Thai, Cambodian PMs agree to prevent border clashes

PATTAYA, April 10 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen on Friday agreed to find ways to prevent border clashes between the armed forces of the two countries from reoccurring in future.

Both leaders discussed last Friday's border spat on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits in Thailand's eastern seaside resort town of Pattaya, they expressed regret over the latest clashes near the disputed ancient temple of Preah Vihear in which two Thai and two Cambodian soldiers died and nine Thai soldiers were wounded.

Mr. Abhisit told a press conference after the meeting, the incident happened because of a misunderstanding. He also said the incident would not affect bilateral relations and both countries would use channels of communication if anything similar looked likely to happen again in the future.

The Thai premier said he would also visit Cambodia on April 18 to meet King Norodom Sihamoni, Hun Sen and other senior officials.

Mr. Abhisit meanwhile returned one of seven stolen Cambodian artifacts from the 12th century during the discussion with Hun Sen.

The remaining artifacts will be handed to the Cambodian government during Mr. Abhisit’s official visit.

All seven antiquities were earlier stolen and carried to Thailand, but were seized by customs officials.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the Thai prime minister said Mr. Abhisit also stressed to Mr. Hun Sen that trade and investment between the two countries would continue, especially on the construction of the Highway 68 project which will link Thailand’s northeastern province of Surin with Cambodia’s Siem Reap province in that country’s northwest.

Construction costs of the highway estimated at US$43.7 million is expected to become a significant boost to an already burgeoning tourism industry in Siem Reap.

Thai, Cambodian PMs discuss border clashes

Friday, April 10, 2009

PATTAYA, Thailand (AFP) — Deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia were caused by a "misunderstanding" and will not harm ties, the Thai premier said Friday after meeting his counterpart.

Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met on the sidelines of an Asian summit here, their first encounter since three Thai soldiers died in fierce gunbattles near an ancient temple one week ago.

"During our bilateral talks we discussed the latest incident," Abhisit told a press conference after the meeting.

"It happened because of a misunderstanding. The incident will not affect our relations and we will use channels of communication if anything happens in future."

Abhisit said he would also visit Cambodia on April 18 to meet King Norodom Sihamoni, Hun Sen and other senior officials.

Tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status and four people died in clashes the following October.

Ownership of the temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 but the two countries are in dispute over five square kilometres (two square miles) of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated.

Abhisit said that he had also discussed cooperation on their overlapping maritime zones and talked about financial assistance to improve the road in Cambodia that links up their border.

Thailand, Cambodia promise to mend fences

Fri, 10 Apr 2009
DPA

Pattaya, Thailand- Thailand and Cambodia Friday agreed to strengthen cooperation and make greater efforts in future to prevent violent incidents along their common border. Thailand's prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and Cambodian leader Hun Sen met at the sidelines of a regional summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the resort town of Pattaya.

It was the first high-level bilateral meeting since clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops near a disputed temple area that left several soldiers dead earlier this month.

"We agreed that the accidents [last week] were the result of a misunderstanding that it should not be allowed to affect our relations and cooperation," Abhisit told journalists after the meeting.

Mechanisms are now in place to resolve the conflicts along the border and prevent problems flaring up again, the Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told the German Press Agency dpa.

The Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Committee met earlier this week and approved significant steps to defuse the tension along the border near Preah Vihear temple, among them an agreement to establish a joint military monitoring group.

The 11th century Hindu Preah Vihear temple, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thai, is situated on an escarpment that forms part of the natural border between the two countries and has been a source of tension between Cambodia and Thailand for generations.

The International Court of Justice awarded the site to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of some 5 square kilometres of scrub land next to the ruins.

Fighting erupted along the border last year after the temple was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO despite Thai objections.

The border had been quiet for months as the neighbours sought jointly to demarcate the jungle area around the temple. But tensions rose again last month when Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers.

"Both countries agreed to exercise extreme caution in future and not allow such incidents to re-occur," Abhisit told journalists.

The two prime ministers discussed several major projects which involved substantial Thai investment, including improving the highway that connects the two countries and the construction of hydro-electric dam that would provide electricity in Cambodia and provide water to parts of south-eastern Thailand.

The Thai prime minister is scheduled to visit Cambodia later this month.

Thai-Cambodian Relations On The Mend

PATTAYA, April 10 (Bernama) -- Thailand and Cambodia, whose relations have been frosty over the past year because of border disputes, took a step forward to improve bilateral ties, following a meeting between Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen, on the sidelines of the 14th Asean Summit and related summits here today.

