Friday, August 01, 2008

Cambodia, Thailand military standoff causes water pollution around Preah Vihear Temple

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The military standoff between Cambodia and Thailand around the Preah Vihear Temple has caused water pollution there, posing a hazard to monks and civilians living in the area, local newspaper the Cambodia Daily said Friday.

Pheng Nayim, a doctor at the Institute Pasteur du Cambodge in Phnom Penh, told the newspaper that she had tested water that allegedly came from three locations on the mountain and had concluded that the pollution levels were dangerously high.

"The water had an increased level of arsenic and was also polluted by the extra human waste as a result of more military and other people in the area," Pheng Nayim was quoted as saying.

If the monks or the people living there use this water, it could cause them to get illnesses such as typhoid and dysentery, she added.

The Preah Vihear temple straddles the Cambodian-Thai border atop the Dangrek Mountain and was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

The area has become the focal point of a military standoff between Thai and Cambodian troops in recent weeks after the flare-up of a long-dormant territorial dispute.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The government should provide clean water to the area asap.

Anonymous said...

TEVODA Chhnam CHOUT brings clear conscience and a NATIONAL SPIRIT OF UNION of being "the owner of the land", solidarity between Khmer and Khmer people in this most critical and life threatening to their nation. For them to be able to institute a sovereign peace that will free Khmer people from foreign occupation and allows them to eternally live in the sovereignty, independent, prosperity on their own ancestor's land according to their culture and tradition.

Anonymous said...

As usual, the thieves thaicong try to kiss ass of the super power , they cant resolve the problem of Preah Vihear in front of the international justice.

These losers will be punished in any way.