No attack on Cambodia: Thai commander

Thursday, June 30, 2011
By Thai News Agency, The Nation

First Army Region Commander Lt Gen Udomdej Sitabutr on Wednesday dismissed reports that Thai troops will attack Cambodia on July 1.

He said the Thai military has a clear stance that it will not invade other countries. "We will retaliate only after being attacked first."

Gen Udomdej said the Cambodian military has moved infantry units closer to the border province of Sa Kaew, but there has been no report of reinforcement of armoured vehicles or heavy weapons.

[Thai] 2nd Army: No reinforcements to border

29/06/2011
Bangkok Post

No troop reinforcements have been sent to the border with Cambodia, there has been only routine rotation of units, Army Region 2 commander Lt-Gen Thawatchai Samutsakhon said on Tuesday.

He said it was necessary for soldiers to be on alert around the clock. Thai and Cambodian troops had long confronted each other along the border and a clash could occur at any time without warning.

However, Army Region 2 had not sent reinforcements to the border, he said.

Lt-Gen Thawatchai advised the people who want to visit Ta Muen Tom temple in tambon Ta Miang of Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district to postpone their trip for safety reason.

[Thai] Army 'has no plan to attack'

29/06/2011
Bangkok Post

Commander of Army Region 1 (Northeast) Lt-Gen Udomdej Sitabutr insisted on Wednesday that Thailand has no plan to attack Cambodia.

“The army chief has made it a clear-cut policy that Thailand will not invade any country first, but if our country is invaded, the armed forces are ready to protect it,” Lt-Gen Udomdej said, responding to unsourced rumours.

The commander of Army Region 1 said Cambodia had reinforced its infantry along the Thai-Cambodian border but not by many, and the reinforcements had no effect on the Thai armed forces.

Cambodia Denies Troop Reinforcement Along Border with Thailand

2011-06-28
Xinhua

Cambodia's Ministry of Defense on Tuesday issued a statement to deny that it has reinforced troops and added weaponry at Cambodian-Thai border.

The rejection came after Thailand's Army Region 2 spokesman Col Prawit Hookaew said on Monday that there was some redeployment and reinforcement of Cambodian troops along the border followed Thailand's withdrawal of its membership from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention on Saturday.

He added that there were some arms training taking place, such as using grenade launcher and artillery on Cambodian side.

However, Cambodia rejected the claim in the statement.

Thais keep temple off election agenda

Tue, 28 Jun 2011
Australia Network News

Thailand's government says it will not use a dispute over the management of the Preah Vihear temple site along its border with Cambodia as a ploy in next weekend's general election.

Analysts have previously accused both countries of using the issue to stoke nationalist sentiment.

The issue was highlighted again by Thailand's official withdrawal from the UNESCO World Heritage Convention at a committee meeting in Paris.

But Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn, deputy secretary-general to Thailand's prime minister, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia it will be a non-issue this election.

Cambodia reinforces troops at Thai-Cambodian border: Thai army

June 28, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodia reinforced its troops at the border of northeastern Surin province after Thailand quitted the World Heritage Convention on Saturday, Thailand's Army Region 2 spokesman said on Monday.

Col Prawit Hookaew told local media that there was some redeployment and reinforcement of the neighboring country's troops along the border followed withdrawal of the country's membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention.

There is some arms training taking place, such as using grenade launcher and artillery on Cambodian side, said Col Prawit, while Thai troops remain on alert at the border and are strengthening their outposts.

[Thai] Border troops reinforced

Ta Muen Thom temple in Phanom Dong Rak district of Surin is open to visitors again as the area has been free of border violence for almost two months. Visitors can enter the temple between 9am and 3pm every day. - NOPPARAT KINGKAEO

Keep it orderly ... A soldier watches over students at Phum Srol school in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district near the Thai-Cambodian border amid the conflict between the countries over the small overlapping area near the Preah Vihear temple ruins. - Chanat Katanyu

Prayuth warns clashes becoming more likely

28/06/2011
Bangkok Post

Troop build-ups on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border have heightened fears of clashes following Thailand's withdrawal from Unesco's World Heritage Convention.

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said he had ordered troops stationed along the border to be prepared as the chance of clashes was high.

His comments came after the Second Army reported Cambodia was bringing in more troops to the border yesterday.

