Khmer authority detains a Thai Buddhist monk near Preah Vihear temple

Deum Ampil newspaper
13th March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

A lone Thai Buddhist monk was arrested and detained by Cambodian authority for illegally entering Cambodia in an attempt to visit Preah Vihear temple and Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda on Friday.

According to sources, the lone Thai monk had travelled by a vehicle from Siem Reap and arrived at Dambon Kor Mouy near Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda at 10 o'clock at night time on Thursday 12th March.

The monk, who cannot speak or understand a word in Khmer, refused to answer any questions.

A Khmer official said that, this monk had entered Cambodia illegally on 3rd March through Boeng Trakuon border pass, travelled to Siem Reap and stayed there for a few days before arriving in Preah Vihear on Thursday night, the 12th of March.

The Cambodian authority detained him temporarily while reporting the case to the government.

At the same time, a Unesco official from Paris, Mr. Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, president of executive council of UNESCO, has visited the Preah Vihear temple, which is the first visit by a senior official from Unesco.

On 13th July, 2008, three Thai Buddhist monks jumped over the border fence and crossed into Cambodia illegally and were detained by Cambodian border police. And on 15th July, Thai troops were sent to retrieve the arrested monks and hundreds more Thai troops were sent in afterward to occupy the temple areas which sparked border disputes until today.

Cambodia, UN seek to protect border temple

Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodian and U.N. officials plan to visit a historic temple near the border with Thailand to highlight the need to safeguard the site after it was damaged in an armed clash with Thai troops, an official said Tuesday.

The visit to the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple - which was designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, in July - will take place on Nov. 7, said Phai Siphan, a spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers.

He said the trip was originally planned for late November but has been moved up following an Oct. 15 clash between Cambodian and Thai soldiers over disputed border territory near the temple.

The fighting, which killed two Cambodians and one Thai paramilitary soldier who died later, has triggered fears of a broader conflict.

Cambodian officials have said a stone staircase and a Hindu deity sculpture were damaged by shrapnel from a grenade fired from the Thai side.

Phai Siphan described the damage as "scratches" but should be taken seriously because the temple is a monument of "universal value and unique achievement." He said his government submitted a report about it to UNESCO last week.

In Bangkok, a spokesman for Thailand's foreign ministry denied Monday that the country's soldiers were responsible for any damage to the temple.

Spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the Thai army has said it only used small weapons during the clash, and that Cambodian troops shot rocket propelled grenades from the grounds of the temple.

The recent gunfight was the latest flare-up in a long-running dispute over a stretch of jungle near the temple. The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over surrounding land has never been resolved.

UNESCO's office in Cambodia did not immediately respond to written questions seeking comment.

But its director-general, Koichiro Matsuura, expressed "grave concern" about the recent clash and called on Cambodia and Thailand to settle their border dispute peacefully, the agency said on its official Web site.

Thailand's propaganda machine is in full steam

World can see through Khmer's hidden agenda : Thai FM

Mon, October 27, 2008
The Nation

Thai FM spokesman says the international community has no problem seeing through their hidden agenda

The Thai Foreign Ministry has strongly denied Cambodia's allegation that Thai troops had damaged the ancient Preah Vihear Temple during the border shootout middle of this month.

"The Thai army reiterated to us that in accordance with strict orders, Thai troops have not used heavy firearms or rocket launchers near the temple of Pra Viharn (Preah Vihear) and never fired at the temple," the ministry said in the statement.

On the contrary, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry statement, the rocketpropelled grenades, or RPG, were launched by the Cambodian side near the Twin Stupas and landed in the Pra Viharn National Park on the Thai side of the border.

The Thai side has kept for evidence two unexploded Cambodian rocket rounds that two unexploded Cambodian rocket rounds had been kept for evidence.

The Thai Foreign Ministry's statement came one day after Phnom Penh lodged a complaint with the Unesco, accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear Temple during the border shootout, which killed one Thai soldier and two Cambodian troops.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said on Sunday that a staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were damaged by rocket fire at the 11thcentury Khmer ruins.

Phy Siphan said, "The temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found remnants of grenades... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby."

Cambodia made the accusation just days after Prime Minister Hun Sen met his Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on the side of the Beijing's AsiaEurope Meeting, or Asem. The outcome of the bilateral meeting in Beijing was billed as a positive forward.

Thai FM's spokesman Tharit Jarungwat described the latest accusations, which came just days after the two leaders met, as Cambodia's political ploy. He said the international community has no problem seeing through their hidden agenda.

Every time when Cambodia responded positively, they usually said differently a day later, Tharit said.

However, he said the Thai side has clear evidence about the incident and is ready to clarify all issues relating to the ThaiCambodian border dispute on any stage.

