(From top) Ruom Chet Pavilion is located in Toek Kraham commune of Choam Khsan District and Cambodian troops stationed at the point of Ruom Chet Pavilion at the tri-border area (kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh, 29 October)30 Oct 08
Koh Santepheap Daily News
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous
The tri-border area was in the limelight last week after the Thai Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 21 October claiming that Cambodia had deployed seven troops in the contentious area. Thailand called that point Trimuk Pavilion. It is located in an area where Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand meet, requiring the three countries to hold talks to divide the territory clearly first, before determining which point belonging to which country.
Anyway, in its reaction, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, issued a diplomatic note pointing out that it is in Cambodian territory and that in 2003, the Thai side even already recognized the point called the house or pavilion of Ruom Chet.
Lt. Col. Duong Chan, commander of the Land Border Defense 401st Unit stationed on the tri-border front line in Preah Vihear Province, reported that after the Kingdom of Cambodia had included Preah Vihear Temple in the World Heritage list and following the invasion by black-uniformed Thai troops of the area of Kev Soekha Kiri Svarak Monastery called Preah Vihear Temple Monastery on 15 July 2008, Thai black-clad soldiers in the 23-02 Unit had intruded into and captured Cambodian territory at the point of Ruom Chet Pavilion in the tri-border area and other points. The Thai side had also moved its forces to confront our troops in the sense of threatening us and breaking our moral with the map that they had drawn unilaterally to claim that those areas belonged to it.
The lieutenant colonel added that on 19 September, a team of 10-15 fully armed Thai black-uniformed soldiers from the 23-02 Unit came and remained with our troops at the point of Ruom Chet Pavilion. They then threatened the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces [RCAF] troops and forced them to leave the area, which is actually Cambodian territory, but the latter refused to comply.
It should be recalled that the distance from Ruom Chet Pavilion to the Cambodian-Thai border is 900 meters and that the forces of the RCAF 401st Border Unit in the area is firmly defending it at present.
Duong Chan also said that the sentries of the 401st Unit stationed in the area had thwarted every attempt by Thai troops to violate and grab Cambodian territory. The Unit had also had dialogue with the Thai side and demanded that it respect agreements on the two countries' territorial integrity and refrain from violating each other's territory.
It should be pointed out that the tri-border area is where Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand meet. The area, abounding with high mountains, deep cascades, and dense forests, is part of the Dangrek Mountain range extending to Mekong River, at the point of Tonle L'poeu on the Lao-Cambodian border.
Lt. Col. Duong Chan further said that although Thailand had moved scores of its forces to the area to confront our troops in the sense of threatening to take control of our Cambodian territory, the RCAF officers and troops of the 401st Unit had not feared the intimidation in the least. On the contrary, they had become increasingly courageous, daring to sacrifice everything for safeguarding Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity forever.
Moreover, Duong Chan said that concerning Cambodia's border with Laos, our two countries' forces have been in very good cooperation; there has been no problem at all.
The 401st Unit commander also said that although there is geographical difficulty in this area where streams, cascades, and high mountainous slopes had be crossed to reach it, our border defense troops stationed here had managed to plant crops and raise animals in order to improve their living conditions.
Anyway, in its reaction, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, issued a diplomatic note pointing out that it is in Cambodian territory and that in 2003, the Thai side even already recognized the point called the house or pavilion of Ruom Chet.
Lt. Col. Duong Chan, commander of the Land Border Defense 401st Unit stationed on the tri-border front line in Preah Vihear Province, reported that after the Kingdom of Cambodia had included Preah Vihear Temple in the World Heritage list and following the invasion by black-uniformed Thai troops of the area of Kev Soekha Kiri Svarak Monastery called Preah Vihear Temple Monastery on 15 July 2008, Thai black-clad soldiers in the 23-02 Unit had intruded into and captured Cambodian territory at the point of Ruom Chet Pavilion in the tri-border area and other points. The Thai side had also moved its forces to confront our troops in the sense of threatening us and breaking our moral with the map that they had drawn unilaterally to claim that those areas belonged to it.
The lieutenant colonel added that on 19 September, a team of 10-15 fully armed Thai black-uniformed soldiers from the 23-02 Unit came and remained with our troops at the point of Ruom Chet Pavilion. They then threatened the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces [RCAF] troops and forced them to leave the area, which is actually Cambodian territory, but the latter refused to comply.
It should be recalled that the distance from Ruom Chet Pavilion to the Cambodian-Thai border is 900 meters and that the forces of the RCAF 401st Border Unit in the area is firmly defending it at present.
