Abhisit denies troops will be pulled from temple area

Cambodia puts opening of border gate on hold

2/12/2010
Bangkok Post

Thai troops will remain in place in the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple until the border problems with Cambodia are resolved, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.

Mr Abhisit yesterday denied a report that Thai troops were being withdrawn from the disputed area in Si Sa Ket province.

Cambodia responded to the announcement by saying it would postpone the opening of a border gate with Thailand near the temple.

Mr Abhisit said he had clearly stated that no soldiers would be pulled back as long as there was no resolution to the dispute.

Cambodia is accused by Thailand of encroaching on Thai soil by building a temple, a community and a market in the area.

Mr Abhisit insisted the soldiers would stay at their posts until the bilateral memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 was respected.

The memo requires the two countries to keep out of the disputed area while the demarcation negotiations continue.

Mr Abhisit demanded that Cambodia stop development in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear for the sake of peace until the talks were finalised.

He welcomed a report that Cambodia was dismantling its community and market in the disputed area.

The latest development proved that bilateral negotiations were making progress and the use of force was unnecessary in dealing with border issues, the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh told the Bangkok Post that Thai and Cambodian authorities did not enter into any agreement to withdraw their troops from the disputed area. However, they were being redeployed at some border stations to avoid any confrontation.

He also confirmed Cambodia's plan to reopen the Preah Vihear temple although he did not say if this would take place before the New Year.

"We have yet to discuss the details of the joint use of the area by Thailand and Cambodia, and still have many other issues to thrash out," Gen Tea Banh said.

Hang Soth, director-general of the Cambodian government-run agency managing the Preah Vihear temple, said Phnom Penh had postponed opening a border gate with Thailand near the temple. "We have delayed it indefinitely," he said.

Cambodia earlier this week said redeployment of troops by the two countries away from the border had eased the way for the gate to be opened for the first time in over two years.

The gate, which gives access to the 11th-century site to visitors from Thailand, has been closed since July 2008 after Thai protesters rallied near the ruins.

Hang Soth said the decision to delay opening the gate was taken because neither side could agree on details like whether a ticket booth could be installed on the Thai side.

Thailand also wanted Thai vendors to be allowed to sell their wares in a Cambodian market near the temple, he said.

"We disagreed because it is our territory," said Hang Soth.