A number of Thai frontline troops are pulling back

Friday, August 28, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

General Yim Pim, the Cambodian commander of Brigade No. 8 stationed along the Preah Vihear temple border frontline, said that the border situation has improved significantly, and even a number of Thai troops have also pulled back. He said that the progress of the bilateral troop reduction is a good sign for peace along the border. Troops welcome Hun Xen’s search for peaceful resolution in the armed confrontation between the two countries. Yim Pim added that, in the past, Cambodian troops who travel somewhere must be on constant alert and they have to have their weapons in hand at all time, but now, patrolling soldiers can do so without their weapons, unlike what it used to be.

Troops face difficulties … reduction is needed

Monday, August 24, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Sunday, General Yim Pim, commander of Cambodian army unit No. 8 and a former Khmer Rouge army commander, said that several soldiers posted along the border are facing difficulties, therefore a reduction should take place because, right now, the border situation in normal. He added that the presence of locally based soldiers at these (border) locations should be enough to protect the present conditions as Cambodian soldiers know the region very well and they are used to living in the forest, as well as facing malaria and other diseases.

The construction of road opposite Phnom Trop by Thai military renewed border tensions

Thai solders keep watch on the borders at Phnom Trop.

Source: Kampuchea Thmey newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

The commencement of the construction of a new road opposite Phnom Trop near Preah Vihear temple by the Thai military has caused heightened border tensions between the opposing forces, report Kampuchea Thmey.

Cambodian military sources from Preah Vihear reported that on 30th May, the Thai military had transported heavy construction equipments, including heavy buldozers to the area and commenced buldozing the area to construct a road leading up to Phnom Trop, considered to be Cambodian territory by the Cambodian side. The sources said that, at this stage, the Thai side had only begun to buldoze on their territory and they had not buldozed the area located inside the Khmer territory yet.

By using heavy construction equipments, the Cambodian side assumed that the Thai side intended to build a large, paved road or even a highway to the area. The road that they envisaged would be the same as the road that has been built in front of Preah Vihear temple by the Thai side.

The Cambodian military said that the Thai actions have renewed heightened tensions in the area. On top of this new developments, the 30 Thai troops sent to occupy the Cambodian territory of Chak Chreng on 24th May 2009 have not been withdrawn yet. Because the Thai military refused to withdraw their troops from the territory, Cambodia had sent the troops there also. Now there are reports that the numbers of Thai troops in Chak Chreng has been increased to 300 soldiers.

Sources from the Cambodian military based in the area said that the Thais told them that they intended to build a road leading up to Phnom Trop mountain, but they are not sure if they can do that. The same sources said that they told them that the reason they are constructing a road leading up to Phnom Trop mountain because it is still a disputed zone.

Gen. Yim Pim, commander of the Cambodian military based in the area, said that these two new developments have further heightened the military tensions along the Khmer-Thai borders.