Saturday, February 05, 2011

Two dead in Thai-Cambodian border clash

February 05, 2011
AFP

THAI and Cambodian soldiers exchanged heavy fire on the two countries' shared border on Friday, killing one soldier and a civilian, as tensions between the neighbours boiled over.

One Cambodian soldier died in the skirmishes near the disputed ancient Preah Vihear temple, a Cambodian military commander on the scene who did not wish to be named told AFP by telephone.

A Thai villager was also killed by artillery shelling and five Thai soldiers were injured, Thai public health minister Jurin Laksanawisit said.

Both Thailand and Cambodia accused the other of starting the fighting, the deadliest since April 2009 as the United States urged "maximum restraint".

Chhum Socheat, a spokesman for the Cambodian defence ministry, said that four Cambodian soldiers had been injured and four Thai soldiers had been captured in fighting that lasted for nearly three hours.


The area around the temple is claimed by both sides and Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Phnom Penh planned to complain to the United Nations over what it termed the "Thai invasion".

"We will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council on Saturday," he told AFP, adding that Thai soldiers had fired artillery shells 18-20 kilometres (11-12 miles) into Cambodian territory.

But Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon played down the significance of the incident. "We are negotiating now and I am sure that everything will be fine," he said.

A US State Department spokeswoman said: "The United States urges both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary steps to reduce tensions and avoid further conflict.

"We are closely monitoring the situation," she added.

A Thai army official at the border said fighting broke out at 3:10 pm local time (7:10pmm AEDT) at Phu Makuea, near the 11th-century temple.

Residents in several villages along both sides of the border were evacuated, officials said.

Ties between the two countries have been strained since July 2008 by a series of deadly border clashes over land surrounding the temple after it was granted UN World Heritage status.

Thailand and Cambodia have both been talking tough on the border issue, which some observers say serves nationalist goals at home on both sides.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear itself belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute.

The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Another border spat has focused on the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is built in the disputed area. Thailand on Monday demanded that Cambodia remove its flag from the pagoda, which it said was "situated on Thai territory" - a claim Cambodia vehemently rejects.

The fighting erupted just hours after Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held talks with his counterpart in Cambodia.

Tensions between the two countries have flared in recent weeks in the wake of the arrest of seven Thai nationals for illegal entry into Cambodia in late December.

Five of the group were given suspended sentences and have since returned to Thailand. The other two, high-profile nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid and his secretary, were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for spying, in a case that has caused outrage among Thailand's "Yellow Shirts".

Hundreds of Yellow Shirts have camped out around Government House in Bangkok since last week, demonstrating against its handling of the border dispute, and the group plans a larger rally on Saturday.

Yellow Shirts are a force to be reckoned with in Thailand's colour-coded politics and have helped to claim the scalps of three governments in under five years, including that of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

this article came from bangcock post is biased toward cambodia! it is stupid for them to say that the area around preah vihear has never been fully demarcated and due to littered with landmine, etc. if it was never demarcated, how did they international treaty come about? and so forth! stop making lame excuse and violated the international law, siem pad thugs! the real issue is your people disrespect and violated the international treaty and show contempt of court, etc, ok! it is simple, who built preah vihear temple, siem kings or khmer kings? and did siem exist yet as a nation during khmer empire and khmer civilization? if you can answer that question, then we can understand your logic, but we know it's not the case at all, really! go back to nanchoa province of china and return all of our old khmer provinces and temples back to cambodia, ok!

can't wait for siem thieves to explain to the UN security country on this stealing and violation!

Anonymous said...

To the Thai pilots, don’t drop bombs on innocent Cambodian people.
Please aim your targets at Hun Sen’s houses in Takhmau and Phnom Penh.
The Cambodian people will thank you for doing that.

Anonymous said...

“A US State Department spokeswoman said: "The United States urges both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary steps to reduce tensions and avoid further conflict.”

=What is maximum restraint? What is the use of maximum restraint when the Siem military thugs choose to bully Cambodia into submission? So Cambodian military choose not to do anything and that will help solve the conflict? Ahahhahah

Who is the aggressor here?....It is the Siem military thugs!
Who violate the International Court ruling? It is the Siem military thugs!
Who send the Siem military thugs to invade Cambodia? It is the Siem leaders!

Anonymous said...

To Khmer Surins, what are you people doing? Look at what the Thai are doing to your people and your mother land. It is your chance to rise up against the Thai now and reunite with your long lost people and your mother land.
Wake up. Don't let this opportunity pass by. I know Khmer in Thailand still love Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

To the people who support foreigner such as Thais or Viet to invade our motherland are traitors. These people have no place in Cambodia or elsewhere, what they said it just pro invader Thais or Viet and accuse Khmer for everything so Khmer became the scapegoat of these traitors.

Anonymous said...

Why donot take our land back and push Thai back inside their territory?, alots of clashes was held in Cambodia as we can see map on every reports. We must destroy Thais base before make any negotiation.

Anonymous said...

Thais destroyed Preah Vihear Temple. Form now on all Thais citizen will not allow to visit the temple forever.

Anonymous said...

before kill HunSen, yo must yuon first, OK!!!