PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia (AFP) - Cambodia's premier vowed Friday to improve national defence as his troops prepared to begin joint patrols with Thai soldiers at their disputed border to avoid another deadly firefight.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made the pledge at a cabinet meeting that included a moment of silence for the three Cambodian soldiers who died this week after gunfights with Thai troops on disputed land.
"Today our cabinet, with the pride we received from protecting our territory, will discuss draft laws (to put the) national defence sector on top," Hun Sen said, without elaborating on specific steps.
While Thailand has a 300,000-strong armed forces and a well-equipped air force, Cambodia's much smaller military is badly equipped, badly trained and disorganised, according to a Western military official in Bangkok.
The prime minister made his remarks as Thai and Cambodian soldiers faced off along the border, awaiting joint patrols which senior military officials agreed to in a Thursday meeting.
The agreement was aimed at preventing a repeat of Wednesday's clashes on disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple, a UN heritage site on Cambodian territory and the focus of months of tensions.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thais injured by gun and rocket fire, and a third Cambodian soldier died Thursday of smoke inhalation from repeatedly firing his rocket-launcher.
"Today we received the order to be well-prepared. The joint patrols have not yet been put in practice," said Cambodian Major Menly, who oversees more than 100 troops at the frontlines of the disputed border.
It was not clear when the joint patrols would begin, but Thai and Cambodian soldiers appeared more relaxed Friday, with some even stashing way their rifles and rocket launchers.
"The situation is less tense," Thai border task force commander Major General Kanok Netrakavaesana said.
The eruption of violence this week came after talks on Monday about the border dispute ended in failure, with Hun Sen warning of armed conflict and the Thai army saying it was prepared for a confrontation.
Troops began massing on both sides of the border, while Thailand sent tanks and heavy weaponry to the area and put fighter jets on stand-by.
After the clash, the United Nations , United States and European Union heaped pressure on Thailand and Cambodia to exercise restraint, and leaders in both nations said they were committed to avoiding further conflict.
But the neighbours have blamed each other for starting the violence, and a war of words over who owns the patches of disputed land continues.
Thailand has also accused Cambodia of planting the landmines which injured two Thai troops on the border earlier this month, breaching the international treaty banning the use of landmines, which Thailand and Cambodia have signed.
Officials in Cambodia, however, deny that they were fresh mines, and said they were the remnants of their three-decade long civil war.
The current standoff first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded World Heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO, angering some Thai nationalists who claim ownership of the site.
The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.
The Cambodian-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
Cambodia on Thursday denied it had recently planted mines in the area near Preah Vihear, with the foreign ministry insisting Phnom Penh adheres to international treaties banning landmines.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made the pledge at a cabinet meeting that included a moment of silence for the three Cambodian soldiers who died this week after gunfights with Thai troops on disputed land.
"Today our cabinet, with the pride we received from protecting our territory, will discuss draft laws (to put the) national defence sector on top," Hun Sen said, without elaborating on specific steps.
While Thailand has a 300,000-strong armed forces and a well-equipped air force, Cambodia's much smaller military is badly equipped, badly trained and disorganised, according to a Western military official in Bangkok.
The prime minister made his remarks as Thai and Cambodian soldiers faced off along the border, awaiting joint patrols which senior military officials agreed to in a Thursday meeting.
The agreement was aimed at preventing a repeat of Wednesday's clashes on disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple, a UN heritage site on Cambodian territory and the focus of months of tensions.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thais injured by gun and rocket fire, and a third Cambodian soldier died Thursday of smoke inhalation from repeatedly firing his rocket-launcher.
"Today we received the order to be well-prepared. The joint patrols have not yet been put in practice," said Cambodian Major Menly, who oversees more than 100 troops at the frontlines of the disputed border.
It was not clear when the joint patrols would begin, but Thai and Cambodian soldiers appeared more relaxed Friday, with some even stashing way their rifles and rocket launchers.
"The situation is less tense," Thai border task force commander Major General Kanok Netrakavaesana said.