Abhisit described the latest border skirmish on March 3, this year, near a 900-year-old Hindu temple as having been due to a misunderstanding and vowed to improve relations between the two nations.

Thailand also took a step forward today by agreeing to hand over seven artifacts belonging to Cambodia, which had been smuggled across the Thai-Cambodian border and seized by the Thai authorities in 2000.

Abhisit handed over one of them today to Hun Sen while the rest would be presented when the Thai prime minister makes an official visit to Phnom Penh on April 18.

The artifacts were among 50 intercepted by Thai Customs officials as they were smuggled across.

On Feb 24, this year, the Thai Cabinet adopted a resolution to restitute the seven artifacts to the Cambodian Government, in accordance with an agreement signed between the two governments in 2000, to combat against illicit trafficking and cross-border smuggling of movable cultural property.

Thailand, Cambodia agree to work closely to prevent new border clash

Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva (1st L) meets with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen (1st R) in Pattaya, Thailand, on April 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

PATTAYA, Thailand, April 10 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed here on Friday during their bilateral meeting that the two neighboring countries will work more closely in order to prevent new border clashes, according to Panitan Wattanayakorn, Thai Prime Minister's Deputy Secretary-General.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met on the sideline on Friday of the ASEAN Summit and related summits April 10 to 12, in beach resort Pattaya of Thailand's central province Chonburi.

The two sides have agreed to better organza future security border patrol of their own in a way to avoid misunderstanding and prevent new clashes," said Panitan.

The latest two rounds of border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia broke out last Friday when soldiers from each side fired at each other near the ancient 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, causing casualties on both sides.

However, Panitan conceded that the border dispute between the two countries will take time to solve since the conflict has existed since the colonial period.

The two neighboring countries have disputed over the border demarcation in areas around Preah Vihear temple, which the Haegue International Court ruled in 1962 to belong to Cambodia. The temple in July last year listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, bringing fresh protests in Thailand and border military clashes.

Apart from the border issue, the two leaders also agreed to boost their bilateral trade and investment and to mutually invest in infrastructure projects, including road construction, said Panitan.

Abhisit plans to officially visit Cambodia on April 18, said Panitan.

Thai, Cambodian leaders meet in wake of clash

Cambodia's Prime Minster Hun Sen (L) shake hands with Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in front of a Khmer artefact in Pattaya April 10, 2009. (REUTERS/Sakchai Lalit/Pool)

Fri Apr 10, 2009

PATTAYA, Thailand (Reuters) - The prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia met briefly on Friday, a week after border clashes killed two Thais, and expressed sorrow over the incident, but a Thai official said there may be future "hiccups".

Soldiers from the two Southeast Asian countries exchanged rocket and rifle fire last Friday on a disputed stretch of their border, the latest flare-up in an ancient feud over the 900-year-old Preah Vihear Hindu temple.

"We don't expect to solve the problem in the next few days, or the next few weeks. Occasionally there will be certain hiccups," Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters after the meeting.

"What we have to do is make sure that the security agencies and forces in the area, that are in and out of the area all the time, understand each other."

After the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of an Asian summit in the Thai beach town of Pattaya, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presented Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen with an ancient Khmer artefact.

The two shook hands, then Hun Sen leaned over to kiss the artefact, a large smiling face apparently made of terracotta.

In February, after an earlier border skirmish, Hun Sen reportedly threatened not to attend the East Asia Summit, which brings together 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with leaders of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Thai, Cambodian leaders to meet after new battles

April 8, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodian and Thai negotiators have wrapped up two days of talks aimed at resolving a border dispute which last week flared into deadly gunbattles. They say they have made progress but there appears to be little substantive agreement between the two sides.

Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday over disputed land around the ancient Preah Vihear temple - the deadliest fighting for six months. The World Court gave ownership of the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when it was awarded UN World Heritage status.

The latest skirmish comes just days before the countries' leaders meet face to face at the ASEAN summit in Thailand.

Presenter: Joanna McCarthy
Speaker: Professor David Chandler, research fellow in Cambodian history, Monash Asia Institute

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

McCARTHY: Professor Chandler, is it any surprise to you that this dispute has flared into violence once again?

CHANDLER: Oh not really, because there are a lot of trigger happy soldiers on both sides who feel that they are protecting their national heritage. The Thais feel this temple really belongs to them and the Cambodians think the temple belongs to them and they are not being restrained by their governments to any great extent, I don't think. And also as Ms Percy was saying earlier, that Thailand is a period of considerable instability at the moment. That means that probably people are not paying as much attention to this as they should at the central level.

