ABC Radio Australia
Thailand's Foreign Ministry has urged its citizens to avoid visiting Cambodia as a dispute over a stretch of border near the Preah Vihear temple, threatens to escalate into military conflict. Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Sen, has ordered Thai troops out of a disputed border area or he says there'll be a "death zone".
Presenter: Karen Percy
Speaker: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Chea Vannath political analyst
PERCY: The latest talks between thailand and cambodia led nowhere .. just like the talks last month .. and the month before. So the prime minister Hun Sen, a former army general, decided it was time for action.
Hun sen: (Khmer) Today, I told both the Minister of Defence and Cambodian army chief and all regional, division commanders at the frontline that these areas are fighting areas. If Thai troops continue to enter, war will start tomorrow.
PERCY: Hun Sen told reporters war will start if Thai troops continued to enter. He instructed the Minister for Defence, the chief of the Cambodia army, and all frontline commanders that the region in Cambodia's north west, was a fighting zone. As yet, there are no reports of shots being fired. But it reveals the deepening frustration being felt in Cambodia, says independent political analyst Chea Vannath.
VANNATH: What the Cambodian Prime Minister did was to convey the message to his counterpart to get serious on the peace talk.
PERCY: The two countries have been at odds ever since the international court of justice handed the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962. The 11th century stone hindu temple lies in ruins atop a dramatic escarpment. A small parcel of land around it is what's at stake and over the decades leaders from both sides have tried to argue for their version of the border. In July of this year, when UNESCO gave Cambodia world heritage listing for the temple, it prompted outrage across the border. The thai government initially supported Cambodia's UNESCO bid but had to renege after a public backlash. Since then the government in Thailand has seen a Prime Minister and two Foreign Ministers resign because of internal strife. That's made for slow negotiations.
VANNATH: The Cambodian Government is very patient, understanding the internal political situation in Thailand but the troops standing in the field is different issue.
PERCY: It's difficult to know exactly how many soldiers are involved. But each side is thought to have several thousand in the area, while several hundred from each side are in close confines near the temple. Chea Vannath again.
VANNATH: The two troops facing each other with the guns , so its kind of very tense in the field.
PERCY: Do you think Hun Sen will follow through if Thai troops don't leave under the deadline will Hun Sen demand Cambodian troops start firing?
VANNATH: I doubt it, because Cambodia needs peace and security for its tourism and economic development
PERCY: But Miss Vannath says that doesn't mean he isn't serious about the issue.
VANNATH: This proves that the territory belongs to Cambodia, that means Cambodia is committed to hold on to its territory.
PERCY: These centuries old rivalries between thailand and cambodia have prompted a broader border dispute.
VANNATH: If we go back to the 12th, 13th century, the Cambodian civilization, the Khmer empire, covered most of those regions, so Cambodia feels that its losing its territory piece by piece to its powerful neighbour.
PERCY: Hun sen is a clever political player. And while he might not really want bloodshed on the border, he seems determined to get Thailand to address the issue once and for all. He's no doubt hoping it might also prompt the association of south east asian nations or even the United Nations to step in.
Presenter: Karen Percy
Speaker: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Chea Vannath political analyst
PERCY: The latest talks between thailand and cambodia led nowhere .. just like the talks last month .. and the month before. So the prime minister Hun Sen, a former army general, decided it was time for action.
Hun sen: (Khmer) Today, I told both the Minister of Defence and Cambodian army chief and all regional, division commanders at the frontline that these areas are fighting areas. If Thai troops continue to enter, war will start tomorrow.
PERCY: Hun Sen told reporters war will start if Thai troops continued to enter. He instructed the Minister for Defence, the chief of the Cambodia army, and all frontline commanders that the region in Cambodia's north west, was a fighting zone. As yet, there are no reports of shots being fired. But it reveals the deepening frustration being felt in Cambodia, says independent political analyst Chea Vannath.
VANNATH: What the Cambodian Prime Minister did was to convey the message to his counterpart to get serious on the peace talk.
PERCY: The two countries have been at odds ever since the international court of justice handed the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962. The 11th century stone hindu temple lies in ruins atop a dramatic escarpment. A small parcel of land around it is what's at stake and over the decades leaders from both sides have tried to argue for their version of the border. In July of this year, when UNESCO gave Cambodia world heritage listing for the temple, it prompted outrage across the border. The thai government initially supported Cambodia's UNESCO bid but had to renege after a public backlash. Since then the government in Thailand has seen a Prime Minister and two Foreign Ministers resign because of internal strife. That's made for slow negotiations.
VANNATH: The Cambodian Government is very patient, understanding the internal political situation in Thailand but the troops standing in the field is different issue.
PERCY: It's difficult to know exactly how many soldiers are involved. But each side is thought to have several thousand in the area, while several hundred from each side are in close confines near the temple. Chea Vannath again.
VANNATH: The two troops facing each other with the guns , so its kind of very tense in the field.
PERCY: Do you think Hun Sen will follow through if Thai troops don't leave under the deadline will Hun Sen demand Cambodian troops start firing?
VANNATH: I doubt it, because Cambodia needs peace and security for its tourism and economic development
PERCY: But Miss Vannath says that doesn't mean he isn't serious about the issue.
VANNATH: This proves that the territory belongs to Cambodia, that means Cambodia is committed to hold on to its territory.
PERCY: These centuries old rivalries between thailand and cambodia have prompted a broader border dispute.
VANNATH: If we go back to the 12th, 13th century, the Cambodian civilization, the Khmer empire, covered most of those regions, so Cambodia feels that its losing its territory piece by piece to its powerful neighbour.
PERCY: Hun sen is a clever political player. And while he might not really want bloodshed on the border, he seems determined to get Thailand to address the issue once and for all. He's no doubt hoping it might also prompt the association of south east asian nations or even the United Nations to step in.
2 comments:
Decho HS is only fighting a war of words while Thai troops continue to occupy Cambodian land.
HS statesmanship is on the line and the consequence for Cambodia souvereignty and territorial integrity will be huge.
Your fucking thai King is stupid and your queen is a whore.
Also your mother is a whore.
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