Cambodia, Thailand fail to set timeframe for military redeployment

Friday February 6, 2009
Kyodo

PHNOM PENH - Highest-level military talks between Cambodia and Thailand in Phnom Penh on Friday failed to reach any concrete agreement on redeployment of Cambodian and Thai armed forces near a disputed ancient Cambodian temple. Tea Banh, Cambodia's defense minister, told reporters after a one-hour talk with his Thai counterpart Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan he could give no timeframe for redeployment of about 60 troops each from areas near the Keo Sikhakiri Svara pagoda and the Preah Vihear Temple.

Temple talks in Cambodia

6/02/2009
BangkokPost.com

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan left for Phnom Penh on Friday morning to meet his Cambodian counterpart Teah Ban for talks aimed at withdrawing troops from disputed land around Preah Vihear temple.

"The meeting will discuss troop pullbacks in order to return the situation to normal," Cambodian Gen Neang Phat told the AFP news agency.

Accompanying Gen Prawit were Defence Permanent Secretary Apichart Penkitti, Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara and military top brass from Burapa and Suranaree task force commanders.

Gen Prawit and his entourage were scheduled to meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and other high ranking officials during his day-long visit to Phnom Penh.

Cambodia, Thailand agree border troop withdrawal

Cambodia-Thailand agreed to withdraw the remaining troops on their disputed border to avoid a repeat of last year's armed clashes.

Friday, 06 February 2009
Reuters

Cambodia and Thailand agreed on Friday to withdraw the remaining troops on their disputed border to avoid a repeat of last year's armed clashes near a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaking to reporters after meeting Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, said they agreed to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where four soldiers died in a firefight last October.

"There will be no more military confrontation in that area," Hun Sen said, adding the two neighbours would work together to develop the area for tourism.

"I told the Thai delegation that this is an historic moment. We have solved the problems today so there will be no troubled legacy for our next generations," Hun Sen said.

Prawit, who was accompanied on the trip by Thailand's top military brass, told reporters: "Everything is OK. No problems."

One Thai and three Cambodian soldiers died in last year's exchange of rifle and rocket fire, which both sides accused the other of starting.

The Preah Vihear temple, or Khao Phra Viharn as it is known in Thailand, sits on an escarpment that forms the natural border between the two countries and has been a source of tension for generations.

The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of adjoining scrubland, leaving considerable scope for disagreement.

Thailand, Cambodia make headway in border dispute talks

Tuesday August 19, 2008

(Kyodo) - The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed Tuesday that their two countries should continue to pull back troops from disputed areas of the border.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Cha-Am beach resort, about 180 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said he and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong welcomed the first-phrase redeployment of forces from the border that took place over weekend.

He said they agreed that a second meeting of concerned officials to discuss the next phase of redeployment should be held Aug. 29 in Cambodia to follow up on the first such meeting held last week in Thailand.

Tej said that while the two sides have made progress toward resolving the military standoff along the border, the problem will still take some time to tackle.

Aside from the issue of troop redeployment, the two ministers also discussed demarcation of the Thailand-Cambodia land border and agreed to recommend to their respective governments that the next meeting on demarcation be held in early October.

The military standoff between two countries began July 15 after Cambodia temporarily detained three Thai activists who Cambodian authorities said had illegally crossed into Cambodian territory near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand and Cambodia subsequently built up their forces in and around the disputed area and tension rose accordingly.

But most of those troops were removed over the weekend in accordance with an agreement reached between the two foreign ministers at their previous meeting Cambodia's northern town of Siem Reap on July 28.

Cambodia says ready for troop pullback

By SOPHENG CHEANG

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodian officials said Friday that their troops are ready to pull back from the frontier with Thailand under an agreement to ease a month of military tension on disputed territory near an ancient border temple.

The standoff erupted near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple on July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N.'s cultural agency, approved Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site. Both countries have long held claim to the temple, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.

About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand have been facing off in the area for a month.

"We are waiting for an order to follow, but both sides must act together," Col. Meas Yoeurn, a deputy commander of Cambodian troops in the area, said by phone Friday. "If Thai troops begin pulling back, we will also begin pulling back."

Other Cambodian officials in the area said the two countries' troop pullback will begin Saturday.

But the event will take place mostly under a media blackout, targeting especially photo and television journalists, who will not be allowed near the site, said Min Sovann, a police official.

