Radio Free Asia
A border dispute escalates as a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops leaves two dead and several wounded.
BANGKOK and PHNOM PENH—Soldiers stationed on the Thai-Cambodia border skirmished Wednesday in a clash that left two Cambodians dead and several wounded on both sides.
The volley of rockets and small arms fire occurred intermittently over two hours on a disputed area of land next to Preah Vihear temple, 11th century ruins 370 miles (590 kms) east of Bangkok.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong confirmed that the two soldiers were killed and at least seven soldiers from both sides were injured in the clash.
Lieut.-Gen. Wiboonsak Neeparn, commander of Thailand’s northeastern forces, said five Thai soldiers were wounded in the incident, Agence France-Presse reported.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said 10 Thai soldiers had been captured by the Cambodian military, but the Thai military said none of its soldiers were missing, Reuters said.
Differing accounts
Virasakdi Futrakul, the permanent secretary of the Thai foreign ministry, told Southeast Asian diplomats in Bangkok on Wednesday that Cambodia was responsible for the clash.
“Cambodian soldiers and the Cambodian authorities decided to resort to the use of force contrary to the agreements that both foreign ministers made and therefore this decision to resort to force is deplorable,” he said.
Hor Namhong told reporters in Phnom Penh that Cambodia would lodge a complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding what he called “repeated and very serious armed provocations by Thailand.”
“The gunfire between Cambodia and Thailand was in Cambodia’s territory. Thai troops opened fire at our troops first,” he said.
A meeting of the two countries originally scheduled for Thursday will go ahead as planned and will address troop build-up on both sides of the border.
Since the clash, military officials in Cambodia have cited stepped-up security along the northwest border of the country.
“[The Thai army] has told their people to move further away from the border into Thailand because of the fighting,” said Cambodian liaison officer Toch Rah, near the checkpoint town of Cham Sangam, some 60 miles (10 kms) west of where the skirmish took place.
Thai checkpoint officials are refusing visas for entry to Cambodia and soldiers have chased Cambodian merchants back across the border, witnesses said.
In Banteay Meanchey province, along Cambodia’s western border with Thailand, residents have been packing up their belongings and moving away in fear of further confrontations.
Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat warned Thais traveling in Cambodia to leave the country at once and said he would issue an order to evacuate travelers in the country if need be.
Long-simmering dispute
The International Court of Justice determined in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple is Cambodian, but it never issued a decree on which country owns the patch of land located next to the ruins.
Delineation of the border is impossible due to scores of landmines left over from civil war in Cambodia.
In July, control of the land became a rallying cry for anti-government protestors in Thailand prompting a deployment of Thai soldiers to the border.
Mounting tensions led to a short firefight on Oct. 3 that injured at least three when several Thai troops entered a disputed area near the temple.
BANGKOK and PHNOM PENH—Soldiers stationed on the Thai-Cambodia border skirmished Wednesday in a clash that left two Cambodians dead and several wounded on both sides.
The volley of rockets and small arms fire occurred intermittently over two hours on a disputed area of land next to Preah Vihear temple, 11th century ruins 370 miles (590 kms) east of Bangkok.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong confirmed that the two soldiers were killed and at least seven soldiers from both sides were injured in the clash.
Lieut.-Gen. Wiboonsak Neeparn, commander of Thailand’s northeastern forces, said five Thai soldiers were wounded in the incident, Agence France-Presse reported.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said 10 Thai soldiers had been captured by the Cambodian military, but the Thai military said none of its soldiers were missing, Reuters said.
Differing accounts
Virasakdi Futrakul, the permanent secretary of the Thai foreign ministry, told Southeast Asian diplomats in Bangkok on Wednesday that Cambodia was responsible for the clash.
“Cambodian soldiers and the Cambodian authorities decided to resort to the use of force contrary to the agreements that both foreign ministers made and therefore this decision to resort to force is deplorable,” he said.
Hor Namhong told reporters in Phnom Penh that Cambodia would lodge a complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding what he called “repeated and very serious armed provocations by Thailand.”
“The gunfire between Cambodia and Thailand was in Cambodia’s territory. Thai troops opened fire at our troops first,” he said.
A meeting of the two countries originally scheduled for Thursday will go ahead as planned and will address troop build-up on both sides of the border.
Since the clash, military officials in Cambodia have cited stepped-up security along the northwest border of the country.
“[The Thai army] has told their people to move further away from the border into Thailand because of the fighting,” said Cambodian liaison officer Toch Rah, near the checkpoint town of Cham Sangam, some 60 miles (10 kms) west of where the skirmish took place.
Thai checkpoint officials are refusing visas for entry to Cambodia and soldiers have chased Cambodian merchants back across the border, witnesses said.
In Banteay Meanchey province, along Cambodia’s western border with Thailand, residents have been packing up their belongings and moving away in fear of further confrontations.
Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat warned Thais traveling in Cambodia to leave the country at once and said he would issue an order to evacuate travelers in the country if need be.
Long-simmering dispute
The International Court of Justice determined in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple is Cambodian, but it never issued a decree on which country owns the patch of land located next to the ruins.
Delineation of the border is impossible due to scores of landmines left over from civil war in Cambodia.
In July, control of the land became a rallying cry for anti-government protestors in Thailand prompting a deployment of Thai soldiers to the border.
Mounting tensions led to a short firefight on Oct. 3 that injured at least three when several Thai troops entered a disputed area near the temple.
