Abhisit won't cut troops

Cambodian troops sit on trucks in Siem Reap, about 320 kilometers (199 miles) north Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, before Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, pays a two-day private visit to Angkor Wat, the country's most popular tourist destination. The troops have been withdrawn from Preah Vihear temple near the Cambodia-Thai border, government official said. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Khmer pullout from temple 'a tactical ploy'

14/11/2009
Bangkok Post

Thailand will not dance to Cambodia's tune by withdrawing troops from the disputed Preah Vihear temple area, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says.

Mr Abhisit said yesterday more pressure would be put on Cambodia next week.

Cambodia's removal of troops from the area was just a tactical ploy, he said. Phnom Penh wanted to give the appearance there were no problems relating to its plans to develop the ancient Hindu temple as a World Heritage site.

"It is their plan and we are not going in that direction," Mr Abhisit said, after a meeting with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the withdrawal of the 911 special forces unit from its post at the temple. The pullout ceremony was held in Siem Reap yesterday where Hun Sen and fomer Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra met with 60 Puea Thai Party MPs and other Thaksin supporters.

The troop withdrawal came amid increasing tensions between the two neighbours which have escalated since Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser to his government and also his personal adviser. The ensuing diplomatic spat worsened on Thursday when Cambodia expelled a senior Thai envoy, which caused Mr Kasit to cut short his visit to Singapore.

Mr Abhisit said the government was reviewing projects with Cambodia and some of them might be put forward to the cabinet for consideration next week.

He said the government was not distracted by the diplomatic spat with Cambodia and its diplomatic response was in line with proper procedure.

"There is nothing special about this because we have more important things to do," he said.

Mr Abhisit said the government would take appropriate diplomatic measures against Cambodia.

"We will not take action in haste. The steps we are to take must guarantee results," he said.

The government is reviewing a 1.4 billion baht soft loan for a road project linking Surin province to Siem Reap.

He said Cambodia's actions were intentionally provocative.

"Partly this is because they [Hun Sen and Thaksin] need each other," he said.

Mr Abhisit said the Thai-Cambodian rift was not serious enough to close the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

Mr Abhisit scoffed at Thaksin's remarks that the government was promoting a false sense of patriotism.

"We have not. The sentiment is stirred by Thaksin's actions which are found unacceptable and against the nation's interests," he said.

Thaksin told Puea Thai MPs who visited him in Siem Reap last night the withdrawal of Cambodian troops was down to his friendship with Hun Sen.

Hun Sen told the MPs that he was devastated by Thaksin's fate.

"He is a great asset to Thailand but he has no place to stay. He doesn't even have a passport from his own country," he was quoted as saying.

Hun Sen also said "Cambodia would not interfere in Thailand's internal affairs and the appointment of Thaksin would foster 'unprecedented' relationship between the two countries."

Relations between Thai and Cambodian soldiers deployed in the disputed area seem to have remained undisturbed by the diplomatic flare-up.

Sgt Maj 1st Class Jongrak Taenhom, who is among 10 Thai soldiers deployed near Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri, said there was no tension between Thai and Cambodian soldiers.

"We eat together. We talk. There is no strain or tension. And now they have pulled out, so there is nothing to be tense about," he said.

[Thai] Govt won't close embassy in P.Penh

13/11/2009
Bangkok Post

The government has no plan to close the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, even though Cambodia has now expelled the embassy's first secretary, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday.

Kamrob Palawatwicha, the first secretary, was declared "persona non grata" on Thursday and ordered to leave the country within 48 hours. In response, Thailand expelled the Cambodian first secretary from Bangkok.

Mr Abhisit said the government would not fall into a trap set by Cambodia and would be careful when deciding its next moves.

"We have to understand why they are provoking us. We will not make precipitous decisions," Mr Abhisit told reporters. "We will protect our benefits and will not be drawn by their psychological games."

Mr Abhisit said Cambodia's announced plan to withdraw some troops from disputed area near Preah Vihear temple was another ploy to convince Unesco's World Heritage Committee that there were no tensions between the two countries in that area.