At the request of Thai officials, Cambodian authorities will also close the road to Cambodian travelers up the mountain, where the temple is located, said Hang Soth, director-general of the Preah Vihear National Authority, a government agency managing the historic site.

He declined to elaborate but only said "we just do not want to see any problems" that would interrupt the process of the pullback.

The attempt to minimize publicity appeared to be a face-saving gesture after weeks of overheated nationalist rhetoric on both sides.

On Thursday, Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Neang Phat said the two countries have agreed to a gradual redeployment of troops from the area ahead of talks between their foreign ministers on territorial disputes next Monday in Thailand.

He said the redeployment, slated to begin during the weekend, will first apply to Thai and Cambodian troops stationed inside the compound of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Buddhist pagoda near the temple.

He said Thai and Cambodian military officials, during a meeting in Thailand's Surin province Wednesday, agreed to reduce the number of their troops "to the lowest number possible."

A similar step will be applied on troops stationed in areas surrounding the pagoda and Preah Vihear temple after the foreign ministers' meeting, he said.

"We hope Thailand will honor its commitment" to the agreement, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Friday.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed Cambodia's World Heritage site bid, sparking demonstrations by anti-government protesters who claimed the temple's new status would undermine Thailand's claim to the surrounding area.

The protests left Samak politically vulnerable, and he had to take action to appease his nationalist critics. On July 15, Thailand sent troops to occupy the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda — claimed by Cambodia and near Preah Vihear.

Cambodia responded with its own troop deployment. The two sides came close to a shoot-out on July 17 when Cambodian monks sought to celebrate Buddhist lent in the pagoda.

Troops on both sides raised their weapons, but no shots were fired, and the Cambodians eventually backed down.

The border dispute has not been resolved despite two rounds of talks since last month, with the countries referring to two different maps.

Cambodia uses a French colonial map demarcating the border, which Thailand says favors Cambodia. Thailand relies on a map drawn up later with American technical assistance.

Thailand welcomes Cambodian PM's remarks; FMs to meet over temple row

BANGKOK, Aug 8 (TNA) - Thailand on Friday welcomed positive remarks by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen over attempts to end an ongoing dispute regarding the ancient Preah Vihear temple and on a plan to hold a second meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries later this month.

Welcoming Mr. Hun Sen's stance on a bid to end the temple row, a press release issued by the Thai minister of foreign affairs noted: "Thailand wishes to find a solution to the issue of the Temple of Preah Vihear in a peaceful and amicable manner, making full use of the existing bilateral mechanisms, including meetings between the two foreign ministers, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission and the General Border Committee".

Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong met for the first time in Cambodia's Siem Reap province on July 28 and agreed on several points to resolve problems related to the Preah Vihear temple, including troop "redeployment" by both sides, especially around the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area surrounding the temple.

But so far redeploying troops of both countries out of a pagoda, the area surrounding the pagoda and the Preah Vihear temple has not yet taken place.

The press release said Thailand concurred with the Cambodian premier that the second meeting of the two foreign ministers should be "able to make good progress" and hoped that the upcoming meeting would "pave the way for both sides to find a solution".

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh on Wednesday that he hoped the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in Thailand on August 18 would help narrow the differences.

Mr. Hun Sen also said Phnom Penh was ready to withdraw its troops, in line with a Thai cabinet decision on Tuesday to assign a regional military commander to discuss troop redeployment to reduce tensions in the area.

Meanwhile, Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit said that the troop redeployment issue which the cabinet assigned the military to confer with the foreign ministry has a "wide meaning and the two countries must discuss first on how to implement it and how many personnel would be withdrawn".

Gen. Boonsang said the second meeting between foreign ministers of the two countries, if held on August 18, may not at that time achieve the desired end result but that he would be pleased if it makes headway.

Cambodian PM says Thai temple row must be resolved

Wed Aug 6, 2008
By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Thailand and Cambodia must bury the hatchet in a dispute over a 900-year-old Hindu temple, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday, further easing fears the spat would escalate into military confrontation.

"We must not bring our countries to war just because of disputes on our border," Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge guerrilla who won re-election last month, said in a live television broadcast. He has been prime minister for the past 23 years.

"We need to stay together as good neighbors for tens of thousands of years to come. We need to narrow our disputes and maximize bilateral cooperation, including trade," he said, striking a very different tone from the nationalist rhetoric of his campaign trail last month.

