Funeral ceremony for Cambodian soldiers killed in border clashes Photo: EPAThailand and Cambodia agreed to introduce joint patrols in disputed areas along their border after deadly clashes between the two countries threatened to escalate into war.
17 Oct 2008
The Telegraph (UK)
"We will introduce the joint patrol to avoid this kind of incident happening again," said Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, Thailand's northeastern army commander, after meeting with a Cambodian counterpart.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured on Wednesday when a three-month long dispute over land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple boiled over into a shootout.
Gen Wiboonsak said the atmosphere at the meeting had been good, but said that little headway was made on the deeper issues of ending the stand-off and withdrawing troops from a number of disputed border areas.
"The meeting has not made much progress, but the two sides agreed to stay where they are," he told reporters, adding that Thailand had no plans to remove any of the heavy weaponry along the border.
Gen Wiboonsak said talks between senior military officials would resume on Oct 21 in Cambodia's Siem Reap, but cautioned that more fighting was possible.
"Thailand keeps our promise, but if Cambodia does not it may happen again," he said after the five-hour meeting.
Major General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troops in the disputed border area, said the Thai and Cambodian generals had agreed that soldiers would not fire their weapons, but troops would remain in the area.
Thai soldiers say the joint patrols should work well – when the two sides are not shooting each other they are the best of friends.
At a jungle camp near Saothongchai, five miles from the tiny piece of disputed territory where a gun battle this week appeared to threaten a full-scale war, Thai soldiers were checking their weapons yesterday before heading to the front line. Brand new body armour was being handed out and chickens scratched around in the dust.
A soldier, enjoying a last few minutes in his hammock before the march, described the remarkable relationship between the antagonists.
"It's our duty to fight," he said, "but we want to have a good relationship. On the morning of the battle we smoked together and in the afternoon we were shooting. Even in the evening, when they came to collect things left behind in the battle, they were asking 'did anyone from your side get hurt?''"
He repeated the refrain of soldiers the world over. "We don't understand the political side. As soldiers we have to protect our land, but no one wants to die."
Seven Thai soldiers were hurt and two Cambodians were killed. One of the Thai casualties, whose thigh was shattered by a machine gun round, described from his hospital bed how violence can erupt when fighting men from two armies are packed into 1.8 square miles of disputed territory.
"I saw the Cambodian soldiers run back to their shelters and saw the Thai soldiers run back to their shelters, so I also ran. Then I felt a pain in my left leg and I couldn't run any further," he concluded simply. "I don't know the truth about who shot first."
Both sides officially insist that the other shot first. They have also repeatedly accused the other of illegally entering their territory, while issuing denials of their own. But this is a border dispute and, as a Thai army captain in the jungle balefully pointed out, "the problem is that we have different maps".
The crisis began in July when the UN made the 11th century ruined temple of Preah Vihear, which is just inside Cambodia, a world heritage site. Thais have long been upset that the monument does not fall inside their territory. Thai ultranationalists started protesting and the tiny plot of disputed land next to the temple was rapidly militarised.
Local residents are on edge, but they have an ambiguous attitude to the crisis and their Cambodian neighbours.
Yesterday the Thai media reported fantastical claims, without any known basis, that Cambodia secretly plans to annex the castles of Taamuan and Taakwaai, more ancient ruins which are inside Thailand.
"The Cambodians want our castle's back," claimed a teacher, her grammar indicating the convoluted nature of cultural property here. Then she continued, "All the kids around here are Cambodian."
"Even she's Cambodian," she said, indicating a girl who was sitting in her garden like a daughter. The teenager became shy at the attention.
"Her parents came here 20 years ago and she's waiting to get Thai citizenship," explained the teacher. "She even speaks Cambodian."
17 Oct 2008
The Telegraph (UK)
"We will introduce the joint patrol to avoid this kind of incident happening again," said Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, Thailand's northeastern army commander, after meeting with a Cambodian counterpart.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured on Wednesday when a three-month long dispute over land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple boiled over into a shootout.
Gen Wiboonsak said the atmosphere at the meeting had been good, but said that little headway was made on the deeper issues of ending the stand-off and withdrawing troops from a number of disputed border areas.
"The meeting has not made much progress, but the two sides agreed to stay where they are," he told reporters, adding that Thailand had no plans to remove any of the heavy weaponry along the border.
Gen Wiboonsak said talks between senior military officials would resume on Oct 21 in Cambodia's Siem Reap, but cautioned that more fighting was possible.
"Thailand keeps our promise, but if Cambodia does not it may happen again," he said after the five-hour meeting.
