AFP
Tensions were high among troops on both sides of the disputed Cambodian-Thai border Saturday while Thai and Cambodia prime ministers played down gunbattles near a temple which left two soldiers dead.
Both sides were jittery after Friday's firefight, which was the biggest flare-up for months in a bitter feud over territory near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Thai troops fired into the air in the morning after a Cambodian soldier's rifle accidentally discharged several shots, Cambodian troops said, while a Cambodian commander could be heard telling his soldiers to hide behind trees.
"The situation at the border is quiet now and back to normal," Cambodian commander Yem Pem said, adding that troops were on "24-hour alert."
Soldiers exchanged rocket, machinegun and mortar fire Friday, damaging the staircase of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, following a brief skirmish earlier in the day, officials said.
One Thai soldier was killed and another died in hospital later, while 10 others were injured, said the Thai military. Cambodian officials reported no casualties.
A Thai military official said nine soldiers were still being treated in hospital, with two of them in critical condition.
Cambodia's foreign ministry said the violence damaged a government office and local market. Hundreds of Cambodians who lost their homes in the fighting were evacuated to a school 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.
"We were so frightened because the situation was so tense," said Chum Vanna, 27, who was evacuated with her husband and children.
"I'm very angry with the Thai soldiers. All of my belongings were completely burned. We came here with just a few clothes," she added.
The area saw several clashes last year after Cambodia received United Nations World Heritage status for the temple ruins in July. Four soldiers were killed in a firefight in October.
But Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart were keen to diffuse the latest crisis, both sides insisting usual border committee talks would proceed along with meetings scheduled at a key regional summit next week.
"It is normal that every side has the right to self-defence. If they come, it happens. And as we enter their territory they also have the right to fire at us," Hun Sen said during a visit to the southern province of Kampot.
"But we consider this (clash) an incident. I don't call it a war... We are very sorry. We don't want Cambodian or Thai soldiers to die," he added.
"I think (the talks) must go ahead," Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. "We don't want to see clashes and losses on either side."
Thai army chief General Anupong Paojinda said Cambodian and Thai officials were in talks to defuse the stand off.
"High level officials are talking to each other with good mutual understanding. There are no problems," he said.
Hun Sen and Abhisit are due to join a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and key regional partners in Thailand from Friday.
Singapore, meanwhile, urged both sides to "exercise utmost restraint in the broader interests of the region."
Friday's clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand not to allow its troops to cross into disputed land. Bangkok denies claims that 100 soldiers went over the frontier a week ago.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads for decades over the site perched on a forested cliff overlooking green swathes of countryside.
The World Court in 1962 awarded the ruins to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance is in Thailand, and some of the disputed land is yet to be demarcated.
Both sides were jittery after Friday's firefight, which was the biggest flare-up for months in a bitter feud over territory near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Thai troops fired into the air in the morning after a Cambodian soldier's rifle accidentally discharged several shots, Cambodian troops said, while a Cambodian commander could be heard telling his soldiers to hide behind trees.
"The situation at the border is quiet now and back to normal," Cambodian commander Yem Pem said, adding that troops were on "24-hour alert."
Soldiers exchanged rocket, machinegun and mortar fire Friday, damaging the staircase of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, following a brief skirmish earlier in the day, officials said.
One Thai soldier was killed and another died in hospital later, while 10 others were injured, said the Thai military. Cambodian officials reported no casualties.
A Thai military official said nine soldiers were still being treated in hospital, with two of them in critical condition.
Cambodia's foreign ministry said the violence damaged a government office and local market. Hundreds of Cambodians who lost their homes in the fighting were evacuated to a school 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.
"We were so frightened because the situation was so tense," said Chum Vanna, 27, who was evacuated with her husband and children.
"I'm very angry with the Thai soldiers. All of my belongings were completely burned. We came here with just a few clothes," she added.
The area saw several clashes last year after Cambodia received United Nations World Heritage status for the temple ruins in July. Four soldiers were killed in a firefight in October.
But Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart were keen to diffuse the latest crisis, both sides insisting usual border committee talks would proceed along with meetings scheduled at a key regional summit next week.
"It is normal that every side has the right to self-defence. If they come, it happens. And as we enter their territory they also have the right to fire at us," Hun Sen said during a visit to the southern province of Kampot.
"But we consider this (clash) an incident. I don't call it a war... We are very sorry. We don't want Cambodian or Thai soldiers to die," he added.
"I think (the talks) must go ahead," Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. "We don't want to see clashes and losses on either side."
Thai army chief General Anupong Paojinda said Cambodian and Thai officials were in talks to defuse the stand off.
