Bordering on a little temple agreement

Friday November 14, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

The recently ended meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission between Thailand and Cambodia in Siem Reap turned out to be more successful than first thought.

Before the meeting, the Thai side did not expect any concrete results because of the border tension. Some even expected a quarrel between those representing the two countries at the negotiating table.

But the result, as well as the atmosphere, at the meeting was better than expected.

There were only two minor items needing parliamentary approval in Thailand because the Thai delegation did not want to get into trouble if the negotiators made an agreement without the authority of parliament.

The first was the term Thailand should use to refer to the 11th century temple, which has been internationally referred to as Preah Vihear. It is called Phra Viharn in Thai, and this name is used in government documents.

But Cambodia wanted to use Preah Vihear in the minutes of the meetings because the International Court of Justice, which ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia in 1962, used that term.

After a long discussion, Cambodia agreed to refer to the disputed area as "Sector 6", to avoid referring to the name of the temple. But the Thai delegation did not make any commitment over this matter.

Another issue was the two countries agreeing to scale down their military presence in the area. Cambodia wanted all 10 Thai troops stationed in the area to stay away from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda and another 20 to stay away from a nearby area. But the Thai side insisted certain low-ranking soldiers should stand by in the area for safety reasons.

"The Thai side had already asked parliament to approve a framework for negotiations on these issues with Cambodia before going to the meeting, but after the meeting there were some minor changes to the wording [about the military presence], so the Thai side must ask for approval from parliament again before signing an agreement with Cambodia," said the source.

Progress in Thai-Cambodia talks

The mood was relaxed and optimistic, but many obstacles remain

Thursday, 13 November 2008
By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok

Thailand and Cambodia have pledged to begin placing markers along their common border and withdraw troops from around a disputed temple.

The move came in a meeting of foreign ministers aimed at preventing further clashes after four soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire last month.

The two countries have just finished three days of talks on the dispute.

But they say obstacles remain to settling sovereignty of the land around the temple, which lies inside Cambodia.

'99% successful'

After days of talks the language from both foreign ministers was so relaxed and conciliatory you would hardly have known their soldiers were shooting at each other less than a month ago.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong described the talks as a "big practical step forward", and his Thai counterpart Sompong Amornwiwat said they had achieved "99%" of what they had hoped.

In reality, though, all they agreed was to start the difficult task of hammering out a deal on the border, and to scale down the armed stand-off around the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Troops will be withdrawn early next year, and in the meantime instructed to avoid further armed clashes.

And the two countries will begin marking out the border, which runs for nearly 800km (500 miles), much of it heavily mined.

They say they will make the stretch next to the temple their first priority - but this will certainly prove the hardest bit of border to mark, as both countries claim a 5-sq-km (1.9-sq-mile) patch of land around the temple, and each is working from different maps.

With nationalist feelings still running high over the temple, which in July was listed by Cambodia as a World Heritage Site, neither government is likely to back down over the claim.

Thailand's room for manoeuvre is even narrower, as every agreement it makes with Cambodia must now be approved by parliament.

Thailand, Cambodia agree on troop reductions

November 13, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed in principle to reduce troops in a disputed section of their common border.

The two sides say they will also make it a priority to mark out sections of the contested area around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple - the scene of last month's deadly clashes.

The agreement between Cambodian foreign minister, Hor Namhong, and his Thai counterpart, Sompong Amornviwat, came after three days of talks in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap.

However, the Thai foreign minister says the accord is still subject to ratification by his country's parliament.

The two sides will meet for another round of negotiations in January.

Troops at disputed temple not yet reduced

Sunday, August 17, 2008

(BangkokPost.com) - The number of Thai and Cambodian troops stationed near Preah Vihear temple has not been reduced despite an agreement to lower the number of military personnel to 10 personnel each.

However, the situation around the 11th century Hindu temple is not tense. Soldiers from both countries are closely monitoring the situation while avoiding confrontation.

Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong are scheduled to meet on Monday and Tuesday in Hua Hin.

Cambodia and Thailand to begin troop redeployment

Friday, 15 August 2008
AP & Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to a gradual “redeployment” of troops near Preah Vihear temple ahead of talks next week on territorial disputes, a Cambodian army general said Thursday.

The redeployment, slated to begin during the weekend, will first apply to Thai and Cambodian troops stationed inside the compound of a Buddhist pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister General Neang Phat said.

The number of troops from both countries will be reduced “to the lowest number possible,” Neang Phat said, adding that security officials from the two countries had reached the agreement during a meeting Wednesday in Thailand’s Surin province.

Neang Phat said that both countries will pull troops back from Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda compound during the weekend before foreign ministers of both countries meet in Thailand Monday.

A similar step will be taken for troops stationed in areas surrounding the Buddhist pagoda and Preah Vihear temple after the foreign ministers’ meeting, he said.