Both countries have sent hundreds of soldiers and artillery to lay claim to 1.8 square miles of scrub near the Preah Vihear temple, which sits on the jungle-clad escarpment that separates the two southeast Asian countries.

Talks between the countries' two foreign ministers the day after Cambodia's July 27 general election yielded vows to sort out the spat peacefully, but both sides have been reluctant to be the first to withdraw troops for fear of being painted as weak.

Hun Sen said he hoped another meeting between the two foreign ministers in Thailand on August 18 would help narrow the differences.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong will also pay a courtesy call to Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Hun Sen said.

He also said Phnom Penh was ready to withdraw its troops, echoing a Thai cabinet decision on Tuesday to assign a regional military commander to discuss troop "re-deployment" to calm tensions.

The spat erupted last month when protest groups trying to overthrow the Thai government attacked Bangkok's backing of Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a U.N. World Heritage site.

Preah Vihear has been claimed by both sides for decades, but was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, a ruling that has rankled in Thailand ever since.

The row spread at the weekend to a second temple on the border although a military stand-off at the Ta Moan Thom site was averted when Thai troops pulled out late on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Ek Madra; Editing by Nopporn Wong-Anan and Ed Cropley and Paul Tait)

Cambodian, Thai troops pull back from 2nd temple

Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Tension at a second border temple that is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia has eased after troops of the two countries pulled back from the site, Cambodian officials said Wednesday.

Agreement for a troop withdrawal from the grounds of the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple was reached during a meeting between officials from the two countries late Tuesday, said Maj. Ho Bunthy, a Cambodian army commander in the area.

The sanctuary is located several hundred miles (kilometers) west of Preah Vihear temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff for three weeks in a dispute over nearby territory.

Thailand sent troops to the border area after UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to have the temple complex named a World Heritage Site. Some Thai officials say the temple's new status will jeopardize their country's claims to land adjacent to the site.

About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand remain in the Preah Vihear area despite a tentative agreement reached by foreign ministers last week to redeploy them in an effort to ease tensions.

Officials met to mediate the latest dispute in the Cambodian border town of O'Smach in Oddar Meanchey province, about 290 miles (460 kilometers) northwest of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Ho Bunthy said.

"Now the situation has eased at the temple. There is no more armed confrontation" between the two sides' soldiers, said Cambodian Maj. Sim Sokha, a deputy commander of an army border unit in the area.

He said the 70 Thai and 50 Cambodian soldiers, who faced off at the temple, are now back in their respective camps about 330 yards (300 meters) from the temple.

He said the temple is now opened to tourists from both countries.

The dispute surrounding Ta Moan Thom started when Cambodian officials said some 70 Thai soldiers started occupying the temple site last week and prevented Cambodian troops from entering. Thai military officials countered that their troops had been in the area for years.

Thai army commander Gen. Anupong Paojinda said said Tuesday the temple is within "Thai territory."

Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh, however, said the temple "is clearly under our sovereignty, and we have to demand it back."

Ta Moan Thom temple was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient city of Angkor with what is currently northeastern Thailand, said Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.

Cambodian official: Thai troops to withdraw from 2nd occupied border temple

August 05, 2008
Xinhua

The Thai side has agreed to withdraw its troops from a temple at Cambodia's border province Oddar Meanchey and reduce its total number of soldiers within the border area, an advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen said here Tuesday.

Either country will keep only 10 military personnel at the 13-century Ta Moan Thom Temple and Thailand is also to decrease its troops that have accumulated during the 22-day-long standoff with Cambodia near the border, said the advisor on condition of anonymity.

In order to facilitate the evacuation, both foreign ministers will convene in Thailand in two weeks, he added.

Thai troops occupied the Ta Moan Thom Temple on Aug. 3 and the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda in neighboring Preah Vihear province last month.

The latter pagoda is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple, which was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

On July 15, Thai troops went into the border area to fetch three trespassers who had intended to claim Thai sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple. However, the troops stationed there ever since, thus triggering the military stalemate.

In the days to come, both sides gradually increased their military personnel to a thousand strong at the border area to showoff their determination for territorial sovereignty.

On July 28, foreign ministers from Cambodian and Thailand held a meeting in Siem Reap province to agree mulling evacuating troops from the border, but both sides have not made the final decision so far.

Previous efforts by the two countries and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations had all failed to break the standoff, either.