The eruption of violence this week came after talks on Monday about the border dispute ended in failure, with Hun Sen warning of armed conflict and the Thai army saying it was prepared for a confrontation.
Troops began massing on both sides of the border, while Thailand sent tanks and heavy weaponry to the area and put fighter jets on stand-by.
After the clash, the United Nations , United States and European Union heaped pressure on Thailand and Cambodia to exercise restraint, and leaders in both nations said they were committed to avoiding further conflict.
But the neighbours have blamed each other for starting the violence, and a war of words over who owns the patches of disputed land continues.
Thailand has also accused Cambodia of planting the landmines which injured two Thai troops on the border earlier this month, breaching the international treaty banning the use of landmines, which Thailand and Cambodia have signed.
Officials in Cambodia, however, deny that they were fresh mines, and said they were the remnants of their three-decade long civil war.
The current standoff first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded World Heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO, angering some Thai nationalists who claim ownership of the site.
The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.
The Cambodian-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
Cambodia on Thursday denied it had recently planted mines in the area near Preah Vihear, with the foreign ministry insisting Phnom Penh adheres to international treaties banning landmines.
32 comments:
Don't engage in joint patrol with the fuck head Thai.
But I support joint patrol if the thai means is joint dick in their women's ass. All Khmer soldiers will have the chance to choose any Thai women and jointly stick their hardened dick into the whore's ass. That's how I see it.
Now time to fuck cunts and asses of Queen sisaket and all the thai whores in Phnom Penh.
fuck u idiot Western military official in Bangkok. even if they are badly equipped, my khmer soldier can shoot your head. If u come to confront with them, perhaps u become one of those thai ladyboys who fled away from the front line. Who the fuck is this fool westerner? just shut up motherfucker.
Where the hell is Scam Rainsy and Kim Sucka in this period of crisis? They seem as quiet as a cat.
Some say Hun Sen will not listen to them? But I believe Hun Sen will listen but whether or not he follows depend on the goodness of the suggestion. But as opposition Scam Rainsy and Kim Sucka shoulda offer a suggestion on what they would do to resolve the crisis IF THEY WERE PM. Isn't that what they always wanted, to be PM? Now we need to see what they would do if they were elected in the previous election. Whether Hun Sne listen or not is not relevant. We voters want to know.
But where are they now? in the bunker shitting all over themselves. Scam and Sucka only know how to criticize Khmer and work to ban foreign aids to Khmer, but when it comes to protect Khmer, they would be as quiet as a cat. I have lost all my faith in the opposition now, after this crisis and after Scam flip flop his pledge to boycott NA as a result of bribes by Kith Meng.
I repeat this: Now it shows why Cambodia needs Hun Sen. If you are opposition supporters, time to switch. Scam and Sucka are hopeless idiots.
1:42 PM
Right in front of the monitor monitoring your infantile comments.
We're planning to take over the Tuol Krasaing in the not-too-distant future.
Don't forget to welcome us!
Former CPP official
Ah!! Chkourt, what you say seem unreasonable. to protect country and people is the dutie of goverment, and who is primister? Is Ah hun sen, so he must do all thing to protect people and country. Nowaday did he do all thing to protect country and people yet. Please do not think that only ware with thailand now HUN SEN is wonderfull and love this small country. Why you not say about what he destroy country? Sam rainsy and KEM SOKha is no prime minister, so he could not have any power for using to protect and to conduct country.
I call on both sides to consider joint development -- 50-50 is a win-win situation. War only create destruction -- not development.
I say let's fuck Ah Hun Sen and his clowns.
1:42pm
you sound like viet ass who try to devide khmer people.
Sam Rainsy is not a dictator. He may not be in the scence and may be he's not allowed. But he's contributing to the fund raising for money, food and clothings to help those at the front lines since those soldiers are badly equiped.
But I think all these Preah Vihear business is just a show for Thai and Cambodia. First it was the re election and now I think Thai is trying to get their people focus on Preah Vihear instead of the PAD. My poor Preah Vihear, why don't they leave you in peace.