“Both sides have agreed to minimize troop forces stationed in Keo Sikha Kiri Svara to avert confrontation,” said General Neang Phath, secretary of state for the Ministry of National Defense.

About 800 local troops and 400 from Thailand have been facing off in the area for a month.

Moving troops from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda is considered significant, since it is where the troops first deployed. The two sides came close to a shoot-out on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.

Troops on both sides raised their weapons, but no shots were fired, and the Cambodians eventually backed down.

The border standoff erupted near the temple last month when UNESCO approved Cambodia’s application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site. Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking demonstrations by anti-Thai government protesters who claimed the temple’s new status would undermine Thailand’s claim to the surrounding area.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia. The decision still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex.

The dispute has not been resolved despite two rounds of talks since last month, with the countries referring to two different maps.

Cambodia uses a French colonial map demarcating the border, which Thailand says favors Cambodia. Thailand relies on a map drawn up later with American technical assistance.

Both countries are also facing a military standoff at the Ta Moan temples on the border in Oddar Meancheay province. Cambodian military officials there said Thursday that, following high-level military talks, Thai troops have made good on their promise not to lock fences that would block access to Cambodian civilians and soldiers. Pol Thein, regional commander of the Ta Moan Thom temple area, said Cambodian and Thai troops are stationed in teams around 30 meters from the temple. Cambodian troops stationed in the area appealed for support from people for provisions.

PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE: Troop levels to be reduced before fresh border talks

Friday August 15, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post and AFP

The plan by Cambodia and Thailand to sharply reduce troop levels on the border will be completed before a new round of border talks begins on Monday, Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister Gen Neang Phat said yesterday. The agreement was reached on Wednesday during a meeting of military officials from the two countries in Surin.

''The redeployment of the troops that we have agreed to will finish before the ministerial meeting on Aug 18,'' Gen Neang Phat said.

Gen Neang Phat said the remaining troops would be allowed to carry only light arms. Their future positions would be determined after the ministerial meeting next week, he added.

The border dispute erupted on July 15 after three Thai ultra-nationalist protesters were arrested for trying to illegally cross into Cambodia to reach the temple. Thailand insists that the land is also Thai territory.

Thai nationalists were incensed that Cambodia last month won World Heritage status from the United Nations for the ruins, which Thailand has long claimed despite a World Court ruling giving the ruins to Cambodia.

The Cambodian-Thai border has never been completely demarcated, partly since it is littered with landmines left from decades of conflict in Cambodia.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission on Monday and Tuesday in Cha-am district in Phetchaburi will focus on the disputed area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and Preah Vihear province of Cambodia.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong will lead his delegation to talk with his Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag. The Cambodian minister will be granted an audience with His Majesty the King at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin district in Prachuab Khiri Khan on Tuesday.

''Thailand expects more progress from this meeting after the first one in Siem Reap last month,'' said Mr Tharit.

Mass of Troops at Preah Vihear to Withdraw

Only 10 soldiers on each side will remain inside a pagoda at the heart of the dispute near Preah Vihear temple, a military commander said. (Photo: AP)

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 August 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

Cambodia and Thailand are set to withdraw the mass of their troops near Preah Vihear temple over the weekend, a top Cambodian military commander said Thursday.

The withdrawal follows a meeting between high-ranking military commanders on both sides in Surin province Wednesday.

"The redeployment of the armed forces that both countries have agreed to will be complete before the meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Hua Hin, Thailand," Aug. 18 and Aug. 19, said Gen. Neang Phat, secretary of state for the Ministry of Defense, who is head of Cambodia's Preah Vihear negotiating task force.

The reconfiguration of the maximum number of troops possible would take place on either Saturday or Sunday, he said, declining to give the exact number of soldiers that would remain at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda and its surrounding areas.

The pagoda has been at the center of the crisis since Thai troops occupied it on July 15, leading to a build-up of thousands of soldiers on both sides and the deployment of artillery and other armed vehicles.

Both sides will keep 10 soldiers each inside the pagoda and 45 personnel in a 1-kilometer perimeter around the pagoda, the Bangkok Post reported Thursday, citing a Thai official present at Wednesday's meeting.

Both sides agreed during the meeting that soldiers who stay in the temple area will not be equipped with heavy arms, and trenches in the area would be refilled, Neang Phat said.

Neither side will establish camps inside the pagoda, but they will be allowed to stay in tents nearby, Neang Phat said.

The commanders will meet again following the bilateral discussions between foreign ministers, he said.

Thai soldiers must allow Cambodian soldiers and civilians to reach Ta Moan Thom temple, from Thursday, he added.

Troops 'to leave border temple'

Thursday, 14 August 2008
BBC News

Cambodia and Thailand have reached a deal to withdraw most of their troops from territory both claim at a hill-top temple, Cambodian officials say.

