Thai soldiers lay barbed wires deep inside Khmer territory

Khmer soldiers are patrolling in the areas.

Radio Free Asia
By Sav Yuth
15th March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

Khmer border police claimed that Thai soldiers had laid barbed wires deep inside Khmer territory at Ta Thav Pass, 6 kilometres east of Preah Vihear temple.

Gen. Srey Dorek, commander for the Preah Vihear precinct, said on 15th March that he had planned to meet his Thai counterpart on 17th March to resolve the issue of Thai prohibition of Khmer monks in Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak from constructing any building in the temple compound and also to address the report of Thai soldiers laying barbed wires inside Khmer territory.

Gen. Srey Doek said: "We will meet face to face on 17th March to resolve the issue so we won't have problems with each other, to preserve stability, security and good co-operation. We just don't want them (monks) to build anything. Whatever we do we must discuss with each other to ease the tension."

A Khmer commander of battalion 795 said that 20 Thai soldiers attempted to lay barbed wires in the area, even after the Khmer border police had tried to stop them.

The same commander said that Khmer border police had requested the Thais to dismantle their barbed wires but they didn't take them down.

He said: "They still leave the barbed wires in the areas, 40 metres deep inside Khmer territory. There are about 20-30 of them. They come during the day to patrol the spot opposite to us. We told them to withdraw, but they said they have to get the order from the top or they have to wait for the top leaders to negotiate first."

In mid February 2009, Thai soldiers had also come to lay the barbed wires there but they left after the Cambodian side asked them to leave.

Cambodian border police are increasing patrols in the areas after four Thai nationals were arrested in the areas for illegally entering Cambodian territories.

Cambodian soldiers are fed up waiting for the fight to take place - More Thai troops invasion to the north of Preah Vihear temple

Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Cambodian and Thai troops are maintaining the calm, and no troop movement took place on Monday during the border talk. However, each side was on alert with their guns ready in their hands. The Kampuchea Thmei reported that Cambodian soldiers, who were former KR soldiers, are fed up waiting for the fight to take place. Cambodian soldiers said that Siamese troops are full of tricks with the aim of aggressing Cambodian territories, if Cambodian troops were to be weak, Thailand would encroach even further inside Cambodia. Nevertheless, Cambodian soldiers are maintaining their orders not to shoot their guns while waiting for the outcome of the negotiations in Siem Reap.

At about 3 km to the north of Preah Vihear temple, at Ta Thav pass, a report indicated that in the evening of 27 July, about 30 Thai black-clad soldiers came to settle inside Cambodian territories about 200 meters from the border. Cambodian army officers posted in the area said that Thai soldiers refused to leave and return back home when requested by Cambodian troops. Thai soldiers said that they cannot pull back unless they receive the orders from their top officers.