Saturday, September 19, 2009

Life's tough for the Siamese invading troops

Life's tough for troops at border

Dug in between Cambodian forces and a planned PAD rally, the tension is mounting

19/09/2009
Thanida Tansubhapol in Si Sa Ket
Bangkok Post


"If they fire at us, we'll have to duck behind the rocks and fire back at them," said a soldier stationed near Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri in the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple.

Life is tough for him and his nine comrades these days because they are being pressured by Cambodian soldiers based not far from them.

The pressure will likely increase on Saturday if protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy rally at the Khao Phra Viharn National Park, on the Thai border in Kantharalak district, manage to enter the disputed 4.6 square kilometres of land that both Thailand and Cambodia lay claim to.

A military officer said his Cambodian counterparts have asked about the PAD's movements, but the Thai army has consistently tried to downplay the rally's significance, saying it was an internal matter which had nothing to do with Cambodia.

"We hope the level of severity will not be elevated," he said.

The PAD said the construction of new houses, roads and temples on the Cambodian side showed Thailand is losing sovereignty of the area.

However, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has consistently denied the yellow shirts' claims that the government has turned a blind eye to recent developments in the overlapping area.

The military and security agencies are concerned that tensions along the border could increase as a result of the PAD rally.

Troops are already on tenterhooks around Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri where Thai and Cambodian soldiers are positioned just 40 metres from each other, though they converse and share food.

The officer said the Cambodian government was actively encouraging people to come to Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri every day to offer food to monks, and they would use the road that has just been built from Ban Ko Mui in Preah Vihear province.

Many Cambodian soldiers have also brought their families to settle near the area.

He ruled out fighting as an option to solve the matter.

If all sides are patient and engage in meaningful negotiations the situation will return to normal, he said, adding that the return of tourists to the area would be a win-win situation for the two countries.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey siem, of course, it is your internal problem, however your gov't better not let unruly pad thugs invade cambodia because cambodia will act in self-defense, really!

Anonymous said...

Thai Gov't is the one that sending these yellows shirt to protest the area on purpose, after that their army come in, and pretend to rescue their people, but they will stay and occupy the lands, cambodia must becareful with this new tricks they playing, just shoot ta hell out of them! either soldier or civilian, it make no different...just keep on SHOOTING!!

Anonymous said...

KILL THEM ALL. THEY ARE ANIMALS.

Anonymous said...

We don't need to fired on this alien invaders. We just take all of them and bring to Phnom Penh Court.
For their intention to destroy "Prasat Preah Vihear" the Khmer Reritage

Anonymous said...

Correct: Khmer Heritage

Anonymous said...

សៀមអាវលឿងបះទង្គិចជាមួយសៀមអាវក្រហមនេះបើតាមព័ត៍មានពីសមរភូមិពីប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ
នៅរសៀលថ្ងៃសៅរ៍ទី១៩។ហើយជើងអាកាសរបស់សៀមសុំឩទ្ថម្ភាចក្រ
ចុះចតនៅប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ។បាតុកកម្មទាំងពីរ
បណ្តាលឲ្យរងរបួសជាង៣០នាក់រវាងគ្នានឹងគ្នា
ដួច្នេះសូមកងខេមរភូមិន្ទមេត្តាប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ថេជានិច្ច
ពីព្រោះសៀមមានល្បិចច្រើនណាស់សូមអរគុណ
កងទ័ពកម្ពុជា។បាតុកម្មរបស់ថៃទាំងពីរក្រុមមានរបួសជាទម្ងន់រាងៗខ្លួនហើយបានប្រាប់កងខេមរភូមិន្ទ
កុំភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលនៅរឿងឲ្យសោះ។ប៉ុន្តែកងទ័ពកម្ពុជា
របស់យើងសូមមានការប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ថជានិច្ចពីព្រោះ
សៀមវាល្បិចច្រើនណាស់ដូចជាគណបក្សប្រឆាំង
នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឥញ្ជឹងដែរ។

Anonymous said...

This seemed ridiculous all forces are not armed and if this occured very bad our forces will get injured without protected gears. Hun Sen would say uh oh I told you be very careful. 4,000 siam versus 1,000 forces + 500 villagers. This is unacceptable remembered US had pouring in $58M for road contruction nothing had been happened. At least they should bought some gears for our forces such as protected bortons, helmets and bullet proofs vest. Where is all the money? All for CPP members.

Anonymous said...

Dude, Hun Sen never want a war with Thai in the first place. He did scream, threaten Thai just to show his people that he's strong and dare to face with Thai. There are two reasons contributed to this assumption. If the war breaks out:

1.- All the Casino's along Khmer-Thai borders will be closed down and the result, he would lose millions of dollars annually in income.

2.-If he lost the war, which is more than likely, he will lose his power and once he lost power his fate is just like Saddam Hussein: hanged by the people.

In all case scenario, it is the Thai who will start the war rather than Hun Sen.