"High level officials are talking to each other with good mutual understanding. There are no problems," he said.
Hun Sen and Abhisit are due to join a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and key regional partners in Thailand from Friday.
Singapore, meanwhile, urged both sides to "exercise utmost restraint in the broader interests of the region."
Friday's clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand not to allow its troops to cross into disputed land. Bangkok denies claims that 100 soldiers went over the frontier a week ago.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads for decades over the site perched on a forested cliff overlooking green swathes of countryside.
The World Court in 1962 awarded the ruins to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance is in Thailand, and some of the disputed land is yet to be demarcated.
11 comments:
All forces ,both side, should be kept 5km from the border if you really want to avoid the killing.
Anupong should take my advice now.
one and two equal three but right now we are adding up ,found zero.
both side should stay at what they stance
12:46 AM
Really?!
Boy, I should advice the US troop in South Korea to do the same.
I guess you have not attended a formal military school or training, have you?
according to RFA, 22 deads and about another 30 were wounded
Don't mess with Khmer poor soldier! you Siamese better stop look down on us or underestimated our poor soldier, and stop encroachment into our territory! otherwise more body bags....
Why the hell is Hun Sen apologizing for? Our soldiers were brave and fought of those Thai invaders. It's them who should apologize.
According to Maj Gen Thawatchai Samutsakhon, deputy chief of the Second Army, the clashes followed a landmine explosion that blew off a Thai soldier's leg in Phu Ma Khua area a few kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple.
Landmine blown off Thai's leg because he stepped inside Cambodia land.
It's interesting. Hun Sen apologized to Thailand, but he never apologizes to the Khmer people that have been killed every day inside Cambodia under his poor leadership.
I support our troops at the border, however.
Hun Sen didn't apologise to Thailand but he said he regret for losing life of Thai soldiers. It is diplomatic word. Most Thai soldiers near Preach Vihear temple don't want to fight with Khmer Soldiers and full aware that they invaded Khmer's land but they have to respect the order from their greedy leader.
I support our troops 100%.
Hun Sen should have done the same thing to Vietnam, but he didn't. He just signed the treaty and offerred huge land to his master.
I'm happy that every Khmer stands up and defends our country from Thai invasion.
However, WE SHOOLD NOT FORGET the Vienamese aggression. This is the biggest threat, for we lost huge land.
These incidents are just to guard the borderline not to let the neighbor abuse its power to grab our land. No need to offer apology. The border line was clearly marked since 1904 and specifically 1907, what the hell using their own map, the map which was used to destroy Cambodia during the 70s. Because of this map, the result led to Genocide happened in Cambodia, because possibly those who affected by the bombs kept their angers and killed almost all who were not one of the bombing victims. American advisors and bloody siam army drew this map for military strategy, not an international recognized map as the one of 1907. B. Shit! In fact the Americans should also pay the compensation to khmer people who were the victims of double action (bombing Cambodia and left those innocent khmers with the communists hand to be killed)they made to encourage that genocide. This time the american should declare to defence that the map was just a military stretegy map to bring Cambodia into destruction by B-52s they dropped in Cambodia. Then the issue will be cleared, no more encroachment into khmer territory, this is what you need to do, American to kind of compensate what you did with that map to destroy cambodia. if the siam still go on with this kind of bully, of course, khmers would not sit and wait to be killed or depend on faith brought to us anymore. If the Siam are still greedy, so more legs to be on e-bay and blood shed will be on along the border still continue, I just pray for khmer soldiers to be firm, courageous and entirely safe by god/khmer ancestor's protction. A chor Siam should be aware of khmer mentality, we are patient people, but there is a limit. what they act so far is kind of bullying khmer people. This Siam looks down to khmer people, god's eye will open and judge.
This issue should be brought to the attention of Security Council of the UN and to tell Siam to backoff their troop from borderline and stop bullying khmer people. Negociation does not work and has not worked for nearly a year, stop that, it is useless. Don't worry about any sub-agreements 2000 or 2002, it is just giving profit to siam, and it was clearly marked that the map of 1097 used for that. We also have Paris Peace agreement to proof as well that Thai was one of the signatory and should respect the khmer territorial sovereighty / integrity.
Why is Phnom Penh still afraid to bring this up to the Security council, even we opened fire first, it is our self defense, so if they dare to step more, let our soldiers do their work. We should do this since July 2008.
I feel so sad to see khmer soldiers suffer around that temple for too long with no solution to the problem. Why drag this a long. The card is in your hand, alreay time to put our head up to protect what we only have left, not down, khmer!
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