Cheang sokha and David Boyle
The Phnom Penh Post
THE Royal Cambodian Armed Forces plans to test-fire 200 BM-21 rockets today in Kampong Chhnang province, a move Prime Minister Hun Sen has described as a normal part of military exercises, but which some observers say could be a show of force directed at Thailand.
Minister of Defence Tea Banh will oversee today’s exercise, ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat said Wednesday, adding that officials were looking to determine whether the Russian rockets are still operational.
“We’ve kept them too long. But these weapons were used many times during the Khmer Rouge period,” Chhum Socheat said.
Hun Sen announced the tests during a speech late last month, during which he sought to pre-empt speculation that the move had anything to do with the ongoing border row with Thailand.
“We are not flexing our muscles – this is work to strengthen the abilities of the military in national defence,” Hun Sen said on February 24.
However, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said Wednesday he suspected that muscle-flexing was exactly what the government had in mind.
“I think it’s very irresponsible because of the attention we have at the border,” he said, referring to the dispute over land surrounding Preah Vihear temple that intensified after Cambodia’s application to register the ruins as a World Heritage site was approved in July 2008.
“It is probably more the case that this is more about the border conflict.”
He added that he believed the exercises were more likely designed to stir up domestic support for the government rather than to intimidate Thailand.
Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn declined to comment beyond saying that he hoped Cambodian military officials would keep their Thai counterparts sufficiently informed.
“We have no comment, but we hope that the local military officials have been in contact with each other. That is the normal procedure,” Panitan said.
Minister of Defence Tea Banh will oversee today’s exercise, ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat said Wednesday, adding that officials were looking to determine whether the Russian rockets are still operational.
“We’ve kept them too long. But these weapons were used many times during the Khmer Rouge period,” Chhum Socheat said.
Hun Sen announced the tests during a speech late last month, during which he sought to pre-empt speculation that the move had anything to do with the ongoing border row with Thailand.
“We are not flexing our muscles – this is work to strengthen the abilities of the military in national defence,” Hun Sen said on February 24.
However, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said Wednesday he suspected that muscle-flexing was exactly what the government had in mind.
“I think it’s very irresponsible because of the attention we have at the border,” he said, referring to the dispute over land surrounding Preah Vihear temple that intensified after Cambodia’s application to register the ruins as a World Heritage site was approved in July 2008.
“It is probably more the case that this is more about the border conflict.”
He added that he believed the exercises were more likely designed to stir up domestic support for the government rather than to intimidate Thailand.
Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn declined to comment beyond saying that he hoped Cambodian military officials would keep their Thai counterparts sufficiently informed.
“We have no comment, but we hope that the local military officials have been in contact with each other. That is the normal procedure,” Panitan said.
15 comments:
This is the sign of introducing the Fourth Indo-China war begin!
If the war broke out between Cambodia and Thailand then the Vietnam must be prepared for their westward Journey. Cambodia and Laos are the military tools for Vietnam to be in used.
This time Yuon will tell Cambodian leaders to fight with Thailand is the benefit of Khmer to gain old land back. sic!
Like Ghost yuon Ho Chi Minh told Sihanouk to help and fight for vietcong to liberate Kampuchea Krom for vietnam, then vietnam will return kampuchea Krom back to khmer. sic!
big deal! it's called national defense of cambodia, really! even your country have national defense, so why not cambodia too? what planet are you from, really!
Hun Sen shows off to prove to the people of Cambodia that he is a nationalist and that he is defending Cambodia from Thailand. Hun Sen wants votes from the people to keep him in power. And those weapons are not left from KR regime, these weapons just brought into Cambodia by the Viet Communist to increase their expansionism in Cambodia.
Every body can see that.
It is good thing for Cambodia to have some level of deterrent forces. however, the bad thing is Cambodian armed forces still 20 years behind Thai forces in term of skills and equipments and capbilities.
Don't be confused that Cambodian armed forces should not be reckoned with because any weapon even a butcher knife still kill lives.
But the issue is that if the two at one point determine to go to war regardless the cost, Thai armed forces will be in better position to win.
Like VN and Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge troops, There were about 38000 or plus VN troops lost lives in fighting with Khmer Rouge, but the buttonline, VN conquered the war.
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
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
Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
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 80 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 over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
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
Embezzlement
Treason
Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation bomb on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Lightning strike many airplanes, but did not fall from the sky. Lightning strike out side of airplane and discharge electricity to ground.
Source: Lightning, Discovery Channel
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.
Combats of Private Party!
Cambodia is still way behind, because of the poor equipped military, compared to Thailand is still way way behind, eventhough, Khmers got most of experienced in WAR, but they really need modern weapons, military technique in order to compete with Nieghbors...
Cambodia will make it! step by step, and let neighbors country know, they must respects cambodia and don't fuck with us...!!
Hun Sen can fire more his rockets even curse anyone he hates but no one cares, because sooner or later Ah Youns will swallo the whole Khmer land quietely
NO BODY FUCKING CARE ABOUT THE GRENADE ATTACK ON MARCH 30, 1997 IN CAMBODIA. FUCKING SAMRAINSY LOSER!!
4:31, no body fucking care about the grenate attack ? you must be one of those perpetrators . i wish you are in my neighbohood .
WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE WANT TO SAY. WHEN THE THAI FIRED MOTARS TO DESTROY THE MARKET AT THE DOOR STEP OF THE PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE, WHY DID ANYBODY CONDEMNED THEM. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE, THE SHELL LANDED JUST NEAR THE NAGA STAIRCASE. THEY WANTED TO SHOW US THAT THEY HAVE A PRECISE ARTELLERY. BUT OUR SOLDIER DID REVENGE FOR THIS. DURING THE SECOND ATTACK, OUR CAMBODIAN SOLDIERS SENT A COMMANDO SQUAD TO KILL THEIR ATTELERY COMMANDER, A GRADUATE OF WEST POINT, FROM BEHIND. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW GUERRILLA WARFARE.
in cambodia, we say as long as there are the sun and the moon, there is hope for a better cambodia, really! god bless my beautiful country of cambodia.
In North Korea, 25 million N.Koreans see sun everyday and see the moon once/month, still have no hope. Because Kim Jung Ill is their sun and their moon.
but cambodia is not n.korea, don't be so ignorant, ok! please study khmer language, ok!
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