Why Thailand will never agree to pull out troops from Preah Vihear: "If we do, it will not be easy to send them back in again"

Hun Sen'S Troop Pullout Claim Denied

8/02/2009
By WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post

Thailand has not agreed on the proposed troop withdrawal from the disputed territory surrounding the Preah Vihear Hindu temple as claimed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Wibulsak Neepal, commander of the 2nd Army Region, said no agreement on a troop pullout was reached at Friday's meeting between Mr Hun Sen and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan during his visit to Phnom Penh.

"There is no agreement. The matter has been raised during the defence minister's self-introduction visit to Cambodia after assuming office," he said. He added that the troop withdrawal call would be looked into by a working committee set up to handle border demarcation disputes and that he expected an outcome soon.

However, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission, which is working to resolve the outstanding issues, met in Bangkok this week without making any progress. The delegations could not agree on the name of a military team which will monitor the border area and on the name for the temple.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak stressed that even if a troop pullout agreement was reached, Thailand was unlikely to make full withdrawal from the disputed areas. Those in charge of coordination would remain in place and the troop pullout would not put Thailand at a disadvantage, he said, pointing to the fact that the military has procedures to follow to uphold sovereignty.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak noted that the army was considering reopening Pha Mor E Daeng in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province to tourists. The area has been off-limits following the flare-up of border tensions. A source said yesterday the Cambodian prime minister demanded Thailand pull all its troops out of the disputed border areas.

"We never agreed. If we do, it will not be easy to send them back in again," said the source.

Cambodia accuses Thailand of occupying its land through de-mining operation

2008-10-16
Xinhua

PHNOM PENH - The Cambodian government Thursday issued a statement, accusing Thailand of occupying its territory by sending troops in the border area in the name "de-mining activity."

Thursday's statement from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that "the unilateral de-mining activity by Thai soldiers in Cambodia's territory flagrantly contravenes the agreement made by both sides in the past."

Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 14 said Thailand sent troops in the border area to undertake "de-mining efforts in the area adjacent to the Preah Vihear Temple" and "investigations to verify whether the landmines in the area are old ones or recently deployed."

The Cambodian statement quoted three documents signed by both sides to deny the legitimacy of Thailand's de-mining and investigating operations.

By the "de-mining activity, Thai forces were in effect occupying the areas which are clearly situated within Cambodia's territory as demarcated by the relevant maps repeatedly endorsed by the two countries and recognized by the International Court of Justice as the basis for its judgment concerning the Preah Vihear Temple in 1962," it said.

Cambodia strongly reaffirms the fact that landmines in this border area are remnants of almost three decades of war, it said.

"It is quite apparent that Thai soldiers must have stepped on one of those mine after having trespassed into this mine-infested area near the border," it added.

The Cambodian and Thai militaries just agreed Thursday afternoon in Thailand to hold joint patrols to reduce tension at the disputed border area near the temple, where a gun battle between the two sides a day earlier left two Cambodian soldiers dead.