitary post which has been there for several years," said Thai Army Maj Gen Sujit Sithiprabha, commander for the Cambodian border. "Ta Muen Thom belongs to us. We have to have soldiers to take care of the area which belongs to us."
Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodia Border Committee, told the AFP news agency that Thai soldiers were stationed in the ruin, but said this was "not a new thing".
"Ta Muen is in our territory, but since 1998 Thailand took a chance to occupy it by claiming that they came to conserve it."
Ta Muen Thom is a temple from the height of the Khmer empire, and part of the outlying Angkor Wat complex opposite Thailand's northeast, or Isan region.
An Associated Press report from Cambodia on Sunday quoted Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture as saying it was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is now northeastern Thailand.
Ta Muen Thom is in a so-called "white zone" under dispute by the neighbouring countries, where Surin abuts the border of Cambodia`s Oddar Meanchey
Cambodian authorities appear to be stepping up nationalist sentiment, despite earlier predictions they would try to cool the Preah Vihear and other border disputes following last week's general election, won handily by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Thai merchants and diplomats were forced to call off two planned exhibitions and sales of Thai fruit and other goods this week. Expo officials cited growing anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia.
Last week Hun Sen's wife hosted a huge Preah Vihear temple ritual, seen by some as a major provocation, after Mr Tej and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong negotiated a troop pullback at the disputed temple grounds.
In Phnom Penh on Sunday, Maj Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border-protection officer, claimed that Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.
Mr Tej denied there had been any troop movements by either side at the Surin province border site.
Sim Sokha said Thai troops had been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds, and had prevented Cambodian troops from entering.
He said about 40 Cambodian soldiers were "in close proximity" to the Thai troops, but had been ordered to exercise restraint while the government tries to resolve the issue with Thailand.
Last Friday, the French and Japanese ambassadors discussed the border problem with Mr Tej at the foreign ministry. The Preah Vihear dispute originates in French colonial maps, and Japanese actions when it occupied Cambodia during World War Two.
Mr Tej, who assumed the ministerial post July 27, told Ambassador Laurent Bili that France could now act as a bridge in solving the temple row.
Japanese ambassador to Thailand Hideaki Kobayashi supported bilateral efforts to solve the temple problem, and would be willing to assist in clearing landmines around the disputed area, according to a report by official Thai News Agency.
In addition, US ambassador Eric John pledged American "support for bilateral talks between Thailand and Cambodia to peacefully resolve the situation in the border area adjacent to" Preah Vihear. The US is interested in how the dispute could affect the visit on Wednesday of President George W. Bush.
The "US stood ready to cooperate and work closely with Thailand to further strengthen the two countries' relations," the US diplomat said.
About 70 Thais have been at the 13th Century Ta Muen Thom temple complex in Surin province "since Thursday", a Cambodian spokesman in Phnom Penh claimed.
But Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said no troops have moved into the area.
Cambodia and spokesman Sim Sokha appeared to be linking the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom disputes. Although both are in border areas, they are not connected in either distant or recent history - until now.
On the ground, military commanders were more relaxed and there was no apparent tension at the site.
"We have a paramilitary post which has been there for several years," said Thai Army Maj Gen Sujit Sithiprabha, commander for the Cambodian border. "Ta Muen Thom belongs to us. We have to have soldiers to take care of the area which belongs to us."
Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodia Border Committee, told the AFP news agency that Thai soldiers were stationed in the ruin, but said this was "not a new thing".
"Ta Muen is in our territory, but since 1998 Thailand took a chance to occupy it by claiming that they came to conserve it."
Ta Muen Thom is a temple from the height of the Khmer empire, and part of the outlying Angkor Wat complex opposite Thailand's northeast, or Isan region.
An Associated Press report from Cambodia on Sunday quoted Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture as saying it was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is now northeastern Thailand.
Ta Muen Thom is in a so-called "white zone" under dispute by the neighbouring countries, where Surin abuts the border of Cambodia`s Oddar Meanchey
Cambodian authorities appear to be stepping up nationalist sentiment, despite earlier predictions they would try to cool the Preah Vihear and other border disputes following last week's general election, won handily by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Thai merchants and diplomats were forced to call off two planned exhibitions and sales of Thai fruit and other goods this week. Expo officials cited growing anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia.
Last week Hun Sen's wife hosted a huge Preah Vihear temple ritual, seen by some as a major provocation, after Mr Tej and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong negotiated a troop pullback at the disputed temple grounds.
In Phnom Penh on Sunday, Maj Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border-protection officer, claimed that Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.
Mr Tej denied there had been any troop movements by either side at the Surin province border site.
Sim Sokha said Thai troops had been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds, and had prevented Cambodian troops from entering.
He said about 40 Cambodian soldiers were "in close proximity" to the Thai troops, but had been ordered to exercise restraint while the government tries to resolve the issue with Thailand.