McCARTHY: Well, these latest talks of course are part of the process that was started after last October's clashes, to try and demarcate the border once and for all, but is there the political will on both sides to resolve this issue?

CHANDLER: It doesn't seem like it, I mean it seems to me if you have political will on both sides, you could resolve it quite quickly. It's not that crucial an issue. But of course matters of national pride are very hard to pin, to keep under control, and this is a matter of national pride on both sides.

McCARTHY: There are key issues that remain unresolved here. Even the official spelling of the temple's name is in dispute. In your view, what are the major obstacles to an agreement?

CHANDLER: Well, I think the major obstacles are the fact that the Thais really don't accept the 1962 ruling that put the temple in Cambodian hands and if the temple is in Cambodian hands, then this World Heritage site thing is another sort of slap in the face for the Thais, who feel that this temple and this whole area belongs to them and would be a prosperous tourist site. I have visited the temple myself, it is very beautiful and there is a tension there between the two countries. I don't see that this is really very soluble, frankly.

McCARTHY: Well, this latest skirmish comes just days before the countries' two leaders are due to meet face-to-face at the ASEAN summit in Thailand. In the longer term, what's it going to mean for the relationship between the two countries?

CHANDLER: I have a feeling the two leaders might be able to iron something out, because they don't want to have this thing go on forever, either of them. Both of them are quite sensible in many ways on issues like this. So it is not in their interest for this thing to drag on, but again I am not sure whose going to have to blink first, if you like. I don't think they are going to go to the meeting blaming each other, but let's just see what happens.

Cambodian, Thai PMs to meet on border disputes

PHNOM PENH, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen will meet with his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva in order to solve both sides' border disputes and avoid further armed clash, a Cambodian spokesman said here on Tuesday.

"They will meet for bilateral talks during the ASEAN summits from April 10 to 12 in Thailand," said Phay Siphan, secretary of state and spokesman of the Council of Ministers.

Cambodia welcomes talks anywhere and anytime to avoid further armed clash between Thai and Cambodia troops in the areas near the Preah Vihear temple, he said.

Two rounds of armed confrontations took place last Friday after Thai troops with weapons intruded on Cambodian land near the 900-year-old temple, and resulted in death and casualty on the Thai side, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.

The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, mainly due to different interpretations of historical maps, as well as the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.

Thai, Cambodian PMs to confer on border tensions during ASEAN summit

BANGKOK, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday he would discuss with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen about defusing tensions along the two countries' border on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus 3 summit, Thai News Agency reported.

The issue won't be raised at the three-day summit, which will start on Friday in Pattaya; instead the two countries will have a negotiation between themselves, Abhisit said.

The situation at the border has steadily improved and normalcy should be soon restored as concerned officials of both countries have met and discussed ways to cool down the situation, he said.

The latest border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia broke out last Friday when soldiers of the two countries clashed twice near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, leaving casualties on both sides.

Thailand and Cambodia have earlier conducted a few round of negotiations which involved the militaries and foreign ministries from the two sides to solve the border dispute regarding areas around the temple, a UNESCO world heritage site.

The International Court of Justice ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia more than 40 years ago. But border dispute over areas around the temple has remained a fuse in the two countries' relationship.

The Thai-Cambodian border has never been fully demarcated, in part because the border is littered with landmines left during the Indochina war between 1960s and 1970s.

Abhisit, Hun Sen to discuss troop clash

Kanok: Two sides have agreed not to use force

6/04/2009
BANGKOK POST AND AFP

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will hold talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen in Pattaya to defuse border tensions which flared after a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine in a disputed area on Thursday.

Speaking during his weekly television address yesterday, Mr Abhisit said he would raise the border row in talks with Hun Sen when the two join the three-day summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its political and economic partners starting on Friday in Pattaya.

Two Thai soldiers and two Cambodian troops died in clashes on Friday in a disputed area claimed by the two countries near the Preah Vihear temple. Agence France-Presse, quoting a military official, reported a third Thai soldier died on Saturday but this could not be confirmed.

The countries played down the incident, calling the clashes a misunderstanding.

The gun battles prompted Suranaree Task Force commander Kanok Netrakawesanan to hold talks with his counterpart Srey Doek, who is chief of the Cambodian military division 3, at Wat Kaew Khiri Sikha Sawara to prevent fresh fighting.

Maj Gen Kanok said after the meeting the two sides had agreed not to use force and to refrain from any attempt to provoke the other side.

Yesterday, troops could be seen chatting and some had even stowed their weapons but they said they remained ready to fight after the clash, the biggest outbreak of violence over the territory since four people died there in October.