12 comments:
Dang! Vira suck di (Good sucker in Thai). It is weird when an educated people speak of something like this. Who started the dispute first boy? All is just to make Thailand looks good in the international community. 10 Thai soldiers are detained and they said no Thai soldiers are missing? What! Should Cambodia violate the international treaty and execute those 10 soldiers so that you would accept that they were missing? Cambodia released report on causality without hiding such information.
Oh boy! what a shame. I kinda like to hear something like this from those who always boast themselves of living in "high life". Intruder the King of Thailand! Who is the policy making behind this?
I don't understand why the news always mention that the demarcation of Khmer-Thai border is not possible due to land mines. It is not the root of the problem, what they should mention is the different map used by both countries. That is the real and fundamental problem that make the demarcation impossible. With the map and GPS at hand, the demarcation will be finish very soon, just clear land mines around the sites first then it will be done. Sooo, we have to go to UN or ICJ to find out which map is valid. Don't dream that we can solve the problem fairly by bilateral talk with Thailand.
Any news come from faulty mouth Thai are trashy news that can not be accounted for. What in the world is Khmer open fire first? Do you think Khmer soldiers can first those target we they openned fire first? They were right there in Khmer land, easy pick target!
Pacrachai A thai!, down you dog thai!
This is ourageous. Thai soldiers had violated Cambodian territorial integrity by patrolling in Cambodian soil. If this is not a provocation of wars, I dont know what is.
If Mexican soldiers cross the border into Texas, USA without permission, you know they are going home in body bags.
It's no different here. Thailand must be stopped. Its politcal climate is very unstable. Its government is shaky and is target for a Cout D'etate. Political uprising is clear and present danger.
Now is a good time to strike at Thailand and push them back to Bankok and out of Cambodian soil.
United Khmer people!!
In a time like this, the only way out for the Thai leaders to save face is to claim their righteousness!
But the whole world knew that these Thai soldiers are on Cambodian territories according to international map! And Cambodian leaders have been patient long enough in trying to convince the Thai leaders three times through bilateral talk that they are on Cambodian territory but the Thai leaders seem unconvinced and take no heed and now it is time to send the Thai aggressors to hell!
You guys know that yuon is preparing for battle too when the first wave of Khmer front line are killed. Look at who benefits all this, research about who work in Cambodia government
TO THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT,
PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE THE SURRUNDERING THAI SOLDIERS YET.
WE TERM THEM THE PRISONERS OF WARS, INVADERS, INTRUDERS OF CAMBODIAN TERRITORY.
THE RELEASE OF THOSE CAPTURED THAIS MUST BE DONE FORMALLY THROUGH THE DIPLOMATIC MEANS WITNESSED BY FORIEGN AMBASSADORS, DEFENSE ATTACHE, THE UN AND THE JOURNALISTS TAKING THE PICTURES OF THE RELEASE AND WITH FORMAL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE RELEASE
DO NOT HANDOVER THE PRISONERS OF WARS THROUGH THE BORDER, BUT HAND THEM OVER TO THE THAI AMBASSY IN PHNOM PENH.
DOING SO, WE WILL GIVE EVIDENCE OF THEIR INVASION OF CAMBODIAN LAND TO THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL.
AND WE WILL USE THIS EVIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO DO SO.
FROM STREET CAFE DIPLOMAT
We have to find peace for our people. We have been dying to the brink of extinction for the past decades,past centuries. Our country, culture, history were almost wiped out. We had about five years peace and stability so far and the Thais provoke us again. Khmers have never gained anything from centuries wars except destruction humiliation and poverty. It is our neighbors that have gained from our conflicts. Thailand had a lot to gain during the Vietnam war, the Khmer Rouge period and Hun Sen backed by Vietnam in the 80s. Now Khmers are fight the Thais, Vietnam will reap the profit again by selling their products in Cambodia and take this opportunity farther their political influences into Cambodia. As for Khmers, we die a senseless dead. Two soldiers died for what? We must find peaceful resolution not resort to violence. We must seek the UN intervention. Our people must not die again. We had too many deads because our people are not and were not educated and vulnerable to power hunger politicians. Hun Sen needs to reevaluation the situation. We cannot fight Thailand our defense is too weak. We have no money and no manpower to fight against Thailand. This is a lose-lose situation. We need peace and stability for people to recooperate, get education, build economy/trade, get out of poverty. Otherwise, our country will suffer again and again with no ending in sight.
To 11:16AM
There are some truths to your logic but this is the 21th century and your logic is no longer hold because this is the information age! And with the right information a man can build ATOMIC BOMB!
Cambodia won't fall prey to Thailand and Vietnam again! Out of Cambodia-Thailand conflict, Cambodia will emerge as a strong nation and will assert Cambodia as a nation is a rightful place among the nations in Southeast Asia!
Cambodian people are a fighter! If Cambodian people don't choose to fight and the Thai and the Viet will take over Cambodia and Cambodian people won't have a nation to call home!
Cambodian people will keep on fighting forever for the survival of Cambodian people and Cambodia!
... It is about time that those soldier dressed-up, big mouth people (Stars, Stripes, whatever) who are normally exerting powers on the innocent and carrying and showing up guns around towns went to the border and show what they are capable of. Stop bullshitting our own people and be more real, if you guys are or have common sense. The country is being invaded. Get out of the uniform or take those stars off, and feel ashame of yourselves, if you can't do anything.
May god be with you REAL SOLDIERS!!!
What is the fuck of ASEAN and UN!
Bilateral talk mean nothing, since everyone use different Map, they should know this...
However, hope Cambodia Gov.t advance the weapon..then everything will be more valuable to talk, see what Iran, N. Korea...
Post a Comment