Last Friday, the French and Japanese ambassadors discussed the border problem with Mr Tej at the foreign ministry. The Preah Vihear dispute originates in French colonial maps, and Japanese actions when it occupied Cambodia during World War Two.
Mr Tej, who assumed the ministerial post July 27, told Ambassador Laurent Bili that France could now act as a bridge in solving the temple row.
Japanese ambassador to Thailand Hideaki Kobayashi supported bilateral efforts to solve the temple problem, and would be willing to assist in clearing landmines around the disputed area, according to a report by official Thai News Agency.
In addition, US ambassador Eric John pledged American "support for bilateral talks between Thailand and Cambodia to peacefully resolve the situation in the border area adjacent to" Preah Vihear. The US is interested in how the dispute could affect the visit on Wednesday of President George W. Bush.
The "US stood ready to cooperate and work closely with Thailand to further strengthen the two countries' relations," the US diplomat said.
6 comments:
If Siam want war, give it to them Mr. Hun Sen. Somebody need to teach SOB a lesson. You are not only support by our Muslim brother, but also all Khmer around the world.
Okay, if Khmer around the world want to lead, we'll offered free coffin to everyone.
The Strongest man of Cambodia BUT the Weakest one worldwide.. Loung Vek Prak Doung/Phnom Penh Dollars.."
Anti-Thai Sentiment increases only Cam-Leaders are Quiete....////
" Patience/non-violence are Pretext of Fears..."
Samdach Excellency Bandit/Phd. General 7 diamond stras Oknha Acharknoy(Phd. from Chea Chanreourn Unv. PPenh
Dude we are facing gradually abused land-encroachment piece by piece by the HELL, NO-GOOD-WILL, AND NEVER-TRUSTWORTHY CUNNING neighbours in the midst that the leaders care only their position, interest and their clans'well-being for generations to come. We Cambodian are weak coz we are intimidated, suppressed to adapt ourself and even surrender our souls to any NEGATIVE, VISIBLE INJUSTICE ACTS OR IMPLEMENTATION AND WE HAVE BEEN LONG TREATED LIKE SLAVES OR ANIMALS DETAINED IN THE CAGE OR SYSTEMATIZED CORRUPTED HELL-DOWNGRADED CELL!!!!!!
FACING ALL THE ENCROACHMENT FROM THE NEIGHBOUR, RCG LEADERS ASK CAMBODIANS TO DONATE THE MONEY-THE QUESTION IS: IF THERE IS NO SUCH INCIDENTS, WILL THOSE LEADERS CARE THE TROOPS AT THE BORDER? HOW ABOUT AFTER THE WAR, WILL THEY BE CARED AS MUCH AS THEY ARE EXTREMELY NEEDED NOW???? Cambodia MUST reinforce this culture: DO NOT BLAME THE SUBORDINATES, RATHER IN BIG CASES OF THE NATIONAL INTERESTS, THE TOP OF THE MINISTRY HAS TO RESIGN!!!!!!! LIKE THAILAND (Excuse me: Foreign Affair Minister resigned coz the supreme court of Siam rules that the backing for PVs was unconstitutional!!!!!). Look at the legal cases lingered to top officials in cambodia-they will be just transferred and serve at another post handsomely. This is due to the fake that they are CLANS OF HUN'S OR HENG'S OR SIM'S OR RANY'S ETC. ISN'T IT THE FACT EVERYONE KNOWS?????
WHAT HAS TO BE DONE IN THE MIDST OF SUCH EXTREME CRISIS????SHOULD WE BACK ALL OF THESE LOW-QUALITY, LOW-GRADED LEADERS?????YET THESE LEADERS WILL BE DEEMED TO COMMITTING ACTS OF TREASONS IN THE EYES OF CAMBODIAN PEOPLE IN THIS MODERN TIME IF EVER THEY SURRENDER FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR INTEREST!!!!!!!!LET'S KEEP EYES ON THE CURRENT LEADERS!!!!!!!
Okhlahoma
Commanders of Cam Armed Forces know well just Grab Lands from Poor People.....
Some Generals do not know how to read Map(simple topo- map......
This showed when looking for Craft airplane in the last few months... How can those generals would attack Siams?????
Siams Look down on Khmewr Governments due to their Bad Behaviours, inmcompetent Just fighting with Khmers to gain Power.....
Thais also want to test the Knowledge of all Khmer Phd. in various subject/Laws, intern. laws Polictics especially PHd from CHEA CHAMROURN UNIV. PPenh who produces many Phd./Honor. Phd, every months..
Thais Want to test many Generals.. how can they manage to protect their territory ?? hgow can they read Maps???
Thai wants to apply win-win policy written by Khmers(50% Thai, 50% Khmers, 100% wasd Khmer land)
Achar Knoy=Phd./Bandit from Chea Chamroeurn Univ., PPenh
Iron Fist/ Steel Fist ???
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