Meanwhile, Thailand's UN Ambassador Don Pramudwinai, meanwhile, said he was not informed about Cambodia's plan to accuse its neighbouring country of damaging Preah Vihear to the United Nations (UN).

Border talk results limited

Prime Minister Hun Sen greets National Police Chief Hok Lundy upon his return Sunday afternoon from Beijing. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)

Monday, 27 October 2008
Written by CHEANG SOKHA AND THET SAMBATH
The Phnom Penh Post

PRIME Minister Hun Sen emerged from Friday's border talks with his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, in good spirits but with little real progress having been made on resolving a three-month-old military standoff over disputed territory, officials said Sunday.

Both sides did agree to try to prevent a repeat of the deadly October 15 shootout near Preah Vihear temple that brought the two sides dangerously close to open conflict.

"The prime ministers' meeting was very friendly and they agreed to avoid further clashes among the military stationed along the border," said Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, who also attended the meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing.

"And again we have increasing cooperation and negotiation in all sectors," he added.

Cambodian and Thai commanders holding talks in Siem Reap last week also helped ease tensions, participants said.

"This meeting couldn't solve the problem of troop withdrawals. We just tried to work to prevent any clashes in future," said Sok Pheap, chief of the Cambodia-Thai relations office.

The brief firefight earlier this month was the worst outbreak of violence since the standoff began in July.

It sparked a further buildup of troops and equipment on both sides of the border, despite international pleas for calm and promises of more diplomacy from the Cambodian and Thai governments.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said upon returning from China that the two sides will meet again on November 10 in Thailand for talks on demarcating the poorly defined border between the two countries.

Tensions flared in July shortly after the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, angering Thai nationalists who claim the ruins belong to Thailand.

The temple sustained damage during the October 15 fighting, and officials said that the government has lodged a complaint with Unesco over the incident.

"The Preah Vihear authority has sent reports and pictures of the damage to Unesco," Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Sunday.

"Preah Vihear temple was intentionally damaged."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP

Thailand: Cambodian troops defending Preah Vihear from Thai agression is a violation of the World Heritage convention?

Foreign ministry: Military may defend from Cambodian fire at border temple

BANGKOK, Oct 27 (TNA) -- Thai soldiers posted at the disputed Thai-Cambodian border had every right to defend themselves when fired on by Cambodian troops in the vicinity ofthe 11th century Preah Vihear temple earlier this month, said Virasakdi Futrakul, permanent secretary for the Thai Foreign Ministry, on Monday.

Charging that Cambodia had moved several hundreds soldiers fully-equipped for combat and supporting artillery to the vicinity of the temple, Mr. Virasaki said the foreigh ministry investigate a complaint lodged by Cambodia with the UN accusing Thai troops of firing on and damaging the temple during an exchange of gunfire between troops of the two neighbouring countries on October 15.

One Thai paramilitary ranger and three Cambodian soldiers died in the clashes on that day.

On Sunday, Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, told French news agency AFP in Phnom Penh that a staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were damaged by rocket fired by Thai troops at the temple ruins during the mid-October shoot out.

Cambodia filed its complaint with UNESCO within days of the incident.

But Mr. Virasakdi countered the charges, saying that Cambodian troops fired rocket propelled grenades from the temple at Thai soldiers and if that was the case then the Thai soldiers had full rights to defend themselves.

He said his ministry is checking how many Cambodian soldiers are stationing around Preah Vihear temple and whether it violates the World Heritage convention.

UNESCO has to verify it and it is unnecessary for Thailand to lodge a complaint on this issue to the organisation, Mr. Veerasak said.

Touching on an initial agreement reached by senior Thai and Cambodian soldiers last week which will be presented to the Thai Parliament Tuesday for its approval so that border negotiations could resume with Phnom Penh, Mr. Virasakdi said Parliament will only consider issues that both sides would negotiate.

If approved, negotiations could be held around mid-November, he added.

Cambodian, Thai Leaders Seek Peaceful Solution to Temple Dispute

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen greets well-wishers on his arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, 26 Oct. 2008

By Rory Byrne
Voice of America
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
27 October 2008

The dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over an ancient temple complex continues to challenge both countries. Cambodia says Thai troops damaged an ancient temple during a recent military clash. The allegation comes after the two governments promised that negotiations to resolve a dispute will resume next month. Rory Byrne has this report from Phnom Penh.

Thailand says its troops are not responsible for damage at the Preah Vihear temple, which sits just inside Cambodia. Soldiers from the two countries clashed there almost two weeks ago.

Cambodia officials say the Thais damaged the temple with rockets.

The dispute over ownership of land leading up to the 900-year-old complex has heated up since July, when Cambodia successfully asked that it be designated a United Nations World Heritage site. On October 15, several soldiers on both sides were injured or killed when fighting erupted.

