By SOPHENG CHEANG
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Soldiers from both Cambodia and Thailand were wounded Friday in a brief clash along their volatile border, officials from the two countries said.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said a Cambodian soldier was slightly wounded when Thai troops fired a grenade from their territory. He said Cambodian troops returned fire, with the "military incident" lasting less than a minute.
Thai officials initially denied knowledge of the incident, but a Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman later said Cambodian troops had encroached on Thai territory and had been the first to fire, wounding two Thai troops.
Tensions along the normally peaceful border between Cambodia and Thailand flared on July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, approved Cambodia's application to have a disputed 11th century temple named a World Heritage Site. Friday's clash took place about two miles west of the temple, Preah Vihear.
A spokesman for Cambodia's Cabinet, Phay Siphan, said the incident began after Cambodian troops intercepted a trespassing Thai patrol. He said the Thai troops retreated in response to a warning from the Cambodians, but then fired the grenade.
Cambodian troops returned fire with AK-47 assault rifles, with the exchange of fire lasting three to five minutes, he said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said Friday evening that the Thai troops had been patrolling in their own territory when they encountered the Cambodian soldiers.
"The Cambodian troops shot at the Thai troops first, wounding two soldiers. One Cambodian soldier was also wounded after the Thais responded," he said.
Lt. Gen. Wiboonsak Ngeepan, the regional army commander for northeastern Thailand, said it was unclear if the Cambodians intruded intentionally or had strayed into Thailand because "the area is dense forest."
Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.
After UNESCO approved the temple's listing as a World Heritage Site, Thailand sent troops to occupy the nearby Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, also claimed by Cambodia.
Cambodia responded with its own troop deployment. The two sides came close to a shootout on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.
Troops on both sides raised their weapons, but no shots were fired, and the Cambodians eventually backed down.
Since then there has been a limited troop withdrawal from the area, and talks have been held several times on resolving the conflicting claims, but without much progress.
Before Friday's clash was reported, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh told reporters that he and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat would travel to Cambodia on Oct. 13 to discuss the border issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said a Cambodian soldier was slightly wounded when Thai troops fired a grenade from their territory. He said Cambodian troops returned fire, with the "military incident" lasting less than a minute.
Thai officials initially denied knowledge of the incident, but a Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman later said Cambodian troops had encroached on Thai territory and had been the first to fire, wounding two Thai troops.
Tensions along the normally peaceful border between Cambodia and Thailand flared on July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, approved Cambodia's application to have a disputed 11th century temple named a World Heritage Site. Friday's clash took place about two miles west of the temple, Preah Vihear.
A spokesman for Cambodia's Cabinet, Phay Siphan, said the incident began after Cambodian troops intercepted a trespassing Thai patrol. He said the Thai troops retreated in response to a warning from the Cambodians, but then fired the grenade.
Cambodian troops returned fire with AK-47 assault rifles, with the exchange of fire lasting three to five minutes, he said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said Friday evening that the Thai troops had been patrolling in their own territory when they encountered the Cambodian soldiers.
"The Cambodian troops shot at the Thai troops first, wounding two soldiers. One Cambodian soldier was also wounded after the Thais responded," he said.
Lt. Gen. Wiboonsak Ngeepan, the regional army commander for northeastern Thailand, said it was unclear if the Cambodians intruded intentionally or had strayed into Thailand because "the area is dense forest."
Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.
After UNESCO approved the temple's listing as a World Heritage Site, Thailand sent troops to occupy the nearby Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, also claimed by Cambodia.
Cambodia responded with its own troop deployment. The two sides came close to a shootout on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.
Troops on both sides raised their weapons, but no shots were fired, and the Cambodians eventually backed down.
Since then there has been a limited troop withdrawal from the area, and talks have been held several times on resolving the conflicting claims, but without much progress.
Before Friday's clash was reported, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh told reporters that he and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat would travel to Cambodia on Oct. 13 to discuss the border issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
14 comments:
Respecting the soldiers for this battle ,you are the heroes ,please post the Hospital address name that we can send some cards or more . We do this not for ah traitor Hun Sen but for same khmer blood reason.
Thanks brothers you did the right thing to defend us.
Borisotkhmer ca
Ah Sen ah stupid you see what Thai play ah jkout.Your mother fucker hun sen must play the same game or better game than mother fucker Thai played.
Borisothkhmer ca
This is really a provoking our patient. HUN SEN, I know you are so soft and patient to the enemy. Why don't you do that also to your innocent citizen?