Hun Sen insists on troop cut

22/10/2009
Bangkok Post

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is renewing calls for troops to withdraw from the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple and insists the matter should be settled through negotiation.

Hun Sen yesterday told opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh in Phnom Penh Cambodia wanted the Joint Boundary Commission to come to an agreement on the area claimed by both Cambodia and Thailand.

"Thailand and Cambodia are friends and will always be friends," Gen Chavalit quoted Hun Sen as saying.

The JBC could begin negotiations once the troops withdrew, including possible talks on how to jointly develop the overlapping area, Gen Chavalit said.

The former prime minister held talks with Hun Sen during a one-day visit ahead of the Asean summit which starts tomorrow.

Hun Sen's position contradicted that of his foreign minister. Hor Namhong last week said he would seek help from Asean to settle the land dispute.

Asean Affairs Department director-general Vitavas Srivihok yesterday said the leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia would not join the summit opening ceremony tomorrow but they would join the meeting later in the day.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was caught up with the formation of his new cabinet and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak had to present his budget policy to the parliament, he said.

The summit in Cha-am and Hua Hin will be held amid tight security as a result of concerns about anti-government protests.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has said it would decide today whether its members would rally at the summit.

"...even if you (Thailand) have the atomic bomb, Cambodians will not be scared!": Cambodia's Strongman Hun Xen

Cambodia is ready to oppose Thailand’s aggression … even the A-bomb, we’re not scared of –sic! –

Monday, August 24, 2009
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Hun Xen issued a new stern warning to the Thai aggression troops for its aggression on Cambodia, and Cambodia will use arms to fight back even though Thailand is equipped with modern armaments and atomic bombs. In a speech in Pursat province in the morning of 22 August that was televised and broadcasted on many local TV and radio stations, Hun Xen warned: “If you negotiate, we will negotiate. If you come in [i.e. aggress Cambodia], we must hit back, you [Thailand] don’t have a head covered with steel! Let’s make it clear, Cambodia does not want to fight with anybody, but if someone hits us, don’t be surprised, even if you have the atomic bomb, Cambodians will not be scared!”

Hun Xen made such a stern public warning once already when Cambodia was transporting heavy armaments to equip troops in the frontline of Preah Vihear temple area last month, and after the tense Cambodian-Thai exchange following the courteous visit of Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva to Cambodia.

In spite of his stern warning, Hun Xen claimed that “there is no fighting in the border.”

Currently, Hun Xen ordered Battalion No. 11, which is stationed in Phnom Trop, to return back to its base in Kampot province. Battalion No. 11 which is under the command of General Keo Pong had build a stair way in Phnom Trop, as well as a motorized cable transportation system along the mountain slope to facilitate trips and equipment transports on the steep mountain slope.

Furthermore, troop units from Siem Reap and Kampong Thom provinces were also ordered to pull back as well. At the same time, Hun Xen’s private bodyguards led by General Hing Bun Heang were also ordered cut down by half at the frontline, the recalled bodyguards are ordered to come back to their former base. On this topic, Hun Xen said: “Sending too many of them to the front is not very good, let’s leave some of them to help plant crops for the people during this rainy season.”

Even though Cambodian troops were ordered to return to their bases, Hun Xen indicated that: “If there’s something, we go right away, it won’t take too long. But, I hope that there will be no fighting.”

General Srey Doek, commander of Battalion No. 3 based in Preah Vihear, let it be known over the phone in the afternoon of 22 August that the situation along the Cambodian-Thai border, in particular at the Preah Vihear temple area, has no problem. As for any armed aggression [against Cambodia by Thai troops], Cambodian troops will automatically fight back as it is Cambodia’s rights to defend itself and to defend its territorial integrity in this area, just as Hun Xen said, Srey Doek claimed.

Srey Doek indicated also that: “What we have done is to prevent any aggression like what took place in the past, even for concrete fences and barbed wires, we told Thailand to remove them out. We don’t allow them to do anything they want.” Srey Doek added that the pullback of intervention forces in a number of zones to their original bases was done to help people plant crop during the rainy season. At the frontline, there is no shortage of force because the transportation of troops can be done very quickly because Cambodia has better roads now.