Duong Chan also said that the sentries of the 401st Unit stationed in the area had thwarted every attempt by Thai troops to violate and grab Cambodian territory. The Unit had also had dialogue with the Thai side and demanded that it respect agreements on the two countries' territorial integrity and refrain from violating each other's territory.
It should be pointed out that the tri-border area is where Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand meet. The area, abounding with high mountains, deep cascades, and dense forests, is part of the Dangrek Mountain range extending to Mekong River, at the point of Tonle L'poeu on the Lao-Cambodian border.
Lt. Col. Duong Chan further said that although Thailand had moved scores of its forces to the area to confront our troops in the sense of threatening to take control of our Cambodian territory, the RCAF officers and troops of the 401st Unit had not feared the intimidation in the least. On the contrary, they had become increasingly courageous, daring to sacrifice everything for safeguarding Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity forever.
Moreover, Duong Chan said that concerning Cambodia's border with Laos, our two countries' forces have been in very good cooperation; there has been no problem at all.
The 401st Unit commander also said that although there is geographical difficulty in this area where streams, cascades, and high mountainous slopes had be crossed to reach it, our border defense troops stationed here had managed to plant crops and raise animals in order to improve their living conditions.
11 comments:
I think Thailand territorial expansion and encroachments need to be stopped. Cambodian troops must be ordered to defend our territorial integrity at all cost. If the Thai troops dare to cross the borderlines the Cambodian troops must be ordered to fire because if Cambodian troops cross into Thailand they will be fired upon by the Thai troops as well. a tit for a tat.
I agree at all cost. Why aren't Khmer troops firing at these animals called "Thais". We should fire at will because they are on our soil. Khmer soldiers need not be afraid to shoot and kill these bastards. I wish I was over there so I can shoot them myself. Forget all the bullshit talk and kill, kill, kill. That should be the slogan for our Khmer troops.
killing is just an option, but diplomatic solution will ensure long-term peace. If we have good leaders, we would not have these problems. They could create gulf clubs across the country, why can't they do it along the border too? It has been almost 20 years since the Paris Peace Accord, but border issues remain unresolved. What are they doing?
Dear Brothers at the Border,
I can't control myself, when I read this message, I cry, cry from insight....."Lt. Col. Duong Chan said that although Thailand had moved scores of its forces to the area to confront our troops in the sense of threatening to take control of our Cambodian territory, the RCAF officers and troops of the 401st Unit had not feared the intimidation in the least. On the contrary, "they had become increasingly courageous, daring to sacrifice everything for safeguarding Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity forever"...""""""
Thank, thank deeply.. brothers...at the border!! I am proud of you!!
Koun Khmer
The Thaicong leaders have no right to enforce the cold war map on Cambodian leaders!
The cold war is long gone and over unless the Thaicong leaders have the money and the will power to restart the cold war again and this time the Russian and the Chinese will step on top of their head!
Hun Sen should also think about the economy with all the Yuon product entering the country without any tax and the border guard not doing their job, Cambodia's economy will go to hell.
You must put tax on the Yuon products, you will have a major problem on your hands Hun.
The people in this forum just know how to speak only but don't know how to do.
All Khmer soldiers wanted to fire when Thai troop acrossed the border. But it is not how it works in Cambodia. Soldiers must inform commander. Commander informs his general (sometimes in Phnom Penh with young girls). General informs Banh Tea, minister of defence. Banh Tea informs Hun Sen. Then Hun Sen informs....?
They can't just open fire.
3:13am, you are right, it is the Khmer leaders who give the orders. We don't blame our ordinary soldiers. They have been told not to fire. If they are ordered to fire, like the clashes at Veal Entry and Phnom Trop, they will fire at Thai troops without hesitation.
Vietnamese is Khmer and Khmer is Vietnamese, we are all the same nation, Samdech Hun Sen announced to Khmer people about bilateral between Vietnam and Khmer. So if you tax Vietnamese, that means you tax Khmer. Vietnamese claimed helping Khmer from Pol Pot and Khmer agreed. But Khmer abroard think that Vietnamese moved in Khmer territory, it is not true, Samdech Hun allows Youn to move in because Khmer in the border moved away from villages to Nam Yang, and some moved to Thailand. Though empty land and village that is why Vietnamese asked Samdech Hun to plan crop and station there.
Khmer Youn
who in their right mind would doubt that it's located in cambodia's territories, given cambodia's territories was much bigger then the present-day boundary, not to mention the great khmer civilization that existed way before there were such neighboring countries like thailand, laos, and vietnam. yes, are are lots and lots of evidence of khmerness, just look for the ancient ruins dated back to that era of cambodian zenith. any question?
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