HUN SEN said once the enemy shoot at us first he will shoot back or the war will start.
Why don't we just attack them?
Khmer PP,
That might be the best way to negociate, it will help speed up the negociation in the air conditioned luxery hotels.
Brother Chin Meng, you are a hero for us even if you are a simple soldier but your name will never forget from my heart!!!
Please let me know the hopital where you stay, i will send the thankgiving card and the gift for you!!!Please the god bless you from your injury soon.
From Ramy, Chungnam Univ, S.Korea.
anybody in here have his real name and address I'm doing the fun for that injury khmer army please let me know where to sent the money and extral: my phone# 515-264-1732 if you outside of the u.s please call 001515-264-1732 or email son.wayne@yahoo.com
thank you!!
Thai murdered Khmer many years and continue murdering Khmer. And there is no doubt who openned fired first. Those who shed Khmer blood will not get away.
Don't get caught up with the whole nationalism, my Khmer brothers. I want to fight the Thai as much as any other Khmer but the reason I think Hun Sen is trying to keep everything calm is for peace. We have to be rational on what is best in the long run for our country. If we fight with Thai, that means there will be economic cutoff between us and them. This will disrupt and put in jeopardy our own economy. We're not strong enough economically to be self-relient at the moment.
I think the best way to demonstrate how we're better than Thai is through improving our country. If our economy is strong and prosperity is felt throughout the land, we can demonstrate our nobility and pride in a fashionable way. This is the 21th century. I say stop that mentality of going to war to solve problems. We need to stop fighting our own Khmer first. Hun Sen, Sam Rainsy, etc... until the day, all you guys stop accusing another Khmer of whatever you've been doing and can talk to the other guy without grudge but with understanding of politically difference and respect, Khmer will always be looked down upon.
No body, thai, viet, laos, etc.. will respect us until Khmer respect Khmer first. It's like how no strangers will respect a family where the relatives have no respect for each other.
This has nothing to do with anyone's politics. We need to move past politics to understand each other because at the end of the way, you are a Khmer. Khmer needs to stop Chbang Khmer. We Chbang each other for centuries. That's why Thai and Viet were able to take advantage of us.
1:24 AM
Your are right.
1:24, we need nationalism. Nationalism drove America to be what it is, THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIVE ABOVE POVERTY LINE. There's nothing wrong with nationalism until there are killings for wrong reasons. I AM RIGHT.
"... a Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman later said Cambodian troops had encroached on Thai territory and had been the first to fire, wounding two Thai troops."
Just analize this remark from the Thai FM. He is a stupid liar. It is the Thai troops that from the very beginning and up until now continue to enter the Khmer soil with so much arrogence. But the Khmer troops were told to hold fire.
I'd say, shoot and kill these animals and behead them whether they are dead or wounded when we captured them. Yes, just cut their heads off and stick them in the poles near the border.
So much patience with these animals. Stop allowing them to walk all over us. Shoot to kill and behead them. This is the clear and only language these animals can understand. No diplomatic talk will yield any fruitful result. Kill them.
11:24AM Good perspective and ideologies but one the reality you speak for Hun Sen and it clans? While we get eviction we need help,does Hun Sen step down to help us ?Look at Hun Sen policies now only benefit Hun and it families not for us ,did Hun Sen like us he serving the country and his people ? We poor we are going to die ,we are under Viet slavery any way ,why HUn Sen he patient for why don't he ask his MASTER (VIETNAM)to protect him from Thai invasion? OR VIET AND THAI they are the same company ,they try to eliminate all Cambodian PPL and they split our land in two one Viet one Thai let us have the choice to defend our mother land please,do not bring us to the wrong way like 1975 that is fucked!
3:41
I agree with you my friend! The Thais has demonstrate a clear and presence danger. We Khmer can no longer sit and wait for these thugs to walk all over our house. It's time we treat them like a robber,..... you broke into my house, you will get shot!
The Hun Sen clan method of (sit, wait and hope it'll go away) approached does nothing to deterred these thugs from encroaching our land.
Since the outsider wants to sit and do nothing.... let's hit him! They'd been warn too many time. No more talks!
We must take into account that these people either pretend to be dumb or simply too stupid to comprehend.
We have exhaust every avenue to make this negotiation work, but to no avail. Wait no more!!
Hit them now or suffer the consequences!
No, we preferred to hit Ah Pleu-Oversea now instead.
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