In spite of the border dispute with Thailand, especially near the Preah Vihear temple, the current border situation has improved. Furthermore, on 24 August 2009, Thai General Songkitti Jaggabatra will travel to Cambodia to talk with General Pol Saroeun, the Cambodian army chief of staff. The Thai general will also visit Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s jewel. However, it is not yet known whether during his visit, the Thai general will raise the issue of Preah Vihear temple and its troops pullback or not.

On 22 August, General Chhum Socheat, spokesman of the Cambodian ministry of Defense, could not be reached over the phone to obtain his comments on the nature of the Thai general’s visit.

The Cambodian-Thai border situation is getting more tense after Cambodia listed Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site, during UNESCO’s meeting in Quebec, Canada on 07 July 2008. One week after the listing of the temple, on 15 July 2008, Thai troops invaded Cambodian territory near Preah Vihear temple.

During the one-year aggression by Thailand, Cambodia and Thailand had two major armed clashes: once on 15 October 2008, and the second time on 03 April 2009. During the clashes, a number of Thai aggression troops died, and Cambodia also faced a number of losses, including the burning down of the market located at the bottom of the staircase leading to Preah Vihear temple. In the aftermath of this clash, 319 Cambodian families who were trading in this market had to be evacuated to Sa’em, Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province.

Border troops reduction following Hun Xen’s order

Monday, August 24, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Following Hun Xen’s order to cut troops at the Preah Vihear temple area, a report indicated that Cambodian troops stationed along the Preah Vihear temple border are gradually being reduced and they were sent back to their original barracks. General Srey Doek, the Cambodian army commander defending Preah Vihear temple region, told The Phnom Penh Post on Sunday that a number of troops reduction took place as ordered by Hun Xen. A number of soldiers are returning to their barracks in various provinces since yesterday. Srey Doek indicated that this reduction will not affect the border protection in Preah Vihear temple region because the situation there is returning back to normal. Furthermore, Srey Doek indicated that each Cambodian soldier stationed along the border can take responsibility for their bases. Srey Doek added if the situation requires for the return of the soldiers, these soldiers will need only 20 minutes.

Tea Banh supports Hun Xen’s order for border troops reduction

Monday, August 24, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

In support of Hun Xen’s order to reduce troops along the Preah Vihear temple border, Tea Banh, the vice-prime minister and minister of Defense, said that Hun Xen’s declaration and decision were correct. Tea Banh said that: “There is nothing to worry about the security any more. We don’t have any problem along the border anymore.” Tea Banh indicated that top-ranking Thai army officials will visit Cambodia on Monday to discuss with General Pol Saroeun, the commander-in-chief of the RCAF, about the strengthening the relation and bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia. Regarding the presence of Thai battleships at the maritime border, Tea Banh said: “There was no Thai naval exercise. They stay inside their waters.”

Cambodia to cut troop numbers at temple site disputed by Thailand

Aug 24, 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced he will cut troop levels at the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia in response to a similar move by Thailand, local media reported.

Hun Sen said that Thailand has recently cut the number of its soldiers to just 30, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported Monday. He did not specify how many Cambodian soldiers would be withdrawn.

'We have a plan to change the deployment a little,' Hun Sen said. 'If anything happened, it wouldn't take long to send our troops up again, but I hope there won't be any fighting there.'

Both nations have had soldiers killed and wounded in clashes in the area since mid-2008, when the temple was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN's cultural body.

The violence drove relations between the two ASEAN members to a low point and caused concern among other members of the regional bloc.

The Cambodian commander of the military division stationed at the temple site told the Phnom Penh Post that the reduction in numbers was 'a good signal,' and that the situation at the site 'is returning to normal.'

In an effort to show the situation is less fractious, Thai and Cambodian soldiers based at the 11th-century temple will take part Tuesday in a joint religious ceremony.

In a further sign of progress, the Cambodia Daily newspaper reported that Songkitti Jaggabatara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, will meet Monday in Phnom Penh with the chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.