Borders calm despite Thailand’s military drills in the areas

Ta Krabey temple, photo taken on 24th Sept., 2008.

Reaksmey Kampuchea newspaper
25th December, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The Khmer-Thai borders in Oddor Meanchey province remained calm despite the Thai military staging military drills across the borders in Buriram and Surin provinces. Cambodian military officials said that the Thai never abandon their tricks, but said that Cambodia will have to be vigilant.

Col. Hour Bunthy, commander of Border Protection Unit 402 has told Reaksmey Kampuchea on 24th December that there are 300 Thai troops who are staging military drills about 1 kilometre from the Cambodian borders and 8 kilometres east of Ta Krabey temple. Many rounds of small gunfires can be heard repeatedly and on 26th December the Thai military told the Cambodian border troops that they will explode many explosives and fire many artillery cannons. The situations along the borders from Thmor Daun village to Ta Krabey temple in Kauk Morn commune remained normal.

At the same time, the Thai military has not increased their troop numbers along the disputed borders, but at times they have replaced old troops with new troops.

Col. Hour Bunthy said that because the Thai military informed us in advance, our Cambodian people and troops didn’t panic. But, he said, the Cambodian military are watching the situations very closely.

Col. Neak Vong, deputy commander of battalion 42 based at Ta Moan Thom temple said that since Thailand has a new government the military drills along the borders did not cause panic and the situations at Ta Moan Thom temple remained as good as before. The military and people from both sides of the borders still make cordial contacts with each other and the trips to Ta Moan Thom is now easier than before.

Col. Ouch Sarik, deputy border commander based in Oddor Meanchey province near Chup Koki said that the Thai military has informed Cambodian troops of their intentions to stage military drills in the border areas, but up to the 24th of December, the Cambodian side has not heard any sounds of gunfires yet. But he said that the Cambodian military will monitor the situations very closely and will strictly follow the orders to protect Cambodian borders like in the past.

Despite all the calm, the Cambodian military said that “the Thai will never abandon their tricks. Whether they have old or new government they will still cause border problems with Cambodia which we have never neglected, even one minute.”

The security situations in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey and Thailand’s Sakeo and Buriram provinces have reportedly been calm, but both the Cambodian and Thai military are still on high alert.

Thailand, Cambodia agree to reduce troops at border temple

BANGKOK, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Thailand and Cambodia on Wednesday agreed to reduce the number of their military personnel guarding the disputed border temple of Ta Moan Thom after a bilateral defense meeting in Thailand's northeastern province Surin.

The agreement was reached following a meeting between Lt-Gen. Suchit Sitthiprapa, Thailand's Second Army commander, responsible for security affairs in northeastern Thailand, and Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Neang Paht at a hotel in Surin province bordering Cambodia, according to a report by Thai News Agency.

Both sides agreed at the meeting to reduce the number of armed forces personnel guarding the Ta Moan Thom, 13-century Khmer-styletemple ruin which is located between Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district and Cambodian province of Uddor Meanchey.

Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to open the barbed wire installed at the ruin early Thursday so that military and residents of both countries could communicate with each other and visit the temple. Thais will also be allowed to visit another ruin about a km deeper inside Cambodia.

Tensions in the area heightened after Thailand's Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit, on Aug. 4 asked Cambodia to withdraw its soldiers from the environs of the temple.

A Thai foreign ministry spokesman has said the Ta Moan Thom ruin is only one of a number of sites along the yet-to-be-demarcated boundary between the two countries.

Both countries have agreed to hold another meeting next Monday in the Thai central resort town of Hua Hin.

On Monday and Tuesday, foreign ministers from both countries will also hold their second-round talks regarding the long-disputed border area around the Preah Vihear Temple.

The 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple was awarded a World Heritage site honor after the UNESCO last month approved Cambodia's application, which has sparked nationalist sentiment in Thailand amid its recent domestic political turmoil.

Thai and Cambodian military have beefed up military presence along the disputed border since July 15 after three Thais including a monk was briefly detained by Cambodian soldiers for breaking into the temple, which had been closed for public by Cambodian authorities to public as border tension rose.

Thai soldiers prevent Cambodian civilians from entering Ta Moan Thom temple

Thai black-clad soldiers near Preah Vihear temple on 19 July 2008 (Photo: Savyuth, RFA)

August 9, 2008
By Sophal Mony Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Thailand prevented Cambodian civilians from entering the perimeter of the Ta Moan Thom temple located on the Dangrek Mountain Chain in spite of request made by Cambodian army commander.

Colonel Neak Pung, the commander of the Cambodian army unit 42 defending the Dangrek Mountain Chain, declared that Thai black-clad soldiers refused the access to the perimeter of Ta Moan Thom temple in the morning of 08 August 2008. He added that Thai troops based their refusal on the fact that their army commander was not present there, therefore, the lower ranking Thai soldiers refused access to the temple. Colonel Neak Pung said: “We asked them already, we told them in advance, however, they told us to wait until they received their orders from their higher ups in about two weeks.”

Nevertheless, Colonel Neak Pong indicated that Thailand announced that the waiting time is two weeks before Cambodian Buddhist visitors can enter the temple.

More than 30 Cambodian civilians traveled along the Drangrek Mountain Chain on 08 August 2008, in order to celebrate a Bramin prayer demanding that the power and the might of the spirits of Khmer ancestors and Khmer Kings who reside there, chase away the Thai aggression army from the Ta Moan Thom temple. Thai troops prevention of their access to the temple deceived and angered all the Cambodian civilians.

Mrs. Preab Sinra declared that she was extremely deceived because Khmer civilians cannot enter or touch a Khmer temple: “I am very happy to see Khmer temple, but I am very angry to see the Khmer temple but could not enter it. The Siamese do not respect Khmer rights, they do not respect the law, they do not respect the international (convention). We are all part of ASEAN, therefore Thailand should at least respect ASEAN rule.”

More than 10 Thai black-clad soldiers came out of their barracks, one after another, to prevent the more than 30 Cambodian civilians from burning incense sticks and candles outside the fence surrounding the temple set up by Thailand. Colonel Soum Khuon, the commander of Thai black-clad soldiers declined to comment or answer questions asked by RFA reporter.

According to Cambodian soldiers defending the Dangrek Mountain Chain, Thai black-clad soldiers started their occupation of the Ta Moan Thom temple not just since 03 August, but they have started to bring in their troops in advance since 26 July, one day before the Cambodian general election date, to prepare for this occupation.