Cambodia to reduce troops at border temple: PM

Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Aug 22 (AFP) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen today said he plans to reduce the number of troops stationed around an ancient border temple that has sparked bloody clashes with Thailand.

The neighbouring countries have fought several skirmishes on the disputed frontier around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia since the ruins were granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.

Hun Sen said Thailand now had just 30 soldiers on the border, meaning that Cambodia would send some troops away from the area and back to their bases in nearby provinces, although he did not give precise figures.

" Having too many troops up there is not really good. We have a plan to change the deployment a little,"Hun Sen said during a trip to an outlying province.

He said the Thai redeployment meant that there was no fighting at the border at present.

"If anything happened, it wouldn't take long to send our troops up again. But I hope there won't be any fighting there,"he added.

Cambodia to recall some troops at border: PM

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Saturday that there was no fighting at border and he will recall some troops to help the farmers to planting crops after some areas had been hit by drought.

"We are monitoring to withdraw the troops from the frontiers and we need soldiers to help the local farmers during this time," the premier said at the opening ceremony of irrigation in Pursat province, southeastern part of Phnom Penh, citing that Thailand now has 30 soldiers at the border.

"But in case we have problem at the border, we can mobilize our troops so quickly to border area," he said, adding that "we are moving back our troops of Kompong Thom and Siem Reap provinces to their headquarters from the border."

"I hope there is no fight each other again there," he stresses. Cambodian and Thai troops have confronted at areas near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple since July, 2008 when the UNESCO listed the temple as the World Heritage Site of Cambodia.

Moreover, Hun Sen said that "in modern age, we need to discuss the matters with each other and we do not want to see any people shed their blood."

Troops tension at border is becoming ease and both side plan to measure the areas soon to plant border markers.