Major General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troops in the disputed border area, said the Thai and Cambodian generals had agreed that soldiers would not fire their weapons, but troops would remain in the area.
Thai soldiers say the joint patrols should work well – when the two sides are not shooting each other they are the best of friends.
At a jungle camp near Saothongchai, five miles from the tiny piece of disputed territory where a gun battle this week appeared to threaten a full-scale war, Thai soldiers were checking their weapons yesterday before heading to the front line. Brand new body armour was being handed out and chickens scratched around in the dust.
A soldier, enjoying a last few minutes in his hammock before the march, described the remarkable relationship between the antagonists.
"It's our duty to fight," he said, "but we want to have a good relationship. On the morning of the battle we smoked together and in the afternoon we were shooting. Even in the evening, when they came to collect things left behind in the battle, they were asking 'did anyone from your side get hurt?''"
He repeated the refrain of soldiers the world over. "We don't understand the political side. As soldiers we have to protect our land, but no one wants to die."
Seven Thai soldiers were hurt and two Cambodians were killed. One of the Thai casualties, whose thigh was shattered by a machine gun round, described from his hospital bed how violence can erupt when fighting men from two armies are packed into 1.8 square miles of disputed territory.
"I saw the Cambodian soldiers run back to their shelters and saw the Thai soldiers run back to their shelters, so I also ran. Then I felt a pain in my left leg and I couldn't run any further," he concluded simply. "I don't know the truth about who shot first."
Both sides officially insist that the other shot first. They have also repeatedly accused the other of illegally entering their territory, while issuing denials of their own. But this is a border dispute and, as a Thai army captain in the jungle balefully pointed out, "the problem is that we have different maps".
The crisis began in July when the UN made the 11th century ruined temple of Preah Vihear, which is just inside Cambodia, a world heritage site. Thais have long been upset that the monument does not fall inside their territory. Thai ultranationalists started protesting and the tiny plot of disputed land next to the temple was rapidly militarised.
Local residents are on edge, but they have an ambiguous attitude to the crisis and their Cambodian neighbours.
Yesterday the Thai media reported fantastical claims, without any known basis, that Cambodia secretly plans to annex the castles of Taamuan and Taakwaai, more ancient ruins which are inside Thailand.
"The Cambodians want our castle's back," claimed a teacher, her grammar indicating the convoluted nature of cultural property here. Then she continued, "All the kids around here are Cambodian."
"Even she's Cambodian," she said, indicating a girl who was sitting in her garden like a daughter. The teenager became shy at the attention.
"Her parents came here 20 years ago and she's waiting to get Thai citizenship," explained the teacher. "She even speaks Cambodian."
7 comments:
Every bastard here is liar!
I think the last one is evil Siam who just got up from the hell!
I now know that some Western media like The Telegraph (UK) are also stupid, lack of consideration on the fact, were lied by the robber siam, robber never admit their fault!.
I am ashame of Hun Sen and it government play on Cambodian heroic funeral.
How much the three coffins and three pieces of Cambodian flag by helicopter cost?
Ah Hun Play dumber than Lon Nol?
If u r an uneducated man, it doesn't matter, but now i teach u free lesson that in khmer tradition we use white cloth to cover on dead body. and if u want to know more then go to ask your mother for detail.
It's time for khmer to unite against aggressive mother fucker Siam.
May our heroes soldiers' soul stay in peace. Your names r in every khmer heart that encourage all khmers shoulder to shoulder fighting enemy.
11:06ah jkout mother fucker I hope Hun Sen while your family members and your self falling in the battles,do not tell me that Cambodian traditional doing that ah sily,this ways they call (Am sorry to the Heroes) Am not satifying with ,the way Ah Hun Sen it handle the three that sacrefied lives for mother fucker put the ass on the chairs and said this is good and traditional,my ass when you die or your parent die and leave yours and your parent like that way and then your mother fucker open your stupid mouth that the tradition damn animal ?Not Cambodian tradion,this just the way you have your ignorant leaders your mother fucker .
Am living at oversea not Siam don't confuse low life
11:06PM
I do not think you are better than the others.1:42 am wants the heroes lives have more prestige,not that kind called traditional I 've seen they give the last respect to our Heroes better than they do to these three heroes in the Thai war 1962 and 1970 to 1975,no flowers no coffins no Cambodian flags I hope Hun Sen do not treat your corp that way looser .
Look at the Khmer pler in here.....we fight this we fight that by the time you have realize something you got no land to live on. Ask yourself what are you fighting for?? so much compassion but brainless.
khmer lose almost everything until now that is because of khmer like u not care about.
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