The Preah Vihear Temple straddles the Cambodian-Thai border atop the Dangrek Mountain. In 1962, the International Court of Justice decided that the 11-century temple and the land around belongs to Cambodia, which rankled the Thais and has led to continuous disputes in the coming years.

Troops to pull back from Preah Vihear

August 6, 2008
By Piyanart Srivalo and Wijit Chunhakijkhajorn
The Nation

Troops will be redeployed from the area near Preah Vihear by the third week of this month, before the second ministerial meeting with Cambodia on the border stand-off, government spokesman Wichianchot Sukchotrat said yesterday.

But troops at Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin would remain, as the temple was believed to be on Thai territory, Army chief Anupong Paochinda said.

Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag told Cabinet yesterday he and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong agreed last week that both sides would move troops from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda area near Preah Vihear to ease tension.

Cambodia has had more than 1,000 troops in the area while Thailand has some 400 soldiers nearby.

Both sides would maintain a number of personnel necessary for the protection of their respective national sovereignty, the spokesman said.

The two sides would discuss details and complete the redeployment by the third week of August, he said.

Meanwhile, the dispute over Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province continues as both sides insist on sovereignty over the area.

A meeting yesterday between Suranaree Task Force Commander Kanok Nettaraka-waysana with Cambodia's Odor Meanchey deputy governor San Vanna failed to reach any agreement.

Cambodia's request to have its troops protect the area with Thai troops was rejected, an official said.

San Vanna said Cambodia would not deploy troops to the area in order to maintain peace and good relations with Thailand.

However, a military source said Cambodia's Fourth Army Region Deputy Commander Maj General Po Heng led some 100 troops to an area 2km from Ta Muen Thom temple.

Army chief Gen Anupong declined to comment on a report that Cambodia tried to send armed troops across the border with the intention of remaining there.

Thai troops were there to protect sovereignty as the temple was on Thai soil, he said.

"We have told our troops there not to use force or instigate any confrontation at the border," Anupong said.

The Thai side had repeatedly told Cambodians in the area to allow demarcation officials to do their jobs by not deploying troops there, the Army chief said.

Ownership of Prasat Ta Muen Thom is the latest border row following the Preah Vihear dispute.

Last week, armed Cambodian troops tried to cross the border at Surin to visit the temple, only to be turned back at the border.

Ta Muen Thom is part of the Thai-Cambodia border that has yet to be demarcated and agreed on by both countries.

Cambodian Information Minister Denies Reports Talks With Thailand Terminated

Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Television Kampuchea, Phnom Penh, in Cambodian
Story Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

On 5 August, Cambodian Government-run Phnom Penh Television Kampuchea in Cambodian at 0552 gmt carried a 10-minute recorded video interview, following its midday newscast, with Information Minister Khieu Kanharit by an unidentified Television Kampuchea correspondent on the current border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.

Asked about Thailand's Bangkok Post daily and some local newspapers quoting him as saying that there would be no more talks on the current border problem with Thailand until after the formation of a new government, Khieu Kanharit said, "This is a bit of misunderstanding. I wish to point out that at the meeting between [Cambodian Foreign Minister] His Excellency [HE] Hor Namhong and [Thai Foreign Minister] HE Tej Bunnag, the top representatives of the two countries' prime ministers, in Siemreab Province, we agreed to pull troops out of that area. This means that we will withdraw the armed forces, because it is not good if troops stay close to each other." "However," he added, "this does not mean that we withdraw all our authorities from the Preah Vihear area. Our border authorities and temple security guards remain there as before.

"Anyway, what is important is that the two government representatives have already shown their goodwill in solving this border problem through peaceful means. However, there still remain more details to be resolved, as I said yesterday, with two solutions. First, the details of the troop withdrawal could be dealt with by a commission led by [Defence Minister] HE Tie Banh. As for the entire border problem, with Thailand claiming that this area belongs to it and that area belongs to Cambodia, it could be dealt with by a commission led by HE Va Kim-hong, responsible for the border delimitation. We have done this work successively.

"And as I already pointed out, the [Cambodian-Thai] border is 830- kilometre long, but we have only 73 border markers. This is a very small number. So, we need to do it in more detail. In the past, we did this only in the areas where there was no dispute, and then we moved to dispute areas where talks were tough. Therefore, it does not mean that we terminate those talks. But we cannot hold further talks because we have already pulled troops out.

