PHNOM PENH, April 3 (Reuters) - Thai and Cambodian soldiers exchanged rifle and rocket fire on their disputed border near an ancient Hindu temple on Friday, but there were no reports of casualties, officials from both countries said.
"The armed clash began when Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory. We fired rockets at the Thai soldiers," Cambodia's government spokesman Phay Siphan told Reuters.
In Bangkok, Thai Major General Kanok NetraKaveysana confirmed there had been a brief firefight early in the morning, but he had no reports of wounded or dead.
"It was a misunderstanding and it has been resolved," he said, without explaining further.
The fighting erupted a day after a Thai soldier was badly wounded when he stepped on a landmine near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, where both sides have stationed troops since armed clashes in the area last year.
Tensions rose last month when 100 Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers, but no fighting occurred. The border had been quiet for months while the Southeast Asian neighbours sought to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in last year's exchange of rifle and rocket fire.
Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn as it is known in Thailand, sits on an escarpment that forms the natural border between the two countries and has been a source of tension for generations.
The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins, leaving considerable scope for disagreement.
"The armed clash began when Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory. We fired rockets at the Thai soldiers," Cambodia's government spokesman Phay Siphan told Reuters.
In Bangkok, Thai Major General Kanok NetraKaveysana confirmed there had been a brief firefight early in the morning, but he had no reports of wounded or dead.
"It was a misunderstanding and it has been resolved," he said, without explaining further.
The fighting erupted a day after a Thai soldier was badly wounded when he stepped on a landmine near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, where both sides have stationed troops since armed clashes in the area last year.
Tensions rose last month when 100 Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers, but no fighting occurred. The border had been quiet for months while the Southeast Asian neighbours sought to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in last year's exchange of rifle and rocket fire.
Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn as it is known in Thailand, sits on an escarpment that forms the natural border between the two countries and has been a source of tension for generations.
The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins, leaving considerable scope for disagreement.
5 comments:
"The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins,..."
What kind of conclusion is this? As a reputable media agent, Reuters should clearly review the ICJ rulings. The ICJ judgement clearly determines the boundaries as the court decided to use the 1904-1907 maps to rely upon.
The problems are only due to: (1) The aggression and politicization of the border issues by the Siamese; and (2) The reluctance and cowardice of the Cambodian government to put into implementation the already-in-place world court's judgment.
Raja
Can mararda stop using the Thai word "Preah Vihan" in his news report?
the temple is owned by Cambodia and should be knowned to the world by only one name, Preah Vihear.
Thank you Marada!
If the maps of the early 1900 and mid 1962 maps are not good enough for the thai. Then, maybe we need historical maps to prove to the thai and take some land back that the thai is living on.
Its about time that khmer shoots invader and people with lack of character and laws.
The evil CPP & Hun Sen are just using the Preah Vihear Temple issue (like they did in the last election) to distract Khmer people from other real important internal issues in Cambodia, such as the upcoming commune election, boarder marking with Vietnam, anti-corruption law, etc.
It's all a setup between the CPP and the Thai military. We (Khmer People - in Cambodia and living overseas) are the "Suckers"
For one thing, we must stop supporting the CPP propaganda machine - CTN television. They are slowly washing our brains.
Hun Sen said, if the ECCC indict him and his Khmer Rouge gangs, he will turn Cambodia into a Killing Field again.
Hun Sen threaten a Khmer Rouge war again.
Hun Sen threaten to massacre thousands of innocent Khmer peoples again.
We gotta take Hun Sen's threat seriously.
I am asking the United Nation to come to Cambodia immediately to stop Hun Sen from turning Cambodia into a Killing Field.
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