Late last week, the prime ministers of the two countries met on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe summit in Beijing, and pledged to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

Cambodian Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh on Sunday described the meeting.

"It was very friendly...it was very friendly and both prime ministers have agreed together that we have to avoid further clashes among the military that are stationed along the border," Cham said. "And we have to again start increasing the cooperation and the negotiations at all levels."

In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled the Preah Vihear temple lies in Cambodia, but land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims.

Cham Prasiddh says the two countries will resume talks on the dispute next week, after the Thai parliament approves a framework for the negotiations. The parliament is expected to discuss the matter Tuesday.

Thai MFA ready to clarify border dispute on any stage [-Thailand plays tit-for-tat with Cambodia]

Monday October 27, 2008

(BangkokPost.com) - Information Department director-general and Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat believed the international community would be able to read Cambodia’s intent after it accused Thai soldiers of physically damaging Preah Vihear temple.

He noted that when Cambodia responded positively, it would usually expressed another way a day later, such as the brief gunfire between troops from both sides and the landmine incident.

However, he said the Thai side has clear evidence and is ready to clarify all issues relating to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute on any stage.

Referring to the evidence gathered by the Thai authority, Mr Tharit insisted the landmine planted near Preah Vihear that amputated two Thai soldiers on October 16 was definitely new.

Commenting on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s stance at the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing who said both sides must to be tolerant to prevent clashes and they need to engage in bilateral talks, the spokesman said such stance has always been shown by Thailand.

National world heritage committee chairman Pongpol Adireksarn said it could be possible that Cambodia may want the UN officially to help work out the Thai-Cambodian border row after the country reportedly filed a complaint to the UN.

He said Cambodia would still have to consider the benefits it will get after filing the complaint.

Mr Pongpol believed Cambodia could be trying to use the Preah Vihear case as a political agenda, as the temple is more than a thousand years old and its condition is dilapidating. Thus, it could accuse Thailand of damaging the site to show its patriotism and gain political benefits, he added.

Meanwhile, Thailand's UN Ambassador Don Pramudwinai, meanwhile, said he was not informed about Cambodia’s plan to accuse its neighbouring country of damaging Preah Vihear to the United Nations (UN).

Thailand denies physically damaging Preah Vihear temple

BANGKOK, Oct 27 (TNA) - Thailand has denied media reports in which Cambodia alleged that Thai troops had fired rockets near the ancient Preah Vihear temple during a border skirmish this month which caused damage to Naga statues along the stairways leading up to the temple.

The Cambodian government reportedly filed a complaint with UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, which servces as a woldwide conservator and registry of important cultural and historical monuments.

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday categorically denying the allegations.

The statement said the ministry has consulted and reviewed the military actions at and around Preah Vihear with the Royal Thai Army's 2nd Army Region, which confirmed that on October 15, Thai soldiers being fired upon by Cambodian troops in the vicinity of Pha Mor I Daeng used only rifles in self-defense.

In accordance with strict orders, the statement affirmed, Thai troops have not used heavy firearms or rocket launchers near Preah Vihear temple and never fired at the the ancient temple.

In contrast, it said, Cambodian soldiers opened fired on Thai soldiers who were positioned near the twin stupas in the vicinity of Pha Mor I Daeng with recoilless rifles and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs).

The rocket rounds landed near the twin stupas, injuring two Thai soldiers.

A number of rocket rounds also landed in the Preah Vihear Temple National Park in the vicinity of Laan Chom Dao and the park's residential buildings.

The Thai side later found two of the RPG rocket rounds fired by the Cambodian side, which had landed but failed to explode and has kept both of them for evidence.

A spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, told the French news agency AFP that a staircase and a sculpture of a naga, a creature from Hindu mythology, were damaged by rocket fire at the 11th-century ruins.

He said a complaint was filed with UNESCO a few days after the firefight erupted on October 15 near Preah Vihear, Cambodia's newly listed World Heritage Site which is at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute between the two neighbouring countries.

One Thai paramilitary ranger and Three Cambodian soldiers died in the clashes this month.

Earlier on Sunday, Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said in a television interview that the talks between Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his Cambodian counterpart Prime Minister Hun Sen on the sidelines of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in China on Friday were effective in helping to ease the two countries' border disputes.

He said that Premier Hun Sen has proposed measures aimed at solving the Thai-Cambodian border conflict and reaffirmed that problems must be solved through bilateral talks.

Meanwhile, the tentative agreement reached by senior army officers from both countries in Siem Reap on Friday will be given to the Thai parliament for its consideration on Tuesday.