"A 2000 memorandum of understanding has determined the preparation of border delimitation in detail and with precision. So, since we have already had this, there is no need for the two governments to hold talks further. I only pointed out that it was unnecessary, but if it was necessary and urgent, we could meet any time. However, as we have already determined the border at talks, it seems unnecessary for the two prime ministers' representatives to meet again while we are in the process of forming a government.

"We leave the time for the government to think of the formation of a new government, but it does not mean that we have closed the door completely. However, as the top leaders have already been in agreement, details should be left for technical teams to deal with. As such, it is not like the local newspapers and Bangkok Post said, 'It is over for now'."

Answering the TVK correspondent's question about Thai troops having put barbed wire to close the entry and exit at Ta Moan Temple and a high-level Thai official announcing Thailand's plan to have the temple registered as a World Heritage site, Khieu Kanharit said, "At first, we regret that Thailand has sent more troops to Ta Moan Temple. However, although Thailand has claimed that the temple is in its territory, and we claim that it is ours, we already said that the 2000 memorandum of understanding has determined that we will discuss the border problem peacefully, with compromise. The troop reinforcements show that Thailand does not keep its words, and it is not the manners of a civilized country having diplomatic relations with the others."

Khieu Kanharit also said that Ta Moan Temple was just a "small temple," and if compared to Preah Vihear Temple, it was "very far different from it and not that valuable. It is only an ordinary temple." He added, "As the temple is a dispute area, it is impossible for Thailand to make the inclusion. Maybe, the Thai official does not understand what to do to include a site in the World Heritage list. Perhaps, it is just his hint or he does not understand anything at all. However, we think that normally, that cannot be done." "It is just Thailand's illusion," he concluded.

Hun Sen Rapped as 'Wimp' to Thais' Demand To Withdraw Troops from Preah Vihear

01 Aug 08
Samleng Yuveakchon Khmer (Voice of Khmer Youth)
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

"Today's Comment"

Following the 12-hour meeting from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. on 28 July, the Thais won another round over Hun Sen's diplomacy of dragging his feet behind Thailand. This means that Cambodia again has agreed to another Thai demand from the meeting between Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (Cambodia) and Tej Bunnak (Thailand) in Siemreab.

Cambodia announced that it has agreed to withdraw Cambodian troops from Cambodian territory in the vicinity of Preah Vihear temple occupied by Thai troops and even from Preah Vihear temple itself, which was recognized as an ancient Khmer shrine by The Hague International Court of Justice on 15 June 1962. Any Cambodians with conscience and good judgment would be concerned and surprised why Hun Sen ordered Hor Namhong to agree to the demand of the Thais to pull Cambodian troops from Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple. What does this mean? What is its purpose?

All this shows that the diplomatic stance of Hun Sen and his government is extremely weak in the face of the incursion and violation by Thailand's armed forces. Just agreeing to withdraw Cambodian troops from the patch of Cambodian land at Kev Sekkha Kiri Svara pagoda, also known as Prasat Preah Vihear monastery, which has been held by more than 500 Thai troops, already shows a big and ugly diplomatic and strategic blunder of the Hun Sen administration, let alone agreeing to pull out our troops from the compound of Preah Vihear temple proper.

During the meeting of the senior Cambodian-Thai military officers of Tie Banh (Cambodia) and Bunsang Niampradit (Thailand) in Aran, Sakev province, Thailand, on 21 July the Thais already imposed so many conditions on the Khmer side. This was topped by the remark of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who said that Thailand would not withdraw from the territory in which hundreds of Thai troops had been deployed because, according to this Thai prime minister, it belongs to Thailand.

This infuriated Hun Sen and made him announce that he would put the problem on the table of the UN Security Council. However, just a few breathers later, it turned out that what Hun Sen said was just an empty threat. This is because right after Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said that Cambodia should not bring the complaint to the United Nations, Hun Sen listened to the Thais again. The fact that Hun Sen has been obeying the biddings of the Thais all along is the cause of the big problem in which hundreds of Thai soldiers have been sent in to occupy Cambodian territory near Preah Vihear temple.