The agreement was reached at a meeting of military officers from the two countries on Wednesday.

Only a small contingent from each side would remain at Preah Vihear temple, a top general said.

More than 1,000 troops have been engaged in a stand-off at the ancient site for a month.

An international court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims.

The decision by Unesco in June to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site reignited lingering tensions over unresolved border disputes between the two countries.

'Avoid confrontation'

The troop withdrawal would take place in the next few days, Cambodian General Neang Phat told journalists.

"Both sides agreed to redeploy the troops, who are stationed in the pagoda, to the lowest possible number in order to avoid confrontation with each other," he said.

Foreign ministers from the two countries will meet early next week for more talks, the general said.

The dispute erupted on 15 July. Thai troops moved into an area both sides claim after Cambodian guards arrested three Thai protesters there. Both sides then rapidly increased their military presence at the site.

Earlier this month, Cambodia accused Thailand of occupying a second border temple, Ta Moan.

The row was fuelled by domestic politics on both sides. Anti-government protest groups in Thailand exploited the issue to attack the ruling coalition, which had initially backed the Unesco listing.

The troop build-up also came just days before a general election in Cambodia - and the temple issue came to dominate the polls.

But tensions now appear to be easing somewhat, with both sides calling for dialogue.

Cambodia and Thailand to begin troop redeployment

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to a gradual redeployment of troops near an ancient border temple ahead of talks next week on territorial disputes, a Cambodian army general said Thursday.

The redeployment, slated to begin during the weekend, will first apply to Thai and Cambodian troops stationed inside the compound of a Buddhist pagoda near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Neang Phat said.

The number of troops from both countries will be reduced "to the lowest number possible," Neang Phat said, adding that security officials from the two countries had reached the agreement during a meeting on Wednesday in Thailand's Surin province.

Neang Phat said that both countries will pull troops back from Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda compound during the weekend before foreign ministers of both countries meet in Thailand next Monday.

A similar step will be taken for troops stationed in areas surrounding the Buddhist pagoda and Preah Vihear temple after the foreign ministers' meeting, he said.

Thai military officials were not immediately available for comment.

About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand have been facing off in the area for a month.

Moving troops from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda is considered significant, since it is where the troops first deployed. The two sides came close to a shoot-out on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.

Troops on both sides raised their weapons, but no shots were fired, and the Cambodians eventually backed down.

The border standoff erupted near the temple last month when UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site. Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking demonstrations by anti-government protesters who claimed the temple's new status would undermine Thailand's claim to the surrounding area.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear and the land it occupies to Cambodia. The decision still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex.

The dispute has not been resolved despite two rounds of talks since last month, with the countries referring to two different maps.

Cambodia uses a French colonial map demarcating the border, which Thailand says favors Cambodia. Thailand relies on a map drawn up later with American technical assistance.

Cambodia, Thailand agree to reduce troops at border area before FMs meeting

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to reduce their troops to the minimum level at and around the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda as well as in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear Temple in the eponymous Cambodian province, before the foreign ministers from both sides convene their second meeting on July 18 in Thailand to break the month-long bilateral military standoff, an official said here Thursday.

Both sides agreed Wednesday at the military officials' meeting in Surin province of Thailand to reduce the troops to the smallest number to avoid military confrontation at the border, said Neang Phat, secretary of state of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense and a senior member of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Border Committee.

The agreement was reached during the meeting between Lt. Gen. Suchit Sitthiprapa, Thailand's Second Army Commander responsible for security affairs in northeastern region, and the Cambodian delegation led by Neang Phat.

So far since July 15, both sides haven't pulled back their troops near the Preah Vihear Temple and at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda in Preah Vihear province, as well as at the Tamone Toch and Tamone Thom temples in neighboring Otdar Meanchey province.

Bun Leng, Cambodian village chief at the Preah Vihear area, said that the soldiers from both sides are facing difficulties such as heavy rain at night and epidemic malaria.

"The heavy rain is pouring down everyday from evening to dawn," he added.

On July 15, Thai troops went into the border area to fetch three trespassers who had intended to claim Thai sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple. However, the troops stationed there ever since, thus triggering the military stalemate.

The same day, Thai troops occupied the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple.

In the following days, both sides gradually increased their military personnel to a thousand strong at the border area to show their determination for territorial sovereignty.

On July 28, foreign ministers from Cambodia and Thailand held a meeting in Siem Reap province and agreed to mull the possibility of evacuating troops from the border.

On Aug. 3, Thai troops entered the Ta Moan Toch and Ta Moan Thom temples, thus aggravating the face-off.

The Preah Vihear Temple straddles the Cambodian-Thai border atop the Dangrek Mountain and was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice decided that the 11-century temple and the land around belongs to Cambodia, which rankled the Thais and has led to continuous disputes in late years.

