Asean Holding Urgent Meeting On Cambodia-Thai Conflict

JAKARTA, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Asean Foreign Ministers are gathering in Jakarta for an Indonesia-facilitated urgent meeting on Tuesday to discuss possible solutions to the recent border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand over the disputed area surrounding the ancient temple of Preah Vihear, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.

Asean Secretariat, in a written communication received by ANTARA on Monday evening, said the meeting in Jakarta will be held to response to the call on Asean by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), for the first time, to ensure an effective dialogue in search of a lasting solution to the border dispute between two member states.

"UNSC's open and official support for conciliation efforts to the Asean Chair is a sign that the United Nations has faith in Asean to help its Member States find amicable regional solutions to bilateral problems such as this," said Asean Secretary-General, Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Preah Vihear damage significant

Heritage Police Chief Om Phirum examines damage to part of Preah Vihear temple he says was caused by last week's fighting. (Photo by: Thet Sambath)

Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Written by Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post

Preah Vihear

Machine-gun fire left deep holes and chips in World Heritage site; complaint lodged with UNESCO.

AN INVESTIGATION by Heritage Police at Preah Vihear temple suggests that the damage sustained during Friday's fighting was more serious but less widespread, than that resulting from an outbreak of violence last October.

"We have found 66 stones at the temple that were damaged by the Thai soldiers' shooting," said Colonel Om Phirum, the chief of the Heritage Police, in an interview with the Post Monday. "They were damaged by the bullets of machine guns."

During fighting last October, debris from M79 grenades damaged the temple in 120 places, Om Phirum said, though he noted that the bullets from machine guns during the most recent clashes inflicted damage that was more severe, creating holes that were between 1 and 10 centimetres wide and 1 or 2 centimetres deep.

Om Phirum criticised Thai soldiers for shooting the temple, saying, "They do not respect world heritage, and they disdain the world."

The investigation was conducted on Sunday and Monday. Om Phirum said the Heritage Police submitted a report on damage to the temple to the Council of Ministers and a complaint to the UN cultural agency, which listed the temple as a World Heritage site last July. He said the Heritage Police sent a similar complaint to UNESCO following the outbreak of violence last October, which he said prompted the body to launch its own investigation into the damage.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said Deputy Prime Minister Sok An sent a letter Friday to UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura asking him to intervene. Calls and emails to UNESCO officials in Phnom Penh and Bangkok went unanswered Tuesday.

Rockfall in Phnom Troap creates panic among Thai soldiers

04 Nov 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

At around 6:30 AM on Monday 03 November, a large white piece of rock fell off from the top of Phnom Troap mountain, creating a deafening noise like that of a bomb dropped from a plane. Frontline Thai soldiers stationed near the border at Phnom Troap immediately scrambled into their trenches, while others were waving their hands and shouting to Khmer soldiers not to shoot. It was later on that it was learnt that the explosion-like noise was no other than that of a rock falling from the mountain. A Cambodian soldier stationed in Phnom Troap said that it was sheer luck that the rock fall missed Cambodian soldiers stationed there and rolled towards Thai soldiers instead. If we were to believe in superstition, this must be another doing from the power of the spirit of ancient Cambodian troop commander Ta Dy.

Thailand Rejects Cambodian Claims Of Damage To Preah Vihear [-The never-ending finger-pointing blame game]

2008-10-28
By SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE
The Nation/ ANN

BANGKOK, THAILAND: Thailand dismissed on Monday (27 Oct) Cambodian claims of damage to the World Heritage site of Preah Vihear Temple during the recent shoot-out, saying it was the other side that had dispatched troops with heavy weaponry at the temple and its vicinity.

"We're verifying the presence of Cambodian troops at the temple, because we understand that placing troops at a World Heritage site violates the World Heritage Convention," said Thai foreign ministry permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrakul.

A military report indicated Cambodian troops had fired rockets from the temple onto the Thai side, he added.

Cambodian government spokesperson Phay Siphan said on Sunday (26 Oct) that his government has lodged a complaint with the United Nations accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear Temple.

The complaint was filed with Unesco, the UN's cultural body, a few days after the firefight broke out on 15 Oct near Preah Vihear, he said.

A staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were hit by rocket fire at the 11th-century Khmer ruins, he said.

However, Thai ambassador to Paris Thana Duangrat reported to the ministry that there was no record of a Cambodian complaint submitted to Unesco.

"We have evidence proving Cambodia fired the rockets from Preah Vihear Temple at Thai troops," said foreign ministry spokesperson Tharit Charungvat.

The ministry has checked the facts with the Second Army Area, which confirmed that on 15 Oct, Thai soldiers, fired upon by Cambodian troops in the vicinity of Pha Mor I Daeng, used only rifles in their defence, he said.

In accordance with strict orders, Thai troops have not used heavy firearms or rocket launchers near Wat Phra Viharn, as it is called in Thai, and never fired at the temple.

On the contrary, Cambodian soldiers opened fired on Thai soldiers positioned near the twin stupas in the vicinity of Pha Mor I Daeng with recoilless guns and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), Tharit said.

The rockets landed near the twin stupas, wounding two Thai soldiers. Some also landed in Preah Vihear National Park in the vicinity of Laan Chom Dao and the park's residences. The Thai side later found two RPGs fired by the Cambodian side that had landed but failed to explode and has kept both of them for evidence, he said.

Cambodia's latest move could make the border problem more complicated and difficult to resolve, he said.