Songkitti JaggabatraBy Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
21 August 2009
High-ranking Thai military commanders are slated to meet their Cambodian counterparts later this month, in an effort to address the longstanding border dispute near Preah Vihear temple and an emerging maritime dispute, officials said Friday.
Already high military tensions escalated this week, when Thailand protested Cambodia’s push for further oil exploration in the Gulf of Thailand, especially near Kuth island. Thailand said this was an encroachment of its maritime borders, a claim Cambodia denies. Both sides have had soldiers entrenched near the Preah Vihear border for more than a year.
Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatra, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, and his deputies, Adm. Apichart Pengsritong and Air Chief Marshal Bureerat Ratanavanich, will be accompanied by some 87 Thai military officials to visit Cambodia Aug. 24.
The delegation will meet with Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and other senior officials.
The visit “is intended to strengthen the relationship and cooperation between the two countries,” Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh told VOA Khmer. “This visit will reduce military tension in border disputes.”
Already high military tensions escalated this week, when Thailand protested Cambodia’s push for further oil exploration in the Gulf of Thailand, especially near Kuth island. Thailand said this was an encroachment of its maritime borders, a claim Cambodia denies. Both sides have had soldiers entrenched near the Preah Vihear border for more than a year.
Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatra, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, and his deputies, Adm. Apichart Pengsritong and Air Chief Marshal Bureerat Ratanavanich, will be accompanied by some 87 Thai military officials to visit Cambodia Aug. 24.
The delegation will meet with Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and other senior officials.
The visit “is intended to strengthen the relationship and cooperation between the two countries,” Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh told VOA Khmer. “This visit will reduce military tension in border disputes.”
23 comments:
Both the governments of Kampuchea and Siam use the border talk for their domestic politcal gain.
Both peoples of Kampuchea and Siam lose out.
Thailand too is being infiltrated by Vietanmese. The troubles between Cambodia-Thailand is created by the Vietnamese.
Both gov'ts waste the tax-payers's money.
Both countries use the talks to shut up the critics.
The militaries do not have anything better to do so do the foreign ministries of Kampuchea and Siam.
I went to a few Thai sites, there're rumour said Thai Royal family members already sent their billion of USD to foreign banks and so their gold and diamond were also in foreign bank safe deposit boxes.
Without the military dictator rules Thailand along with Bhumibol family, the socialists will take over. The US wouldn't allow it to happen, but how long when Thailand has too many poor people? Too many graduated students find no job available, and in order to survive youn Thai educated students have to become transvestites to sleep with foreigners or tourists.
I meant young Thai not Youn Thai. Correct to my post 4:06am.
Cambodian government can't accept 87 Thai military bodies to visited Cambodia during this hight military tension between the 2 coutries.They could be a spies with 174 eyes.It's too many and watch out,they might put a micrichip under HS or Pol Saroeun desks.
I totally agree with 2:29am,3:24am 100%! i'm kind da tired of the Meeting and Talking they having...at the end Viet/Thai collects them all, Khmer going broke again!!
Cambodia shouldn't afraid Thailand if cambodia has a warship too! cambodia must stand up for herself, no more kissing ass with neighbors aggressor!!
My prediction that Khmer empire will be back to show the world how wonderful life and kindness is to human race exist in this galaxy.
IN the next five to twenty years from now when the oil starting production in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Will have excess to high tech weapons and warship also high tech aircraft to protect our homeland.Remember not to declare WAR.But protect our Country!!!
916am.
We hope, Khmer nation will become great. But I don't want to follow the playboy Kings of an ancient empire who hanged thousand of topless women on the walls.
Not one person(King).But we need the whole Khmer empire to restore our Homeland for all citizens of Khmer empire.
Let' all of us pray that 9:16am is right! cambodia really needed that...
go back to nancho province of china, siem thugs! leave cambodia alone!
6:41AM,
Being a paranoia myself ,i agree with you 100%.I think those THAI delegation are nothing but SPY.
And 9:16AM,
Don't count on it.The oil revenue will go directly to HUN SEN and his cronies bank account for sure.
Cambodia should get itself a real warship to protects sea...
10:48am, do you ever heard of manifestive destiny or self-fulfilling prophecy? that is exactly what you are doing here. if keep wanting mr. hun sen and his political group to keep the oil money like you are saying, then don't complain about it. why not instead create penal code or penal law to punish those who committed such heinous act against the state, instead of just whining and complaining about it in advance. no wonder some people claim that some people are not being proactive, just talk and running the mouth obnoxiously and nothing good comes out of it! please think about it! if you want change you have to be engaging and proactive. it's important, believe it or not! stop making sarcastic remarks or false pretense of wishing something then turn around to complain about it later! go figure!
probably your selfish attitude is the problem here!
Cambodia must upgrade their military power step by step, to prevent further incroachment in the future by neighbors...
6:41AM - fully agree with you. Why the hell do we need 87 thai military personel for a meeting? Five or six is more than enough.
I think the thais are up to something.
11:38AM,
Your wishful thinking is nothing but that.Ask yourself ,who's in control of your country now?.Do you think they will enact the penal code to eradicate corruption?.If you think they will then you're a little naive.CPP did not even care about corruption law.And do you know why,it hurt their interest.I hope they can't find any oil yet before your country become a real democratic that is a govt of the people ,by the people and for the people.A check and balance system of the govt that's what khmer as a nation need first.What you have now in Cambodia,don't count on it.There will not be transprency , and you can mark my word , oil revenue will certainly go to private account for sure.
maybe the siem thugs thinks they control cambodia or something! no wonder khmer people have to remind them again and again that we and they are not in the dark ages anymore! there are all sorts of law and international law, etc... they must respect that, like it or not! get used to it! stop living in a dream world, siem thieves!
I don't believe the oil revenue will not going to private account.Because Hun Sen will not live for 1000 years,The oil revenue will going to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
WE will have access to what's the Country need(Comment 9:16AM)
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