Gen Prayuth said he had decided to boost Thailand's troops and reinforce bunkers as a precaution. The moves were purely defensive and not intended to indicate military aggression.

Border troops reinforced - Prayuth warns clashes becoming more likely

28/06/2011
Bangkok Post

Troop build-ups on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border have heightened fears of clashes following Thailand's withdrawal from Unesco's World Heritage Convention.

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said he had ordered troops stationed along the border to be prepared as the chance of clashes was high.

His comments came after the Second Army reported Cambodia was bringing in more troops to the border yesterday.

Gen Prayuth said he had decided to boost Thailand's troops and reinforce bunkers as a precaution. The moves were purely defensive and not intended to indicate military aggression.

Thai Cambodia Border tensions loom again

April 6, 2011
Posted by Michael Vatikiotis
Asia Security Initiative
MacArthur Foundation

A landmark agreement among ASEAN Foreign Ministers in February effectively defused a dangerous stand-off between Thai and Cambodian forces along their common border by agreeing on the deployment of Indonesian monitors on either side of the border and also the convening of bilateral talks between the two sides in Indonesia.

However, since then, little has moved on either of these fronts. Indonesia has not yet managed to deploy the observers – now set at 15 on each side of the border. More worryingly, Thai military officials have said they do not want to join bilateral talks on the border dispute in a third country. Cambodia, for its part insists on the talks taking place in Indonesia. The talks are set to start on April 7th in Bogor, a city outside Jakarta where ironically the first round of the Cambodian peace process meetings was convened in 1988.

Should the agreement unravel there is the threat of renewed fighting along the border. This could then lead to further international diplomatic maneuvering that could see the issue return to the floor of the UN Security Council in New York. 

Cambodia fortifying presence, says [Thai] army

5/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Cambodia is deploying artillery and more forces around the Preah Vihear temple and the nearby Phu Makhua mountain, prompting Thailand to plan a show of force to discourage its neighbour from possible attacks, according to army sources.

The sources yesterday said Cambodian soldiers have installed artillery at Preah Vihear in addition to earlier deploying multi-barrel rockets. They have also apparently placed artillery on Phu Makhua mountain.

Meanwhile, Thai soldiers yesterday resumed building a laterite road from Pha Mor I Dang cliff to Sa Trao, an ancient reservoir situated on the northern axis of Preah Vihear where Thai border patrol police had been stationed.

The road will be two kilometres long. Thai soldiers had completed 70% of the road but border clashes on Feb 4 brought the construction of the road to a halt.

[Thai] Troops go back to work at the border

6/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Border tensions near Preah Vihear temple have risen again as both sides have resumed construction of roads to serve military operations in the disputed border area despite each other's protests against such action.

Thai soldiers on Friday resumed building a laterite road from Pha Mor I Dang cliff to Sa Trao, an ancient reservoir on the northern axis of Preah Vihear where Thai border patrol police had been stationed.

The road will be two kilometres long.

Thai soldiers had completed 70% of the road when border clashes on Feb 4 brought its construction to a halt.

The sources said Thai soldiers built the road in response to Cambodian soldiers' construction of two roads in the disputed area. "Actually, we have to build the road all the way to the entrance of the Preah Vihear temple on the Thai side of the border," an army source said. "We had to stop when the Cambodians protested against it, but now we have to continue building the road as far as possible so it can be used as a military logistics route, too."

Both sides not firing, just reinforcing

3/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Thai villagers living near Preah Vihear Temple are now familiar with Cambodia's BM-21 multiple rocket launchers, used in the border conflict with Thailand. The weapon can release 40 rockets at a time and these missiles can reach as far as 40 kilometres away.

The Thai army has its own teeth. It has the DTI-1 multiple rocket launchers jointly developed by the Thai Defence Ministry and China. With a shooting range of 60-180km, the DTI-1 is not suitable for armed border spats, however.

The main weapon for Thailand is the 155-mm Caesar self-propelled howitzer artillery, with a shooting range of 40km. The howitzer, made by Giat of France and used by the army since 2006, is the main weapon to counter Cambodia, in addition to the 105mm artillery. There is a joke among Thai soldiers that Cambodian troops hate "Caesar salad".

Cambodian move raises border tension [-Why only Bangkok can bring in foreign military attaches?]

