BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's deputy prime minister said he would steer clear of a dispute over an ancient temple on the Cambodian border when he meets the neighbouring country's leader this weekend.
Troops from both sides have built up on the frontier in recent days near the the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, where seven soldiers have died in clashes since tensions flared last year.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said he is sending his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, to Phnom Penh on Saturday to explain Thailand's decision to ask world heritage body UNESCO to reconsider listing the temple.
But following a warning by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that Thailand must respect his country's sovereignty, Suthep said he would now avoid the issue.
"I will not discuss any topic that could trigger conflict," Suthep told reporters in Bangkok.
"But do not jump to conclusions that my mission will not achieve anything. I am confident that bilateral talks will enhance a better understanding that Thailand will treat its neighbours cordially," he said.
Hun Sen vowed on Thursday to take a hard stance on the dispute over the temple, the ownership of which was awarded to Cambodia by the World Court in 1962, sparking decades of tensions.
Unrest flared in July 2008 after UNESCO granted world heritage status to the ancient Khmer temple with its crumbling stone staircases and elegant carvings.
Thai army chief General Anupong Paojinda said on Friday that troops from both sides wanted to avoid clashes and were regularly speaking to each other to ease tensions.
"We will not be the first to start fighting," Anupong told reporters.
"The local commander told me the situation is still calm. Forces from both countries deployed at the temple are constantly in contact with each other and there is no indication that it could lead to confrontation," he said.
The Thai government will protest the listing of Preah Vihear at a UNESCO meeting which is continuing in Seville, Spain until June 30.
Troops from both sides have built up on the frontier in recent days near the the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, where seven soldiers have died in clashes since tensions flared last year.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said he is sending his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, to Phnom Penh on Saturday to explain Thailand's decision to ask world heritage body UNESCO to reconsider listing the temple.
But following a warning by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that Thailand must respect his country's sovereignty, Suthep said he would now avoid the issue.
"I will not discuss any topic that could trigger conflict," Suthep told reporters in Bangkok.
"But do not jump to conclusions that my mission will not achieve anything. I am confident that bilateral talks will enhance a better understanding that Thailand will treat its neighbours cordially," he said.
Hun Sen vowed on Thursday to take a hard stance on the dispute over the temple, the ownership of which was awarded to Cambodia by the World Court in 1962, sparking decades of tensions.
Unrest flared in July 2008 after UNESCO granted world heritage status to the ancient Khmer temple with its crumbling stone staircases and elegant carvings.
Thai army chief General Anupong Paojinda said on Friday that troops from both sides wanted to avoid clashes and were regularly speaking to each other to ease tensions.
"We will not be the first to start fighting," Anupong told reporters.
"The local commander told me the situation is still calm. Forces from both countries deployed at the temple are constantly in contact with each other and there is no indication that it could lead to confrontation," he said.
The Thai government will protest the listing of Preah Vihear at a UNESCO meeting which is continuing in Seville, Spain until June 30.
9 comments:
Thai is always, and for ever, is the the "Siem" that is defeated by Khmer heros. Khmer bless Khmer.
Look like the Khmer is in front. However the precaution should be maintained at all times since Thailand is in advance in military capability, economic supplies, and long terms experience in the world stage.
Good job Khmer!
អាខ្ញុំកញ្ជះដាច់ថ្លៃ បាតជើង យួន សាច់ងាប់ (dead meat) ភីភីយូ (PPU) នឹងបានត្រូវ អាស្រកីយួន សំឡេះចោល ក្នុងពេលឆាប់ៗនេះដោយវាបានធ្វើអោយ ចៅហ្វាយវា បាត់មុខបាត់មាត់និយាយមិនឈ្នះ មឹត្តអ្នកអាន ស្នេហាជាតិនៅលើ ខេអ៉ាយមីឌីយ៉ា (KI-media)នេះ។ តាមយោបល់ របស់ពួកមីសំផឹងអស់សាច់ យួនកន្តប ដូចជាម៉ែអា ភីភីយូ (PPU)ជាដើមបានអោយ
ដឹងថា អ្នកស្នេហាជាតិខ្មែរមឹនបាច់ធ្វើអ្វីទេ
ពីព្រោះ អា យួន ភីភីយូ (PPU) នេះកំពុងតែស្លាប់
នឹងជម្ងីAIDS/SIDA រួចទៅហើយ!
Please help cut and paste this good news for ah PPU! Thanks so kindly for your cooperation!
Take him to the fishing ponds and fish there until he decides to return. If it is unlikely that he comes because of expected mass rally in BKK.
Thanks, God.
Khmer have all the advantages over Thai all the time. Even with war, Khmer will overcome the Thai.
Thai has no war experience.
Khmer/Thai,
Hun Sen is a senior politician in the region he pretty well know all the scenario.
Khmer/Thai,
5:44pm
សូមខ្មែរគ្រប់រូបនៅក្នុងប្រទេស កុំអោយ
ពួកអាចុយម្រ៉ាយចោលម្សៀតឥតបានការ
ពួកអាឆ្កែខ្ញុំកញ្ជះបស្ចឹមប្រទេស មកកាន់កាប់ អំណាចបានឲ្យសោះ ។
ពួកអាចុយម្រ៉ាយ កុំមកសាបព្រួសអំពើហឹង្សា
លើខ្មែរ អញកំពុងនៅមើលបក្សពួកអាឯង
ចុយកន្តួយម៉ែអាឯងហ្នឹងណា អាឆ្កួត អាភ្លើ អាឆ្កែបស្ចឹមប្រទេស។
ពី អញ
ភីភីយូ
ហេ អា ភីភីយូ (PPU) អាឯងចង់បៀម ក្ដ ឪ អា
ឯងទេអាចុយម៉្រាយ???
Ah PPU!!!
Ah slave Youn!!!
I am in my country too, Cambodia.
Do not come to interfere Khmer nationalists here. Go to fuck your mother's pussy!!!
FUCK YOU, Ah PPU !!!
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