The issue will be high on the agenda in talks today and tomorrow in Phnom Penh of the Joint Boundary Commission led by former Thai ambassador to South Korea Vasin Teeravechayan and Var Kim Hong of Cambodia.

A government source said the JBC would call on the two sides to avoid any use of force.

The two countries will discuss Cambodia's plan to build a road into the disputed area and try to settle on the name to be used in their documents.

Thailand considered the road project a breach of the memorandum of understanding made in 2000 between the two countries regarding surveying and land demarcation, said Mr Vasin.

The last JBC meeting stalled over the issue of what to call the Hindu temple in the agreed minutes as Cambodia wanted to call it "Preah Vihear" while Thailand preferred "Phra Viharn."

If the countries cannot settle this problem, other agreements including land surveys in the disputed area will not proceed.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the ministry on Saturday sent an aide memoire about the clashes to the Cambodian government to reaffirm the Thai position and counter the Cambodian side, which had sent an aide memoire of its own to the Thai government.

Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit blamed the escalating tension on a flawed foreign policy towards Cambodia.

He said the government made a mistake in appointing Kasit Piromya as foreign minister. The minister had criticised Hun Sen.

Asean Summit to discuss border clashes : Thai PM

April 6, 2009
The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday the problem of Thai and Cambodian military clashes in a disputed border area will be raised at this week's Asean Summit in Pattaya.

The two neighbouring countries agreed their commanders would strictly supervise their men to prevent another gunfight like last week when Thai and Cambodian soldiers were killed. They firmly agreed their troops must keep to their own territory.

Abhisit said in his weekly TV talkshow that the border friction around the Preah Vihear Temple had gone on for some years, but had become more worrisome since last July, after the ancient site was granted world heritage status by Unesco.

The latest incident last Friday saw troops tangling twice near the ancient temple. Two Thai and two Cambodian soldiers died in the exchange while nine Thai soldiers were wounded.

Abhisit expressed condolences to the families of the dead and wounded soldiers.

He said he had earlier discussed with his Cambodian counterpart Prime Minister Hun Sen about settling the border dispute through the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee, which will meet in Phnom Penh today and tomorrow.

The session was planned before last week's escalation of tensions.

Both Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan have been in constant contact with Cambodian authorities to settle the "misunderstanding", Abhisit said, adding that he expects the situation has now eased.

Maj General Kanok Natrakawesana, commander of the Suranaree Task Force, said his urgent meeting with Cambodian Maj General Srey Doek at the Preah Vihear Temple in the morning was constructive.

Soldiers guarding the border would not be allowed to bring any alcoholic drinks into the area, he said.

"If any problem happens, commanders of both sides will immediately step in to prevent any fighting." Last week's violence was a misunderstanding and both countries have already discussed and cleared it up.

"We have agreed to cooperate more closely and such fighting won't happen again," he said.

Srey Doek told Khmer media that the meeting with the Thai military was held to normalise the situation and ensure there's no more gunfire.

"We have agreed to stay on our own sides of the border," he added.

Thailand, Cambodia to discuss border fight

BANGKOK, April 5 (UPI) -- Thailand's prime minster Sunday said he wants to move quickly to resolve a border conflict with Cambodia that claimed the lives of two Thai soldiers.

The soldiers died Friday in an exchange of gunfire between Thai and Cambodian troops along the shared border.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the border dispute would top his agenda when he meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hunsen during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three summit that starts Saturday in Thailand, China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, reported.

Abhisit said Thailand respects an International Court ruling that awarded the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962, but remains concerned about maintaining territorial rights to Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, which borders Cambodia.

Thai PM to discuss border dispute with Cambodian PM during ASEAN Plus Three summit

BANGKOK, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday said he would discuss about the border dispute issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hunsen during the ASEAN Plus Three summit to be held next week in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Abhisit expressed condolence to families of the two Thai soldiers, who died after Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire on the disputed border area on Friday.

Abhisit vowed to quickly solve the ongoing border dispute, which had prolonged since both sides had had different views on the line of demarcation, the website by Bangkok Post reported.

The Thai Prime Minister said as he respected the International Court's ruling after it awarded the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962, however, he conceded the situation had intensified after Cambodia applied to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site.

Abhisit said he would at the same time ensure that Thailand would not lose its territorial right on Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, which borders Cambodia.

Also, Thai Deputy Prime Minister overseeing security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban and Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan were continually coordinating with Cambodian authorities, Abhisit said.

Thailand will hold the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN Plus Three summit from April 10 to 12 in beach resort Pattaya of Thailand's central province of Chonburi.