2/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Meanwhile, reports reaching the Thai military said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had ordered a change to the border forces, replacing the current soldiers with those of the Khmer Rouge. The source said Khmer Rouge soldiers were viewed as intended more for combat than for promoting a good relationship.

A Cambodian bid to take a group of foreign military attaches into part of the disputed 4.6 square kilometres around Preah Vihear temple has raised tension, again, on the border in Si Sa Ket provinced, a military source said on Wednesday.

The source said that Thai troops were put on a continuing alert in the 4.6 sq-km area, especially around the Preah Vihear temple, as a precaution, from Tuesday night.

The tension flared after Cambodia informed the Thai soldiers that it planned to bring the military attaches of 10 countries from Phnom Penh into the disputed area on Wednesday. The Thai side denied them permission.

Cambodia wanted the attaches to see important spots, including the damage to Wat Kaeo Sikha Kiri Savara and the area around it, which is in Thai terrority, the source said.

Thai soldiers prevent Cambodia from building a road to Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda

04 Feb 2011
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Cambodian officers in Preah Vihear temple indicated that on Friday morning, about 50 Thai soldiers came to prevent Cambodian machinery to clear a road to the Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda. However, the Thai soldiers retreated after Cambodian soldiers pointed their guns and threatened them. A RCAF officer told The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper that the situation in Preah Vihear temple is easy to explode because Thai troops plan to send more troops in to prevent the operation of Cambodian machinery equipments. The Cambodian officer said that the time Thailand sends it troops to prevent the operation, that will be the time armed clash will take place.

Thai FM to mend Thai-Cambodian ties: deputy PM

February 04, 2011

Xinhua

Deputy Prime Minister for security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban said on Thursday that Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will be able to relieve the strained relationship between Thailand and Cambodia upon his visit to the neighboring country.

The deputy prime minister was referring to Kasit's travel to Cambodia to attend the 7th meeting of the Joint Commission (JC) on bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia to be held in Siem Reap province of Cambodia on Feb. 3-4, 2011.

The foreign minister will also arrange a talks with his counterpart Hor Namhong, during which a discussion on Thai- Cambodian conflicts is expected.

Border tensions rise

Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Cheang Sokha and Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post

Thousands of Yellow Shirt protesters in Bangkok have called for the Thai government to take a stronger stance against Cambodia, though military officials said today that a stand-off along the countries’ contentious border had been averted.

Some 3,000 police officers have been deployed in the Thai capital to control the estimated 5,000 activists who took to the streets of central Bangkok on Tuesday, threatening to occupy the prime minister’s office as they did for three months during unrest in 2008.

Cambodian officials near Preah Vihear temple said about 40 Thai troops had traveled to the nearby border area this morning, though they withdrew after talks between commanders of the respective forces.

Following the meeting, Cambodian troops agreed to remove a sign placed near the temple on Tuesday that declared the area Cambodian territory.

Fears of new Thai-Cambodia border tensions

December 31, 2010
ABC Radio Australia

The Thai prime minister is demanding the immediate release of seven Thais, including a ruling party politician, who have been arrested by Cambodian troops near a section of the two countries' disputed border. Thailand's foreign minister is due to meet his counterpart in Cambodia for talks on the issue. But the seven detainees have appeared in a Phnom Penh court, charged with illegally entering Cambodia. There are fears that the incident could renew diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Presenter: Sonja Heydeman

Speakers: Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn, deputy secretary general to the Thai prime minister, Bangkok; Phay Siphan, spokesman, Council of Ministers, Phnom Penh

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

Does anybody in Bangkok has a clue as to why the GBC is postponed?

P. Penh seeks to postpone border meeting

12/08/2010
Wassana Nanuam, Umesh Pandey and Manop Thip-Osod
Bangkok Post

Cambodia has sought to postpone a meeting of the General Border Committee amid growing tensions between the two countries over the Preah Vihear temple and surrounding area.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh asked for the postponement of the GBC summit, which is scheduled for Aug 27 in Pattaya, as the dispute over the temple issue had spoiled the border atmosphere, a source at the Defence Ministry said.

"Soldiers from the two countries are in good contact and are on friendly terms," the source said.

"But on a policy level, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen wants a joint border meeting with Thailand to be postponed for the time being."

Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the postponement of the meeting was a joint decision by Gen Tea Banh and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.