Thailand accused of damaging temple [-Thailand counterclaims damage to part of Preah Vihear temple in Thailand]

October 27, 2008
The Nation

BORDER DISPUTE

Parliament nod likely this week to begin talks over border

The Thai government would prepare for border talks when Parliament gives it the mandate, most likely this week, even as Cambodia opened a new flank in the conflict, accusing Bangkok of damaging the Preah Vihear Temple.

Parliament would consider the negotiating framework on the provisional arrangement and the negotiating framework of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) on October 28 to enable the process of border dispute settlement to begin, said Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, in a meeting with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing last week, agreed to use existing bilateral mechanisms to end the border dispute peacefully, he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen insisted on preventing recurrence of the border skirmish and to activate the JBC as soon as possible, Sompong said in a television programme yesterday.

"We will continue cooperation on trade and investment as usual," he said.

The Cabinet approved the appointment of Vasin Teeravechyan, former ambassador to South Korea, as the new chairman of the JBC of the Thai side last week.The JBC is the key mechanism to demarcate the boundary of the two countries in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2000.The border dispute was at the centre of the conflict after the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear was chosen as a World Heritage Site, followed by a military standoff in July, and military clashes in the areas earlier this month.

Cambodia has lodged a complaint with the United Nations accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear Temple during the border shootout.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, told AFP that a staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were damaged by rocket fire at the 11thcentury Khmer ruins.

A complaint was filed with the UN cultural body Unesco a few days after the fight erupted on October 15 near Preah Vihear.

"Preah Vihear Temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found remnants of grenades... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby," Phay Siphan said.

"The Preah Vihear authority has sent reports and pictures of the damage to Unesco."

The Thai Foreign Ministry has denied the allegation saying Thai troops used only rifles in the battle.

However, rocketpropelled grenades launched by Cambodian side landed on the Thai side near the Twin Stupa and injured two Thai soldiers while some of the RPGs landed in Thailand's Preah Vihear National Park, the ministry said in a statement.

Three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai troop were killed in the clashes this month, which came as a monthslong military standoff between the neighbours erupted into a shootout on disputed land.

Cambodia reports temple damage to UN

Monday October 27, 2008
BANGKOK POST AND AFP

BORDER DISPUTE

Cambodia has lodged a complaint with the United Nations accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear temple during a border shootout earlier this month, an official said yesterday. Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said a staircase and a sculpture at the ruins were damaged by rocket fire.

A complaint was filed with the UN cultural body Unesco a few days after the firefight erupted on Oct 15 near Preah Vihear, a World Heritage Site at the centre of the long-running territorial dispute.

''Preah Vihear temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found the remnants of grenades ... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby,'' Phay Siphan said.

''The Preah Vihear authority has sent pictures of the damage to Unesco.''

The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied Thai soldiers had damaged the 11th-century Khmer temple.

The Second Army, in charge of the northeastern region, insisted that no heavy weapons or rockets were used that day.

Phnom Penh's complaint to the UN agency comes as the two countries attempt to resolve the border row, which is centred on the disputed area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat met Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen on Friday in Beijing while attending the Asia-Europe Summit.

Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said the talks were amicable and quoted Hun Sen as saying the fighting on the border should not have occurred.

The Cambodian leader also supported attempts to prevent future clashes through bilateral talks and the need to urgently untangle the overlapping borders by the Joint Boundary Commission and maintain trade and investment ties.

The government will seek parliamentary approval tomorrow for border negotiations with Cambodia, he added.

Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand flared in July when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling long-simmering tensions over ownership of 4.6 sq km of land surrounding the temple.

Three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai soldier were killed in the clashes on Oct 15.

Preah Vihear, with its elegant carvings and crumbling stone staircases, is the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple complex.

Although the World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Kantharalak district.

Cambodia alleges Thai temple damage to UN

Bullet marks on Preah Vihear Naga statue (Photo: Samnang, Koh Santepheap)

Sunday October 26, 2008
BangkokPost.com, compiled from agency reports

Phnom Penh - Cambodian officials have complained to the United Nations that Thai troops damaged the Preah Vihear temple with rocket fire during a firefight, foreign media reported on Saturday.

The Thai Foreign Ministry refused to comment.

The reports quoted Phay Siphan, vice minister and spokesman of the Cambodian Council of Ministers (cabinet).

He said Cambodia has filed an official complaint with Unesco, the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, claiming Thai soldiers damaged statues and a staircase at Preah Vihear temple with rocket launchers.

Cambodia succeeded in June in getting Preah Vihear inscribed by Unesco as a World Heritage site.

The complaint apparently referred to the Oct 15 firefight between Thai and Cambodian troops at the overlapping area surrounding the temple.

Two Cambodians died in the battle, and one Thai soldier died from his wounds last Wednesday.