Cambodia, Thai troops to pull back from temple at weekend: general

Thursday, August 14, 2008
Agence France-Presse

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to sharply reduce their troop numbers around a disputed temple before a new round of border talks opens Monday, a top general said.

The agreement was reached Wednesday during a meeting of military officials from the two countries, Cambodian General Neang Phat, a top official at the defense ministry, told reporters.

Thai military officials confirmed the deal, but neither country would reveal exactly how many troops would be withdrawn from the area around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

"Both sides agreed to redeploy the troops, who are stationed in the pagoda (near the temple), to the lowest possible number in order to avoid confrontation with each other," Neang Phat told reporters Thursday.

More than 1,000 troops from both countries are stationed around the ruins of the ancient Khmer temple. Cambodia and Thailand agreed last month to withdraw their forces from a small patch of disputed territory near the temples.

Foreign ministers from both countries are set to meet Monday and Tuesday to hammer out details on the deal.

"The redeployment of the troops that we have agreed to will finish before the ministerial meeting on August 18," Neang Phat said.

Neang Phat said the remaining troops would be allowed to carry only simple rifles and guns. Their future positions would be determined after the ministerial meeting next week, he added.

The border dispute erupted July 15, after three Thai nationalist protesters were arrested for trying to illegally cross into Cambodia to reach the temple.

Thai nationalists were incensed that Cambodia last month won world heritage status from the United Nations for the ruins, which Thailand has long claimed despite a World Court ruling giving the ruins to Cambodia.

Thailand, Cambodia To Reduce Troops At Border Temple

BANGKOK, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Thailand and Cambodia agreed to reduce the number of their military personnel guarding the disputed border temple of Ta Moan Thom, the Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.

The agreement was reached following a meeting between Thailand's Second Army commander, Suchit Sitthiprapa who is responsible for security affairs in the country's northeastern area, and Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister, Neang Paht.

Both sides agreed at the meeting, held in Thailand 's northeastern province Surin, to reduce the number of armed forces personnel guarding the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple which is located between Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district and Cambodian province of Uddor Meanchey.

They also agreed to dismantle the barbed wire installed at the Khmer-style temple ruins on Thursday (August 14) so that military and residents of both countries could communicate with each other and visit the temple.

Ta Moan Thom is several hundred kilometres west of 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff in a dispute over land near the temple.

The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia will also hold their second-round talks regarding the dispute on August 18-19.

Thursday, August 14, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to reduce the number of troops at their common border in an attempt to reduce tension over the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple ruins.

The agreement was reached after a meeting between Cambodia's deputy defence minister and Thailand's second army commander responsible for security affairs in northeastern Thailand.

Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to open the barbed wire installed at the ruin on Thursday, to allow the military and residents of both countries to communicate and visit the Ta Muen Thom ruins.

Both countries also agreed to hold another meeting next Monday in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin.

Thailand, Cambodia agree to reduce troops at border temple

BANGKOK, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Thailand and Cambodia on Wednesday agreed to reduce the number of their military personnel guarding the disputed border temple of Ta Moan Thom after a bilateral defense meeting in Thailand's northeastern province Surin.

The agreement was reached following a meeting between Lt-Gen. Suchit Sitthiprapa, Thailand's Second Army commander, responsible for security affairs in northeastern Thailand, and Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Neang Paht at a hotel in Surin province bordering Cambodia, according to a report by Thai News Agency.

Both sides agreed at the meeting to reduce the number of armed forces personnel guarding the Ta Moan Thom, 13-century Khmer-styletemple ruin which is located between Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district and Cambodian province of Uddor Meanchey.

Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to open the barbed wire installed at the ruin early Thursday so that military and residents of both countries could communicate with each other and visit the temple. Thais will also be allowed to visit another ruin about a km deeper inside Cambodia.

Tensions in the area heightened after Thailand's Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit, on Aug. 4 asked Cambodia to withdraw its soldiers from the environs of the temple.

A Thai foreign ministry spokesman has said the Ta Moan Thom ruin is only one of a number of sites along the yet-to-be-demarcated boundary between the two countries.

Both countries have agreed to hold another meeting next Monday in the Thai central resort town of Hua Hin.

On Monday and Tuesday, foreign ministers from both countries will also hold their second-round talks regarding the long-disputed border area around the Preah Vihear Temple.

The 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple was awarded a World Heritage site honor after the UNESCO last month approved Cambodia's application, which has sparked nationalist sentiment in Thailand amid its recent domestic political turmoil.

Thai and Cambodian military have beefed up military presence along the disputed border since July 15 after three Thais including a monk was briefly detained by Cambodian soldiers for breaking into the temple, which had been closed for public by Cambodian authorities to public as border tension rose.