Fuck all the haters in here i bet all the haters in here is vietz and thaiz lolzz hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa
The western had trained all this monkey. That why they talking shit to our khmer brave army. yeah i kinda understand, they can only train them to fuck the whore in bangkok. all these cock sucker talk big than their mother hole.
Hun Sen has an erratic behavior. One day he want make war and the next day he want to make peace. I hope he want to be the next sadam hun sen for war crime against humanity. His master, viet, loves him so much because he murder a lot of khmer people for them.
Yes, the Preah Vihear issue is just a show business. See, they rather let Khmer soldiers died because it worked out cheaper.
Despite recent border clashes with our neighboring nation (Thailand), don't forget that Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is still despised by the overwhelming majority of Cambodian people; also, Hun Sen is a dictator, who had ordered his secret police to surreptitious murdered undetermined amount of Cambodians, particulary the opposition supporters.
Please don't let Hun Sen use the recent incident to divert his d serious malfeasance against the innocent Cambodians.
2:19 PM
Don't fret! The UN or the US will kill issue an early expiration date for him. In other words, he'll be the next Saddam, undoubtedly.
1:42
Dont you have any brain cell left in you? How could in anyone not in a priministerial position can excercise any executive power. Sam Rainsy never have any power. Ah Kvak Hun Xen Viet slave is the one with all the power. He has so much power that judicial branch and legislative brance become obsolete.
Besides, why would anyone in their right mind allow international AID to go to the hand of a dictatorship that was installed by Viet so that their family could be rich and the poor Cambodian people who never recieve a penny will pay for it in the form of tax and corruption?
Next time befor you open your stupid mouth, you should go do some reading instead.
A True Khmer Anti Viet Slave
To all compatriots,
Thanks to all your ideas in this KI media. The more people, the more ideas and anyways united we will win.
So far I am still amazed that our government is lack of willingness to bring this case to the UN and ICJ. Or we will lose Thai when we go to the court???? Or the UN/ICJ does not accept our case??? Or they are not fair mediator? Though I have little knowledge but I know that we are wasting our national budget and the lives of our people when the fighting happens and by prolonging this situation. We can understand Thai difficulty by not bringing this case to the court but they should respect us too and keep their words but if they are arrogant like this we have no choice. Negotiation with Thai is not profitable to Cambodia at all. But why our government chose this way??? Can any body make me clear about all these points??
Without Hunsen the fighting might have happened since the earlier time but it is true too that without Hun Sen this issue might be settled soon.
Thanks and long live Khmer people!!!
From a Khmer adult, live and educated locally.
fucking them!!!, if Cambodia has bad-equip, bad-trained and disorgainse why we kill thai army more than 10 which cambodia only three.fucking and stupid them.
Our F-16s & F-15s & C-130s were not used during the worthless skirmishes. Rest assured, you'll find out a moment sooner in a second clash in the not-too-distant future. THE BATTLE IS OVER -- NOT THE WAR.
Don't hold your breath!
4:21,
You sound like a nation of war- loving or your country has been in peace for too long? Staying in peace for over 100 years, your people should be all high educated but I am surprised to see such kind of your recent behaviors especially a citizen like you.. Your people should feel ashamed of yourselves of what you are lying the facts. Your country does not deserve to buddism country. It seems that you are now being too proud of yourself.. but a civilized nation will laugh at you for it shows that you are the uneducated people.
From a Khmer adult, live and educated locally.
Ah Plear mad dog 4:10. Read my post before opening your shit mouth. What I said was that Scam and Sucka should have come out and OFFERED suggestion to the government on how to best deal with the PM, suggestion of what they would do if they were PM now. Now if you can't read properly, learn to read before you write, ah plear chker chkout.
Plus, Scam and Sukha only ban aids to hurt the people, as they can't hurt the government. Yes, Hun Sen is corrupt, but when the aids does not come, the poor die, not Hun Sen. Again, learn to read before you write, ah plear!
I am Khmer, and I want to tell you that at least I know who to support in this period of crisis!
In short, Scam and Sucka are useless idiots endeavoring to only gain power to benefits themselves.
