Sunday, October 26, 2008

Cambodia alleges Thai temple damage to UN

Bullet marks on Preah Vihear Naga statue (Photo: Samnang, Koh Santepheap)

Sunday October 26, 2008
BangkokPost.com, compiled from agency reports

Phnom Penh - Cambodian officials have complained to the United Nations that Thai troops damaged the Preah Vihear temple with rocket fire during a firefight, foreign media reported on Saturday.

The Thai Foreign Ministry refused to comment.

The reports quoted Phay Siphan, vice minister and spokesman of the Cambodian Council of Ministers (cabinet).

He said Cambodia has filed an official complaint with Unesco, the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, claiming Thai soldiers damaged statues and a staircase at Preah Vihear temple with rocket launchers.

Cambodia succeeded in June in getting Preah Vihear inscribed by Unesco as a World Heritage site.

The complaint apparently referred to the Oct 15 firefight between Thai and Cambodian troops at the overlapping area surrounding the temple.

Two Cambodians died in the battle, and one Thai soldier died from his wounds last Wednesday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

One soldier didn't died u idiot BangCockpost, stop lying...

Anonymous said...

What do you expect from a Bangkok Post?

Anonymous said...

Who care about Bankok Post? Fact of the matter is the temple belongs to Khmer in Thailand, and Cambodia has no jurisdiction over them, as simple as that.