Cambodian soldiers walk down the mountain near the Preah Vihear temple complex last week. Cambodian military officers said Sunday that Thailand had brought in reinforcements to the border area. (Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON)
Thai Captain Manus Sripitak (second from left) meets with Cambodian officials at Sambok Khmum last week. Officials from the two countries also met informally in Siem Reap last Thursday.Along the border, Cambodian military officers said Sunday that the Thai army had brought in reinforcements to the border area. (Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON)Monday, 13 July 2009
Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post
Meeting between Thai, Cambodian military brass seeks to further dialogue between front-line commanders, defence official says.
HIGH-ranking Cambodian and Thai authorities held an informal meeting Thursday in Siem Reap to encourage their regional commanders to set up additional meetings in an effort to reduce tension along the border near Preah Vihear temple, a defence official said.
Chhum Sucheat, the spokesman and undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Defence, told the Post Sunday that ministry officials hoped the meeting would push the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) commander of region 4 and the Thai commander of region 2 to meet more regularly.
"We are optimistic from the meeting that the result will be more dialogue between Cambodian and Thai commanders, which will help reduce tensions in order to avoid armed confrontation," he said.
Neang Phat, a secretary of state at the Defence Ministry, and advisers to General Anupong Paochinda, commander-in-chief of the Thai army, participated in the meeting, said Chhum Sucheat, who added that after the meeting the Cambodian and Thai delegation played golf together.
Yim Phim, commander of Brigade 8, said Sunday that Thailand brought tanks, artillery and infantry to the border.
"So far, nothing has occurred, and the armies at the front lines remain on alert," Yim Phim said.
Chhum Socheat would neither confirm nor deny reports of troop reinforcements but downplayed their significance.
"It is normal for both Cambodia and Thailand to reinforce troops at the border ... therefore both sides now want to try to hold more meetings between regional commanders," Sucheat said. "We will try to set up more meetings in line with the recommendation of Prime Minister Hun Sen."
Cambodia and Thailand have long disagreed about the ownership of the area near Preah Vihear temple, and the dispute turned violent after UNESCO granted the 11th-century temple World Heritage site status last July.
Periodic gunbattles, the last one in April, have killed seven soldiers since then.
Although in 1962 the World Court ruled that the temple was in Cambodian territory, recently Thailand said it would seek joint listing of the temple, further raising tensions on the border.
The area near the temple has never been officially demarcated, in part because the border is still littered with land mines.
HIGH-ranking Cambodian and Thai authorities held an informal meeting Thursday in Siem Reap to encourage their regional commanders to set up additional meetings in an effort to reduce tension along the border near Preah Vihear temple, a defence official said.
Chhum Sucheat, the spokesman and undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Defence, told the Post Sunday that ministry officials hoped the meeting would push the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) commander of region 4 and the Thai commander of region 2 to meet more regularly.
"We are optimistic from the meeting that the result will be more dialogue between Cambodian and Thai commanders, which will help reduce tensions in order to avoid armed confrontation," he said.
Neang Phat, a secretary of state at the Defence Ministry, and advisers to General Anupong Paochinda, commander-in-chief of the Thai army, participated in the meeting, said Chhum Sucheat, who added that after the meeting the Cambodian and Thai delegation played golf together.
"It is normal for both Cambodia and Thailand to reinforce troops at the border."Chhum Sucheat said the next meeting between the Thai and Cambodian defence ministries would be an annual meeting to discuss border issues, which will be held in Bangkok between July 21 and July 23.
Yim Phim, commander of Brigade 8, said Sunday that Thailand brought tanks, artillery and infantry to the border.
"So far, nothing has occurred, and the armies at the front lines remain on alert," Yim Phim said.
Chhum Socheat would neither confirm nor deny reports of troop reinforcements but downplayed their significance.
"It is normal for both Cambodia and Thailand to reinforce troops at the border ... therefore both sides now want to try to hold more meetings between regional commanders," Sucheat said. "We will try to set up more meetings in line with the recommendation of Prime Minister Hun Sen."
Cambodia and Thailand have long disagreed about the ownership of the area near Preah Vihear temple, and the dispute turned violent after UNESCO granted the 11th-century temple World Heritage site status last July.
Periodic gunbattles, the last one in April, have killed seven soldiers since then.
Although in 1962 the World Court ruled that the temple was in Cambodian territory, recently Thailand said it would seek joint listing of the temple, further raising tensions on the border.
The area near the temple has never been officially demarcated, in part because the border is still littered with land mines.
7 comments:
Cambodian commanders and high ranking officers should be more cautious about annual meeting in Bangkok. Thai may play dirty trick for making Cambodian commanders sick or poison through food they serve. This is another silent way to eliminate the enemy.
I'm kind of sicken tired of the talks they were having with Thai-thieft, how many time of meeting, talking we've had with these invader? i think khmer soldier should round up and take these asshole into prisoner of war and demending Thailand to withrawal all of their troops out!!!!
Those 10 black clad Thais at Pagoda and 30 at sombok khmum should leave khmer land imediately! why our khmer leader still negotiated with them? just like you guy said! round up and take them into prisoner of war and demending Thailand to withrwal out of khmer lands, including Ta Moun Thom, Ta Moun Touch and the rest of their fucken troops out....no mor talking!! it has been 1 year now...?? more talks on what?
Cambodian leader play down again! they knew their troops has poor equipped and poor weapons...this is why Thailand still taking advantage! otherwise they may have withrawal already...
Thai people generally have no conscious. On the surface they claim faith in religion, Buddhism, and Dharma. They profess to these philosophy and pretend to the world that they are a spiritual people.
The truth is they don't even know what Dharma is. They don't even know what love mean. They have no grasp of the concept of kuruna or metta.
Proof: All of the killings of unarmed Khmer, Hmong and Burmese civilians every year by Thai border patrol and soldiers.
People with conscious would arrest people, apply the law effectively without the loss of civilian lives but savage have no term with civility. There reason is vendetta, hatred, and take political belief and turn it to an act of cruelty. They have no conscious, no discipline. Better to call them animals then soldiers.
These are the people Thai are proud of. Now what does that say about Thai people? A pathetic disgraced to the human race!
We may have a pathetic prime minister who is a disgraced to Khmer and human race, but that is different from having an entire nation of people living on hatred so deep you can kill other people without a flinch! That is what Thais, are from the factory employer to the people on the street to the soldiers. They way they treat anybody else but the Farang is despicable and shameless contradiction to their supposed zeal in the teachings of Buddha.
Do you notice that Thai soldiers wear black uniform to intimidate Khmer soldiers? They try to copy cat with Khmer Rouge uniform, Black means Communist. Now Thai turns to communist regime and try to invade and conquer Khmer land.
Before Khmer respect and admire Thai, now we think they're animal and sub-class who tries to kill others for their advantage. Yesterday they just killed one of Khmer loggers near the border.
We're no longer afraid of you, Thailand thief.
I personally hate Thai people and won't go to eat in their restaurant in the US.
We should all boycott Thai (Siem) product and Hanoi product.
I agreed with one comment that Khmer leaders still keep negotiate with Thai, but Hun Sen is very good in killing his own people in 24 hours. Does it make sense? This idiot leader is a dog who could bark on his own people, but can't use his long hot dog (his penis or his wife pussy) to whip Ah Siem.
it is just like having more coffee break for both side commanders.
Please do not trust those thai commanders,they already had their mind set on cambodian soil.
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