"Worthless skirmishes" aren't you the fuckers who are whining and crying to get what does not belong to you??? Khmers, you need no stupid joint-patrol with the fakers who have been trying to shoot at you and sneak into your land. Joint patrol is used for joint protection against another enemy, but these smiling robbers ARE the ENEMY!!! Cambodia needs
to treat the thieves as enemy until they have proved themselves trustworthy, again.
In response to 4:21 PM, Khmers soldiers need to engage these Siams very up close and personal on the ground so that their air force cannot have a clear shoot. Any Khmer soldier who can down any flying Siam hardware deserves a big reward!
Hun Sen is a liar moron. Why does Cambodia always have liar rulers?
Take Angkor Wat for example. How did it disappear from Khmer history for several hundred years before being discovered? The following rulers must have lied something so that people would stay away from the mighty of the old power, and finally forget about the temple.
Thailand used to have a liar leader too. The name is Thaksin the fugitive. We already got rid of him although not completely yet. He claims he is a close friend to Hun Sen. What a couple!
Dear all friend
could you please kindly stop using thai product.
Shreak
to some,
be bit civilized ya will
Thai now is realy Crasy now. Let kill them, and cook the troop for dog foot
"The Thai opposition Democrat Party says the cross border conflict is a direct result of the UN's granting Cambodia sole recognition over the temple site, whose main access route lies on the Thai side of the border. And Thai Foreign Ministry officials are very concerned over the recent discovery of new land mines - now banned by both countries - being uncovered inside Thai territory near the disputed area."
Very lame, absurd and nologic at all with these ignorant excuses.
To Mr. HUN SEN!
Do not let them have any share in this!
They pretend to work thing out with one hand and the other hand they keep on blaming Khmer.
No deal with SIAM (period).
If you don't kick them out they will continue doing it in near future. We need to have war with them regardless with business in Srok Khmer.
Without them we can survive easy. We never get anything from they anyway.
Please HUN SEN think twice. Don't let the SIAM take advantage on you. Don't be soft with them.
Khmer Lowell,MA (USA).
"The day after the confrontations which led to the death of 3 Cambodian soldiers, it appears that at least 5 Thai soldiers were also killed."
"Returning to the outcome of the shooting the day before, several Cambodian soldiers questioned by Cambodge Soir Hebdo have assured that there were at least 5 Thai soldiers killed and 2 injured near the stair step to the Preah Vihear temple. “Two bodies were discovered yesterday and 3 others were found today, we even helped our enemies carry the bodies,” one of the soldier explained."
Proud of you Khmer soldiers!
Khmer sra-lunch Khmer!
The World Court needs to finish up the verdict for this small land before any damage is done. Cambodia do not want war and we do not want anything to do with the sneaky Thailand.
7:05 PM those five kateuy siem bodies were found at the stair up to Prah Vihear later after they ran like kateuy head cut off back to Siem land. There were more at Veal Entry.
to all, the joint patrol agreement is only at Prah Vihear because we have agreed before but not Veal Entry (phnom trorp). We still holding that area there is no joint petrol. Kateuy siem will be blast again if they dare to cross to Veal Entry.
In a time of war, Cambodia should have only one leader to make any kind of decision! Mr.Sam Rainy and Mr. Kim Sokha can only play supplementary role! So don't be disappointed about Mr. Sam Rainsy and Mr. Kim Sokha and when the time and they will offer their contribution to the progress of Cambodia too!
"Our F-16s & F-15s & C-130s were not used during the worthless skirmishes. Rest assured, you'll find out a moment sooner in a second clash in the not-too-distant future. THE BATTLE IS OVER -- NOT THE WAR.
Don't hold your breath!"
= Who are you kidding? During the Vietnam War there are more fighter jets and warplanes then what the Thai government currently has! There are B-52 bombers! All the Thai leaders can rest assured that the Thai warplanes will become obsolete once the SA-300 is fully operational! The Thai warplane is nothing more than a small fly that is constantly looking for a place to land!
Long live the SA-300!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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