Thai troops still refused to withdraw from Phnom Trop

Monday, 19 April 2010
By Khmerization
Source: RFI

14 Thai troops who moved in to occupy a strip of Phnom Trop Mountain on Friday, the 16th, had steadfastly refused to withdraw from the area, despite strong protest from Cambodian troops, reports Radio France Internationale.

Those 14 Thai troops had sneaked in to occupy the area when Cambodian troops were preparing to celebrate the Khmer New Year.

Gen. Chum Socheat, spokesman for the Cambodian Defence Ministry, said local commanders from both sides were holding talks, but up to Sunday afternoon those Thai troops still refused to withdraw. Local Cambodian commanders said they will resolve the issue locally first before sending the case to the national level. Gen. Chum Socheat said those 14 Thai soldiers said they are ready to withdraw if given orders by their top commanders. However, experience in the past show that this is just a ploy, he said.

On another development, the situation at O'Smach has eased after two heavy firefights on Saturday between Cambodian troops and about 20 Thai troops. According to the Bangkok Post, the situations had eased because Cambodian troops agreed to withdraw from the "disputed area".

On Saturday, 17th, two clashes occurred near O'Smach border town in Oddar Meanchey province. Some Thai soldiers are suspected to be wounded or killed because after the clashes, Cambodian soldiers had found two riffles, a helmet with blood stains, a two-way radio and a knapsack containing many rounds of bullets were left behind. However, the Thai military said all their soldiers have been all accounted for and that its side had not suffered any casualty.

Border skirmish in Phnom Trop

Cambodian and Thai troops clashed at Phnom Trop

Tuesday, April 06, 2010
By Khmerization
Source: Kampuchea Thmey and DAP News

Cambodian and Thai troops have briefly clashed at Phnom Trop, 5 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple, on the first anniversary of the deadly clash here on 3rd April 2009 that killed at least 8 Thai soldiers, reports Kampuchea Thmey.

Mr. Chea Chon, commander of a battalion based at Phnom Trop, told Kampuchea Thmey that around 4:30am on Sunday, 4th April, there was a brief clash that lasted about 5 minutes between Cambodian troops and Thai troops based at Phnom Trop due to the drunkenness of the Thai soldiers. He said, the clash happened when he sent a Cambodian patrol group to check the mountain top after seeing unusual movements of Thai troops when they conduct troop rotations. When the Cambodian troops reached the mountain top, Thai troops shouted abuses at them and ordered them to retreat immediately or they will launch an attack. The Cambodian troops took up positions in their trenches and shortly, Thai soldiers spray bullets from M-16s directly at them.

Mr. Chea Chon said, the first time Cambodian troops didn't return fires. But because those Thai soldiers continued to fire at them, the Cambodian troops returned fires by firing RPD rockets and 12.7 milimetres machine guns. No one was injured from the clash.

The report said that, at 9:30am the next morning, 5th April, a Thai commanders at the Phnom Trop and the nearby Veal Entry frontlines came to apologise to the Cambodian soldiers by saying that the brief clash was triggered by some drunken Thai soldiers.

Deum Ampil reported that Gen. Chea Dara, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the Preah Vihear operations, confirmed the clash by saying that Thai troops also lauched a few rockets into Cambodian territories. He said he accepted the Thai apology but told them not to get drunk and fire at Cambodian troops again. He told them that when they get drunk they should shoot at each other, not at Cambodian troops.

Thailand sends tanks to the foothill of Phnom Trop

Thursday, October 15, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An informed RCAF source based in Preah Vihear temple told The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper that in the afternoon of 14 October, 2 Thai tanks quietly moved to position at the foothill of Phnom Trop. The source indicated that these 2 tanks are equipped with modern weapons as if they are prepared to take some kind of action. On the other hand, fresh Thai troops are also deployed behind these tanks, they are composed of black-clad troops and paratroopers. General Chea Dara, the RCAF commander, told The Kampuchea Thmei that Cambodian troops are also prepared to shoot them down if they move into Cambodian territories. Chea Dara said that if these tanks remain inside Thailand and they do not move around unusually, there will be no problem, but if they trespass into Cambodia, Cambodia has the automatic rights to protect itself. There is no indication as to why these new tanks were sent in here. The Cambodian commander in Phnom Trop said that the 2 Thai tanks were sent in at 1:30PM on 14 October. Furthermore, Thai troops tried to camouflage them with tree leaves, they are stationed about 80-meter from the Cambodian army line.

Ministry of Defense spokesman rejects tense situation in the confrontation in Veal Entry and Phnom Trop

Thai troops maneuver along the border

28 July 2009
By Sopheap
Khmer Sthabna
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A report from an army official indicated that the situation along the Cambodian-Thai border is remaining still, however, both troops are constantly on alert in case an incident would occur.

