KANTHARALAK, Thailand (AFP) — Thailand's prime minister, under pressure from military chiefs to resign, on Saturday flew to the Cambodian border to visit soldiers injured in deadly clashes between the two nations.
Somchai Wongsawat was due to visit a military hospital in eastern Ubon Ratchathani province, where one soldier remains critically ill following a gunfight with Cambodian troops on their disputed border on Wednesday.
A regional army spokesman said the premier would later fly to neighbouring Si Sa Ket province, where the violence erupted near an ancient temple that left two Cambodian soldiers dead and seven Thai troops injured.
"He will be briefed by the military and visit soldiers to boost their morale," Colonel Taweesak Boonrakchart told reporters.
"It will take around one hour but he will not visit the flash point where the gun battle took place," he said.
Taweesak said the atmosphere along the border was calm, but said Thai troops remained on alert to protect the kingdom's sovereignty.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a joint border patrol aimed at preventing a repeat of the deadly clashes near the Preah Vihear temple, but there has been no word on when they would start.
Meanwhile Somchai insisted on Friday that he would not resign, despite army chief Anupong Paojinda hinting that he should in a live television broadcast a day earlier.
Somchai, who has been in the post just one month, has been under increasing pressure to quit and dissolve parliament after clashes between police and anti-government protesters on October 7 left two dead and nearly 500 injured.
The protesters claim the government is a puppet of ousted and exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whom it accuses of corruption and nepotism.
Somchai Wongsawat was due to visit a military hospital in eastern Ubon Ratchathani province, where one soldier remains critically ill following a gunfight with Cambodian troops on their disputed border on Wednesday.
A regional army spokesman said the premier would later fly to neighbouring Si Sa Ket province, where the violence erupted near an ancient temple that left two Cambodian soldiers dead and seven Thai troops injured.
"He will be briefed by the military and visit soldiers to boost their morale," Colonel Taweesak Boonrakchart told reporters.
"It will take around one hour but he will not visit the flash point where the gun battle took place," he said.
Taweesak said the atmosphere along the border was calm, but said Thai troops remained on alert to protect the kingdom's sovereignty.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a joint border patrol aimed at preventing a repeat of the deadly clashes near the Preah Vihear temple, but there has been no word on when they would start.
Meanwhile Somchai insisted on Friday that he would not resign, despite army chief Anupong Paojinda hinting that he should in a live television broadcast a day earlier.
Somchai, who has been in the post just one month, has been under increasing pressure to quit and dissolve parliament after clashes between police and anti-government protesters on October 7 left two dead and nearly 500 injured.
The protesters claim the government is a puppet of ousted and exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whom it accuses of corruption and nepotism.
11 comments:
Thailand is hitting by a new avian virus or BIRD FLUE. Thanks god that makes Thailand in trouble and trouble
Get a life. Don't just dream what else can you do Xhmer?
All about power and hun sen is afraid of self-shadow. Where's him?
Don't blame US or any other countries. Khmers must blame the rampant corruption, the unwillingness of the current leaders to not put the anti-corruption law with the law enforcement. Khmer could shot the Siam since day one but where's the army? Only the number in the paper and those soldiers are poorly-equiped and disciplined.
What on earth is the quality of these soldiers? Isn't that because of the corruption and deficiency of the ruling gov.t???
how about peace and stability? That looks like something your country don't have right now so don't look down on Cambodia. That's your problem, every neighbor is lower then you. Your superiority complex arises from your identity crises and the fact that you have no real identity and pride to show off on your own.
A culture based on Khmer and then go on to debase Khmer. That is sad indeed.
The reason is UN, US and powerful countries enjoy remaining dictators in power, whether it is in Asia or Africa to enjoy running juicy economic trades with those dictators, pillage national resource at low price and runing weapons commerce to remain those countries in conflicts and civil war to profit from it. Actual UN still (pay) to maintain Khmer rouge regime/cpp in power to kill and repress Khmer people from revolt and for its own peace and economic stability. For average Cambodians, Khmer rouge genocide was not end at 7 Jan 79. US and powerful countries are as much as criminals as yuons, Khmer rouge or cpp
Yes, Khmer may just can dream but not as fuck ill patheric and criminals/bandits as the siamese
The problem is also with current Khmer leader who want to show off against historical aggressor. The incident would not have happened if the government requested the UN for intervention in July. It's not too late to request for their help in order to avoid bloodshed. Either side is Khmer. Only Khmer surins are in frontline. That's reason why Khmer didn't kill those captured soldiers. My concern is that many young Cambodians quited their school to enlist for military service. We need them to build a strong Cambodia if peace can be achieved. Hun Sen should wake up and go for UN or EU's help. You can still go for golfing, digging wells for the poor, and let the UN do the job. Only international policy can stop thieves.
4:07 PM
We are pretty alive thank you.
Don't you loose yours.
Khmer Surin don't be fool by the Thai.
My personal feeling is that in order to avoid another coup by top military officiers, the current Thai government needs to make the border clash happen at any cost. So, the Thai public would focus more on border clash than the coup itself. It will bring a bad image to the coup planners if they wish to go while border stand off still continues. It would make thing complicated for coup planners to mobilize the troops for the coup. The public would punish them. That's why Thai PM needs to get closer to the local Thai commanders. PM won't prefer clash, but just a stand off and sometimes fighting because soldiers are human and their patiece is limited. It's a political game in Thai politics. The question is do Khmers want to play the game with them or do we really need to think about the territory? The latter is to have international mediation, but Thai government won't choose it at least until the threat from coup planners is over.
Whether Khmer government wants to play the game with them or not, lives of Khmer soldiers need to be protected and treated fairly.
If a large scale conflict happens, Thais would be united, and the military will take the government completely. Somchai never wants this to happen either. It's a tough situation there. If coup fails, there is a high risk for the coup planners and those behind them.
In my opinion, Khmers should not involve with their game for the best interest of the nation. Thais ALWAYS get advantages while we were in troubles. Why not we? We should focus more on economic development and leave the works to the international communities because we have law and peace accord. Just like Singapore, the more we have strong economics and humand resources, no one would touch us. Hun Sen should really think about this.
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