18 November 2009By Channel News Asia's IndoChina Correspondent Anasuya Sanyal
THAILAND-CAMBODIA BORDER: Defensive preparations are being made in some Thai border towns, just kilometres away from where the two countries meet – with bunkers set up in recent months as a part of Thai villagers' defence strategy.
Such anti-artillery bunkers reflect the rising tension between Thailand and Cambodia, especially along the border. Relations are at an all-time low for a variety of reasons.
A 4.6-kilometre parcel of land near Preah Vihear temple is still disputed.
Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra was recently welcomed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to advise the government. And the arrest of a Thai national in Phnom Penh accused of spying has resulted in a diplomatic deadlock.
But most agree that it is a government spat and not likely to turn violent.
"The conflict that (has) arisen at this moment is not between people. The Cambodian people and Thai people are still good friends together and they have good relationship, even the soldiers. No one wants any fight, but in case we have to do it, we are ready to win," said Thai Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga.
In addition to evacuation plans, governments in Thai border towns have built 340 concrete and sandbag bunkers at a cost of over US$2 million. They said people feel more secure with them around.
And though the government said the military situation is normal on the border, the media is denied access and told it is for their own safety.
Some analysts said Thais will put aside political divisions to unite against a perceived external threat, but this corner of the Kingdom still supports the former prime minister.
"Local people here like Thaksin. We are proud that a Thai become an advisor (to another country)," said Nirandon Lumthaisong, official, Sao Thongchai sub-district.
An escalation of the row may include sealing the border between the two countries.
However, locals here said this would hurt trade and their livelihoods and make the situation much worse for the people who have already borne much of the brunt of this conflict.
Such anti-artillery bunkers reflect the rising tension between Thailand and Cambodia, especially along the border. Relations are at an all-time low for a variety of reasons.
A 4.6-kilometre parcel of land near Preah Vihear temple is still disputed.
Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra was recently welcomed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to advise the government. And the arrest of a Thai national in Phnom Penh accused of spying has resulted in a diplomatic deadlock.
But most agree that it is a government spat and not likely to turn violent.
"The conflict that (has) arisen at this moment is not between people. The Cambodian people and Thai people are still good friends together and they have good relationship, even the soldiers. No one wants any fight, but in case we have to do it, we are ready to win," said Thai Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga.
In addition to evacuation plans, governments in Thai border towns have built 340 concrete and sandbag bunkers at a cost of over US$2 million. They said people feel more secure with them around.
And though the government said the military situation is normal on the border, the media is denied access and told it is for their own safety.
Some analysts said Thais will put aside political divisions to unite against a perceived external threat, but this corner of the Kingdom still supports the former prime minister.
"Local people here like Thaksin. We are proud that a Thai become an advisor (to another country)," said Nirandon Lumthaisong, official, Sao Thongchai sub-district.
An escalation of the row may include sealing the border between the two countries.
However, locals here said this would hurt trade and their livelihoods and make the situation much worse for the people who have already borne much of the brunt of this conflict.
9 comments:
Dear Thai don't get in the Yuon's trap like Cambodia and Laos.
khmer in france
Youn tries to destroy your country by using Khmer as a route.
Cambodia will use bunker buster missile to destroy this type of bunker...Thais can run, but you can't hide form bunker buster!
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over eighty members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
when germany war they make any thing big and big at last big can 't win from people feel and single shoot.
Cambodian army needed to learns warfare technique from professional, experienced alone is not good enough...
AH SIAM MUST DIE DIE DIE!!!!!
I want my Khmer boy life back!!!!!
khmer dont have shit. oh they have old vietnam tank and artary and some ak. hun sen dont want to go to war because he has none to defend the country. get real
Is this just made into fake history for your kid generation saying that Cambodia really invated into your land? That why you(thai) build bunker with concret. Pol Pot has done that to invert that idea to hate vietmanese and any vietmanese origin in cambodia must be kill but it is fail instead vietmanese in control of Cambodia. So you dump thai we(khmer) will in control your nation someday. Khmer alway on move if you are keep distrak Khmer Angkor. Hun Sen is bi-origin of Viet-Angkor=stronger mimd and power than you dump thai of one origin of siame.
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