The same source indicated that Thailand dug trenches, sent in armaments, tanks, troops and heavy artillery and posted them in the region located in front of Veal Entry (Eagle Field) and Phnom Trop hill on 28 July 2009, in the area where past armed clashes took place. However, the trenches are dug inside the Thai territory, only that these trenches are located right in front of Veal Entry and Phnom Trop zones.

The same source indicated that when Cambodian troops saw Thailand brought in tanks, armaments and troops and placed them in front of Veal Entry and Phnom trop, they have increased their vigilance in order to defend Cambodia’s territorial integrity.

The army official source claimed that the situation along the border is normal, and there is no tension.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman for the Cambodian ministry of Defense, confirmed that he is currently in Preah Vihear province and there is no tension, the situation is not tense and there is no problem. He also said that he walked along the border and nothing happened.

Chhum Socheat rejected the fact that there is tension along the border, and he said that Thailand dug trenches inside its own territory, and Cambodia is not concerned about it, there is no tension.

Photos from Phnom Trop, Preah Vihear province

Cambodia soldiers patrol on the top of Phnom Trop, near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh, October 19, 2008. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Thai troops stand guard on the top of Phnom Trop mountain near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh, October 19, 2008. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Cambodian soldiers stand guard while Cambodian and Thai commanders have a negotiation about a reset of soldier zones of the Cambodian-Thai border at the frontline on top of the mountain Phnom Trop about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) east of the famed Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008. Thai and Cambodian field commanders worked Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, to strengthen a fragile truce following a deadly gun battle between their soldiers stationed on the border. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A Cambodian soldier carries Thailand's B-40 rocket that he found on the ground last week back to Thai soldiers during a negotiation about a reset of soldier zones of the Cambodian-Thai border at the frontline on top of the mountain Phnom Trop about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) east of the famed Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008. Thai and Cambodian field commanders worked Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, to strengthen a fragile truce following a deadly gun battle between their soldiers stationed on the border. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A Cambodian soldier carries a cow's leg on the way up to Phnom Trop mountain near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh, October 19, 2008. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian troops patrol on the top of Phnom Trop mountain near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh, October 19, 2008. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian troops patrol on the top of Phnom Trop mountain near the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, 543 km (337 miles) north of Phnom Penh, October 19, 2008. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Military confrontations between Khmer and Thai troops are increasingly tense

A Khmer soldier (R) carrying a B-40 rocket launcher while a Thai soldier sitting at left looked on on 7th October, 2008 near Preah Vihear temple.

Radio Free Asia By Sav Yuth
11th October, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The military confrontations between Khmer and Thai troops in the disputed areas of Preah Vihear are increasingly tense as both sides are in fighting mode in anticipation of the ministerial meeting between the two countries.

Villagers who live at the foot of the mountain near Preah Vihear temple have said on the 11th October that they have seen Khmer and Thai troops had dug trenches since Friday until Saturday in anticipation of the break out of fighting.

Villagers said that pregnant women and children were starting to leave their houses and at night time they climb up to sleep at the top of the mountain near the Preah Vihear temple due to anticipation of the break out of fighting.

One villager said: “The Khmer and Thai sides are digging their trenches since morning until night time. Some villagers have left because they are scared.”

But commander of the intervention forces of Division 12 based in Preah Vihear, Gen. Srey Doeuk, said on the morning of Saturday that the military situation there is still calm.

The commander said that on the morning of Friday there was one Thai jet fighter which flew three times in reconnaissance but he added that Khmer troops are not scared of this intimidation.

Gen. Srey Doeuk said: “There is no change. The situations are still the same as when you were here. The jet fighter has flown from east to west, west to east three times. We have monitored the flight but there was nothing happened. They can fly as many times as they like but we are not afraid one bit.”

The situation in the areas became tense on the 8th of October when Khmer troops spotted the Thai side transported three artillery guns to the frontline and at night they heard Thai military trucks transported more troops to the areas.

At Prolean Indri (Eagle Field), where the fighting broke out recently at Phnom Trop, the Cambodian troops are on high alert. Deputy commander of Division 43 based in the areas, Col. Bun Thean, said: “We are still on high alert. But we have not seen anything happen yet. We are constantly monitoring the movements of the Thai troops. They dare not to violate us like before, like in the frontline of Phnom Trop they have constantly made contacts with us. Now they are the one who is asking to meet us. We only meet them when they asked to meet us.”

Between the 3rd and 8 October one Khmer and four Thai soldiers were injured during the armed clash and mine explosions at Prolean Indri at Phnom Trop.//