By Anusak Konglang (AFP)
BANGKOK — Thai and Cambodian troops clashed with gunfire and artillery shells, leaving five dead and shattering a two-month lull in tensions along their disputed border.
It was the first serious outbreak of hostilities since fighting in February near the 900-year-old Hindu temple Preah Vihear left at least 10 dead and prompted a UN appeal for a lasting ceasefire.
Three Cambodian and two Thai soldiers were killed in Friday's fighting near a different group of temples. Indonesia, current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), called for an immediate end to the violence.
The two sides blamed each other for the clash which broke out in the early morning and lasted for several hours, while thousands of villagers were evacuated on the Thai side.
"Cambodian soldiers fired with assault rifles at Thailand first and now they started to shell us with artillery and we took appropriate retaliation," Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon told AFP.
"I think Cambodia wanted to take over temples on the border," he said.
Cambodia accused Thai troops of entering 0.4 kilometres (0.25 miles) into its territory.
"The Thai troops marched directly towards Cambodian troop positions stationed at Cambodia's Ta Krabei temple and launched unprovoked attacks," said government spokesman Phay Siphan.
"This is yet another invasion by Thailand on Cambodia. We cannot accept this."
The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
Ties between the neighbours have been strained since Preah Vihear -- the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside of Cambodia's Angkor Wat -- was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8 square mile) adjacent area.
Observers say the temple dispute has been used as a rallying point to stir nationalist sentiment in Thailand and Cambodia.
The two countries agreed in late February to allow Indonesian observers in the area near Preah Vihear, but the Thai military has since said they are not welcome.
In February, UN Security Council members called for "maximum restraint" by the two countries and a permanent ceasefire -- a demand echoed by the chair of the ASEAN regional bloc on Friday.
"Indonesia, as current chair of ASEAN, strongly calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said in a statement.
He said he was in contact with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, urging the two countries to "resolve their differences through peaceful means".
Cambodia has called for outside mediation to help end the standoff, but Thailand insists the dispute should be resolved through bilateral talks.
Thailand recently admitted using controversial Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions during the February fighting but insisted it did not classify them as cluster munitions.
The arms are defined as cluster munitions by the global campaign group Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), which condemned Thailand's use of the weapons.
7 comments:
Var Kim Hong does recognize that Cambodia, if compared to the colonial Service Geographique de l’Indochine scale map 1/100,000 and the 1985 delimitation treaty, will loses 9,000 hectares; and compared to U.S Army Mapping Service scale map 1/50,000 with the 1985 Treaty, would lose about 7,900 hectares to Vietnam. This statement was confirmed by Var Kim Hong to Mr. Touch Bora Esq through a telephone conversation on 30 August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. (Sydney time), which Mr. Touch Bora Esq wrote in his letter dated on 9 September 2002 sent to Sam Dach Ta Noroudom Sihanouk concerning over border affairs.
In fact, the loss is absolutely more than the 1000 square kilometers stated by MP Sam Rainsy in his statement, if we add the size of the historical water of 30000 square kilometers awarded to Vietnam under the 1982 Agreement which has been into affect and now already become under the full control of Vietnam. And this would not be the last if the equidistance principle be used to delimit the maritime boundary, Cambodia will lose an additional area of sea and seabed measuring at least 860 square nautical miles from the Brevie Line to the north, analyzed by Mr. Touch Bora Esq or another 10000 square kilometers confirmed by Mr. Sean Pengse, the President of the Cambodian Border Committee Worldwide, which exclusively include another Koh Poula Wai to Vietnam added to the previous lost islands- Koh Tral (Dao Phu Quoc) and Koh Poulo Panjang (Dao Thu Chu).
This is why sVar Kim Hong said in front of Students´s Movement for Democracy (SMD), and Sam Dach Ta Norodom Sihanouk on 22 Janaury 2000 during our audience with him concerning the border resolution with Vietnam that; “If we want peace, we must sacrifice our flesh to the tiger.” The truth is discovered now that, “Sacrifice the flesh to tiger actually means cutting our land to the Viet.” This word was clearly spoken out from his mouth and there were Sam Dach Ta as witness and 31 members.
We must condemn this Var Kim Hong for his role in helping the traitorous regime of Hun Sen.
Smart Khmer Girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Another diversion from the internal problems on both sides of the borders.
បើចាំតែអាបក្សប្រឆាំងប្រហែលអាសៀមវាយក
ដីខ្មែរអស់ហើយ។
7:35 PM
ការប្រយុទ្ធគ្នារវាងខ្មែរនិងថៃនេះ គ្រាន់ជាការរំខាន
របស់កងទ័ពថៃប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដោយសារថៃច្រណែន
និងយួនយកទឹកខ្មែរព្រមទាំងគ្រប់គ្រងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
ទាំងមូលទៀតផង។
These clashes will not find any solution for any dispute so they have to sit and talk with each other then they can find a good and peaceful solution for this situation.
Fucken Bitch Ms Rattana Keo , We know you want to be the next Prime Minister Of Cambodia but the world know, your children know, your cheap low life parents in law know, your grandchildren know, your cheap low life husband know that you are a truly extraordinary threesome bitch! Threesome bitch is what you are! You and your group of friends are threesome bitches who created threesome cultures among Khmer communities! Your pussy is heap of men penis fully loaded cum inside you and your cheap low life husband cum after them inside you. Your husband is a fucken moron living off your money.
Fuck you for being shamelessly talk about Koh Tral Fish Sauce brand. Fuck you for creating hatred toward Viet people. Fuck you for being racist toward Viet people. Fuck you for killing Viet people. Fuck you threesome bitch, Fuck your whole families threesome bitches and fuck your threesome friends.
Khmer in Sydney CBD
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