Thai prime minister shrugs off Cambodian border battle

Sun, 05 Apr 2009
DPA

Bangkok - Two short, sharp border clashes with Cambodia that left at least two Thai soldiers dead last week will not sour essentially good relations between the two neighbours, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday. Thai and Cambodia troops engaged in at least two brisk shootouts Friday that killed two Thai soldiers and wounded a dozen more on disputed ground near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, located 350 kilometres north-east of Bangkok.

Abhisit said he would discuss the dispute with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at this week's Association of South-East Asian Nations summit hosted by Thailand.

"This was not a war, it was a misunderstanding," he told a television audience.

His remarks echoed the conciliatory remarks made by Hun Sen yesterday when he called for an easing of tensions. Cambodia has not reported any casualties.

The two neighbours have a long history of quarreling over the ownership of part of the land surrounding the temple ruins on their joint border, often reflecting nationalist and political tensions within their own countries.

The dispute escalated in July when clashes left two Cambodian soldiers dead and several Thais wounded shortly after the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named the ancient Hindu temple a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.

The International Court of Justice granted ownership of the temple site to Cambodia in 1962. But land adjacent to the temple compound, including its main entrance on the Thai side, is claimed by both countries.

The Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya was forced to apologize for allegedly calling the Cambodian prime minister a "gangster" in a parliamentary debate. Kasit claimed that characterization was a mistaken translation from his Thai phrasing, which he said meant "lion-hearted."

Border clash on agenda

April 5, 2009
AFP

BANGKOK - THAILAND will raise a deadly border clash with neighbouring Cambodia when the leaders of the two countries meet at a regional summit this week, the Thai prime minister said on Sunday.

Two Thai soldiers were killed on Friday when troops from both countries fought heavy gunbattles in the worst clashes for six months over a disputed 11th century temple on their shared border.

The clash erupted days before a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its regional partners in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya from April 10-12.

'This will be raised in next week's meeting to find a solution to the problem,' Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly television broadcast.

'It is sad for those who lost their lives. We will speed up the return of the situation to normal and resume the talking process as soon as possible,' Mr Abhisit added.

The two countries are also set to hold talks about the situation on the border on Monday and Tuesday in Phnom Penh, which had been arranged before last week's clashes.

On Saturday both Mr Abhisit and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen sought to play down the latest crisis, although troops from both sides remain on standby at the border.

The area was the scene of several clashes last year after Cambodia successfully applied for United Nations world heritage status for the ruins in July, with four soldiers killed in a battle there in October.

In 1962 the World Court awarded the ruins to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance is in Thailand and the two countries still dispute ownership of the surrounding land.

Thai, Cambodian PMs to meet to defuse tension [-Thailand insists that Veal Entry zone is theirs]

Bernama (Malaysia)

BANGKOK, April 5 — With rising tension along their border in Si Sa Ket following the death of four soldiers during clashes on Friday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen will hold talks on the sideline of the East Asian Summit next week.

In his weekly television address, Abhisit said he would find an amicable solution to the conflict which started last year after Cambodia went ahead with its plan to list the ancient temple of Preah Vihear located there as a World Heritage site despite protests from Thailand.

Abhisit said he and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban were in regular contact with their Cambodian counterparts to ease tensions, adding that both countries had already agreed to let the Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) to negotiate and solve the issue.

The JBC is expected to meet in Phnom Penh on Monday.

"Now I believe the situation is getting better. I will take this issue to the Asean+3 and + 6 meetings in Pattaya," said Abhisit, who himself is facing

severe domestic pressure as supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are planning a mammoth gathering in the capital on Wednesday to seek his ouster.

Abhisit's Democrat Party spokesman Theptai Senapong had even claimed that Thaksin, who has been living in exile since his ouster except for a brief period when he returned home, was hiding in Cambodia.

Abhisiit said although the temple dispute had existed for decades, it became more serious after Cambodia offered the temple as a World Heritage site and was approved by Unesco.

The officials said the situation now was calm and there were no fresh exchange of gunfire or mortar explosions.

Thai Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda had said that the incidents were due "misunderstanding" after soldiers from both sides stationed on the disputed border area thought that each side had intruded into each's other's territory.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat had said that the Friday clashes happened following an incident in which a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine, believed to be laid recently, leaving him with a shattered leg.

In the aftermath, Thai troops visited the blast site to investigate the incident and then encountered an intrusion by approximately 20 Cambodian troops, encroaching into the area which is within Thai territory.

The Thais insisted that both sides troops engaged in clashes at Phu Makhua, an area under Thai sovereignty.