(AP/The Mekong Times)
A tense military standoff between Cambodian and Thai troops at Preah Vihear temple continued into the night yesterday with a Cambodian government official describing an incursion by Thai troops into the area as a violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that Cambodian soldiers had detained around 170 Thai civilians and troops near the border, and would not release them until they sign an agreement acknowledging that the nation’s sovereignty had been breached.
“We will not allow them to leave Cambodian territory until the Thai armed forces signs an agreement to acknowledge that they really entered Cambodia territory,” he said. “The incursion into Preah Vihear is violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
UNESCO declared Preah Vihear temple, the center of a long-standing quarrel between Cambodia and Thailand, as a World Heritage Site last week, sparking mass celebrations in Cambodia but angry disappointment amongst some Thai groups.
“Confrontation is occurring between Thai troops and our Cambodian troops, but there is no shooting yet,” said Hang Soth, the director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple. “Our troops have been ordered to be on alert but not to fire first.”
He added that around 40 Thai troops still “control” an overlapping area of the nation’s borders, and that they will not pull out of the region until they have an order from their commander.
Hang Soth said the Thai troops had demanded Cambodians who filmed and took pictures of them on Cambodian soil return the footage before they return.
Hang Soth said the Cambodian authorities are negotiating with the Thai soldiers to encourage them to return to Thailand, but would not reveal details of the talks.
The incident has claimed at least one casualty. A land mine explosion sheared the right leg off a Thai soldier patrolling in the area, said Thai Army Deputy Spokesman Col. Sirichan Ngathong.
Maj. Gen. Kanok Netakawesana, a Thai army field commander in the region, said in a telephone interview that his troops were on Thai soil close to the disputed area. He declined to give the number of soldiers deployed.
“We are not violating the territory of Cambodia. We have every right to deploy troops here to protect our sovereignty,” Kanok said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied any incursion, saying the relationship between the two countries remained normal.
“The two governments understand each other,” Tharit said.
The Thai troop movements followed the arrest by Cambodia of three Thai citizens for crossing the border earlier Tuesday.
Hang Soth said a Thai Buddhist monk, a woman and a man apparently managed to evade a checkpoint on the Thai side and crossed through a jungle border into Cambodia earlier Tuesday.
They were immediately stopped by guards, Hang Soth said, adding that the trio were released to Thai authorities Tuesday afternoon, “so I don’t understand why Thai troops still had to enter Cambodia. They want to provoke us.”
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that Cambodian soldiers had detained around 170 Thai civilians and troops near the border, and would not release them until they sign an agreement acknowledging that the nation’s sovereignty had been breached.
“We will not allow them to leave Cambodian territory until the Thai armed forces signs an agreement to acknowledge that they really entered Cambodia territory,” he said. “The incursion into Preah Vihear is violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
UNESCO declared Preah Vihear temple, the center of a long-standing quarrel between Cambodia and Thailand, as a World Heritage Site last week, sparking mass celebrations in Cambodia but angry disappointment amongst some Thai groups.
“Confrontation is occurring between Thai troops and our Cambodian troops, but there is no shooting yet,” said Hang Soth, the director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple. “Our troops have been ordered to be on alert but not to fire first.”
He added that around 40 Thai troops still “control” an overlapping area of the nation’s borders, and that they will not pull out of the region until they have an order from their commander.
Hang Soth said the Thai troops had demanded Cambodians who filmed and took pictures of them on Cambodian soil return the footage before they return.
Hang Soth said the Cambodian authorities are negotiating with the Thai soldiers to encourage them to return to Thailand, but would not reveal details of the talks.
The incident has claimed at least one casualty. A land mine explosion sheared the right leg off a Thai soldier patrolling in the area, said Thai Army Deputy Spokesman Col. Sirichan Ngathong.
Maj. Gen. Kanok Netakawesana, a Thai army field commander in the region, said in a telephone interview that his troops were on Thai soil close to the disputed area. He declined to give the number of soldiers deployed.
“We are not violating the territory of Cambodia. We have every right to deploy troops here to protect our sovereignty,” Kanok said.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied any incursion, saying the relationship between the two countries remained normal.
“The two governments understand each other,” Tharit said.
The Thai troop movements followed the arrest by Cambodia of three Thai citizens for crossing the border earlier Tuesday.
Hang Soth said a Thai Buddhist monk, a woman and a man apparently managed to evade a checkpoint on the Thai side and crossed through a jungle border into Cambodia earlier Tuesday.
They were immediately stopped by guards, Hang Soth said, adding that the trio were released to Thai authorities Tuesday afternoon, “so I don’t understand why Thai troops still had to enter Cambodia. They want to provoke us.”
