WASSANA NANUAM AND AP
Bangkok Post
The Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meets today in a new bid to end the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
It comes after both sides agreed to reduce the number of troops on each side of the border.
The Suranaree Task Force and the Cambodian government confirmed yesterday that the number of Thai and Cambodian soldiers in the overlapping zone had been reduced in line with the agreement reached last Wednesday in Surin.
The two countries still had 10 soldiers each at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda near Preah Vihear temple and 45 more around the pagoda's compound for joint patrols, a source at the task force said.
The rest were spread out in the 4.6 square kilometres of land which had not been demarcated, the source said.
Thailand insists the area in dispute is in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket, while Cambodia argues that it is part of Preah Vihear province.
Both countries finished moving most of their troops from a nearby temple on Saturday, said the source.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and Hang Soth, the director-general of the Preah Vihear National Authority, a Cambodian government agency managing the historic site, confirmed the troop pullout.
''The tension has eased considerably. There is no more confrontation,'' Mr Hang Soth said, calling the troop withdrawals a ''good process giving us hope'' about the new talks.
The reduction of troops came on the eve of the meeting between Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi.
The ministers will hold an informal meeting today followed by the official JBC meeting tomorrow.
The Foreign Ministry said Thailand's main agenda is to find a way to establish sovereignty of the disputed area.
Second Army chief Lt-Gen Sujit Sitthiprapa will join other Thai negotiators in the talks.
Despite the reduction of troops, the source at the task force said the army was not satisfied as another Thai demand had not been met.
Thailand proposed at the Surin meeting that Cambodia replace 1,200 soldiers on top of the temple with police as a gesture of goodwill.
The presence of the Cambodian soldiers at the temple put Thailand at a strategic disadvantage.
On July 28, the nations' foreign ministers agreed on a plan to withdraw their troops from the disputed area near the temple.
The stand-off started on July 15 after the World Heritage Committee approved Cambodia's application to list the temple as a World Heritage site.
Both countries have long claimed the temple, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.
It comes after both sides agreed to reduce the number of troops on each side of the border.
The Suranaree Task Force and the Cambodian government confirmed yesterday that the number of Thai and Cambodian soldiers in the overlapping zone had been reduced in line with the agreement reached last Wednesday in Surin.
The two countries still had 10 soldiers each at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda near Preah Vihear temple and 45 more around the pagoda's compound for joint patrols, a source at the task force said.
The rest were spread out in the 4.6 square kilometres of land which had not been demarcated, the source said.
Thailand insists the area in dispute is in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket, while Cambodia argues that it is part of Preah Vihear province.
Both countries finished moving most of their troops from a nearby temple on Saturday, said the source.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and Hang Soth, the director-general of the Preah Vihear National Authority, a Cambodian government agency managing the historic site, confirmed the troop pullout.
''The tension has eased considerably. There is no more confrontation,'' Mr Hang Soth said, calling the troop withdrawals a ''good process giving us hope'' about the new talks.
The reduction of troops came on the eve of the meeting between Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi.
The ministers will hold an informal meeting today followed by the official JBC meeting tomorrow.
The Foreign Ministry said Thailand's main agenda is to find a way to establish sovereignty of the disputed area.
Second Army chief Lt-Gen Sujit Sitthiprapa will join other Thai negotiators in the talks.
Despite the reduction of troops, the source at the task force said the army was not satisfied as another Thai demand had not been met.
Thailand proposed at the Surin meeting that Cambodia replace 1,200 soldiers on top of the temple with police as a gesture of goodwill.
The presence of the Cambodian soldiers at the temple put Thailand at a strategic disadvantage.
On July 28, the nations' foreign ministers agreed on a plan to withdraw their troops from the disputed area near the temple.
The stand-off started on July 15 after the World Heritage Committee approved Cambodia's application to list the temple as a World Heritage site.
Both countries have long claimed the temple, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.
3 comments:
the characteristics of the Cambodia nation is among the leaders behaviour. The Sihanouk, Lon Nol, Pol pot, Heng samren, Hun Sun and Sihamoni. what we see is this ...
Too much pride, it spat all over souht east asia, even china.
showing off, Jelousy, and differences are the result of being racist and aggressive. Being racist because we cannot accept defeats. and Being aggressive is the start of WAR.
This message is clear and simple : Do not repeat mistake, let us focus on our selve, do not poke the neighbors and accept as is.
Please, accept defeats and let us live. This is how we should become stronger, and better of small country like us.
Let us live at our own will, forget about patriotic. forget about natioanalistic. forget about us small people and poorest. LIFE IS GOOD!
REMEMBER: "KHMER POUCH NAK CHAM BANG" CHBANG YOU TOV OSS DEY TOV OSS CHIVIT TOV. TER CHHNEASS NAK NAH?
As I predicted before,
every thing will be soon quiet as of the past Cam-VN Border issue.
Cambodians have no rights to protect their own territory...
In thailand and other countries the situation is different
Khan Tey Nhom
Excellency General Bandit Oknha Achar Knoy(Phd. Bandit from Prahok Chamroeurn Avichea PPenh)
What is so special about Suranaree Task Force? hahahhahahha!
The fucken Thaicong sure know how to classify their army!ahahhahahah
Hey! When the bullets hit these Thaicong soldiers and they will die the same and their blood is all red and they can't walk on air and they will shit in their pant when their bullets ran out!
Fear no Thaicong because death will make the Thaicong soldier equal to Cambodian soldier! Yeh...these fucken Thaicong soldiers come in many different names and even their name can’t protect them when death come for them!
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