He denied the meeting was put off because of tensions over the Preah Vihear temple.

He said documents which had to be signed during the meeting were not ready.

The two countries had planned at the meeting to sign an agreement on joint cooperation for such things as clearing land mines, suppressing illicit drug and human trafficking, and boosting maritime security, Col Thanathip said.

The GBC, which is co-chaired by the Thai defence minister and his Cambodian counterpart, is made up of military top brass from the two countries, each having 18 committee members.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, the nation's foreign minister George Yeo said yesterday Thailand and Cambodia should try to restrain their emotions and resolve their border row through diplomatic channels.

"The border disputes have been discussed at previous Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] meetings and both [Thailand and Cambodia] have agreed to act with restraint in the larger interest of the Asean grouping," Mr Yeo told a group of journalists from Asean member states yesterday.

The call from Mr Yeo comes as Thailand and Cambodia experience rising tensions along the border in the wake of the World Heritage Committee's decision at a meeting in Brazil last month to postpone the approval of Phnom Penh's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple and its buffer zone.

Thailand says the plan involves a disputed area.

Thailand has proposed a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission to talk about the overlapping border areas. The JBC was established to demarcate the border between Thailand and Cambodia. The JBC is also separate from the GBC.

Mr Yeo said all diplomatic channels should be used to resolve the border issues.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in Bangkok that the time and date for his planned meeting with United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon were being arranged.

The talks were aimed at making the UN chief better understand the Thai position.

The prime minister plans to attend the UN General Assembly from Sept 20 to 27.

The planned meeting with Mr Ban comes after Mr Hun Sen sent a letter to the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council complaining about military threats by Thailand.

Villagers Avoid Farming At Thai-Cambodian Border Amid Tense Situation

BANGKOK, Aug 11 (Bernama) --- The situation along Thai-Cambodian border became more tense Wednesday as villagers avoided farming at border areas, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported Wednesday.

The villagers fear that they could be captured by Cambodian troops following a recent opinion survey backing the government to push Cambodians out of the contested area near Preah Vihear temple.

Some villagers at Phoomsarol village in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province on the Cambodian border told reporters they were fearful regarding the tense situation and dared not work on their farms near the border area for fear that they could be captured by Cambodian troops.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the Suranaree Task Force and the 16th Infantry Regiment set up barricades using concrete tubes and barbed wires, to strictly control the entrance and exit road to Preah Vihear.

At Surin province, Thai and Cambodian troops were deployed along the border line particularly at the ancient Ta Muan Thom ruins, Phanom Dong Rak district.

Patrol units and soldiers were stationed at the entrance to the ruins round the clock but the situation was normal. The Thai army however has reportedly prepared a contingency plan in response to any incident.

Meanwhile, Chong Chom border market in Kab Cheng district became quiet as Cambodian villagers are fearful about crossing into Thai territory amid tensions building up.

According to TNA the uneasy situation arose after Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said in a recent interview that his government was not interested in joining Thailand to develop Preah Vihear temple, awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962.

The Suan Dusit Poll of Rajabhat Suan Dusit University survey released Tuesday found that a majority of respondents supported the Thai government to push Cambodians out of the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple.

UNESCO named the temple a World Heritage site in 2008 after Cambodia applied for the status. UNESCO's World Heritage Commission during its meeting in Brazil on July 29 postponed reviewing the management plan proposed by Cambodia to its 2011 session to be held in Bahrain.

Preah Vihear temple is located atop a 1,722-foot escarpment in the Dangrek Mountains, about 150 miles north of the Cambodian capital. Reaching it by road is easiest from the Thai side of the border. The two countries are disputing a 4.6 sq km area near the temple.

Cambodia, Thai troops play sports to reduce border tension

May 19, 2010
Xinhua

Cambodian and Thai troops are playing volleyball and bowling together in a bid to reduce border tension and avoid further clashes, a military official said Wednesday.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of Cambodia's Ministry of National Defense, said the match began Tuesday between the soldiers deployed along the border near Preah Vihear Temple, the center of border conflict.

He said the tournament will continue until May 21 at three border points not far from Preah Vihear Temple.

He said the initiative is to create friendly atmosphere and understanding between the two armies.

Cambodia and Thailand have fought three rounds of military clashes over border dispute since 2008.