As a matter of fact, the Thais referred to the map of the Preah Vihear temple compound newly drafted by Hun Sen's Cambodian Peoples' Party [CPP] government and given to the Thais in early June 2008 when they said that Cambodia inscribed only the temple with just a 30-meter periphery in the list of World Heritage Sites. Therefore, the Thais claimed that the land outside the fence 30 meters from Preah Vihear temple, including the land at Prasat Preah Vihear monastery, was recognized by Cambodia as territory jointly owned by Cambodia and Thailand. This was why the Thais sent their troops in and set all the conditions to strangle the Cambodians, using Hun Sen's flaccid hands.

Now after the Thais had committed such a glaring aggression against Cambodia, they still demanded that Cambodia withdraw all Cambodian troops from the Cambodian monastery and from Preah Vihear temple itself, which the Thais have recognized as belonging to Cambodia; and Hun Sen's CPP government again complied with the Thais' request. If we keep obeying the Thai orders like this, in the future when they want to pressure Cambodia to do something for them, the Thais would only need to send hundreds of their troops to occupy Cambodian land in any other locations and impose conditions on Cambodia to withdraw its troops. In this way, will Cambodian territory not keep shrinking?

Concerning the Thai troops agreeing to pull back and Hun Sen's CPP government telling the Thais that it also agreed to withdraw troops even from Preah Vihear temple, although no date has been fixed yet, it would be better if Hun Sen just smarts up. This is because the Thais are afraid because they have sent troops to brutally invade and occupy Cambodian territory; they are afraid that the UN Security Council would look into this case. Therefore, Cambodia should take a position in which we must put pressure on the Thais to pull back their troops from Cambodian territory. It should be the Thais who must withdraw their troops, not Cambodia withdrawing its troops from Preah Vihear temple. Hun Sen must wise up and listen to the message of King Father, the former King of Cambodia. On Saturday the ex-King said that he thanked Thaksin Shinawatra (Hun Sen's buddy) for planning to spend billions of dollars to develop Koh Kong province and the Preah Vihear temple region that the Thais have always dreamed of grabbing from Cambodia. Hun Sen should stop being a strongman only with his fellow Cambodians but a wimp before the Thais.

Boonsang: land at Ta Moan Thom belongs to us

(BangkokPost.com) - The Supreme Commander, Gen Boonsang Niampradit, said he handed a letter to the Cambodian authority, stating that the land at the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple belongs to Thailand. Cambodia has accused Thai troops of occupying a second sacred temple on the Thai-Cambodian border.

Gen Boonsang said the Thai army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have to discuss and work out the dispute involving the 11th century Preah Vihear temple. He said the army is providing relevant information for the Foreign Ministry for consideration before negotiating with the Cambodian counterpart.

The Supreme Commander said the decision to lessen or withdraw Thai soldiers from the ancient temples will have to be discussed, as the matter is sensitive, complex, and would affect the stability of both nations.

The Foreign Ministry can assess the situation better than the army, Gen Boonsang claimed.

Thai-Cambodia standoff persists

Hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers continue to be deployed around the temple [Reuters]

Friday, August 01, 2008
Al Jazeera

The standoff around the disputed Preah Vihear temple on the border between Thailand and Cambodia has shown no signs of easing.

Monks and government officials prayed at the ancient temple on Friday in the shadow of armed troops from both sides as the soldiers continued their standoff from just a few metres apart.

Thong Khon, the Cambodian tourism minister, said the 1,000 or so people had gathered "to pray to the souls of our ancestors asking for peace", referring to Khmer kings who built the temple from the 9th to 11th centuries.

"We also pray for success in our defence of our territory," he added.

Tej Bunnag, the Thai foreign minister, said on Thursday that his government did not have to move its troops because Cambodia had not shown any sign that it would withdraw its troops from the disputed area.

Since Cambodia had "not informed Thailand officially" when it would pull out its troops, it was not necessary for the Thai government to react, Tej said.

Cambodia and Thailand had agreed this week to pull back hundreds of troops from the disputed area to end the weeks-long standoff.

The agreement had come after 12 hours of talks between the foreign ministers from both countries, meeting in the northern Cambodian city of Siem Reap.

The move was to see the withdrawal of some 800 Cambodian and 400 Thai soldiers from the vicinity of Preah Vihear.

Disputed ownership

Cambodia and Thailand claim ownership to the territory surrounding the Khmer-era temple and the deployment of troops in the region had raised worries of a military confrontation.

Both sides had pledged to resolve the dispute "bilaterally and peacefully".

Hor Namhong, the Cambodian foreign minister, said they had "agreed to ask our governments to redeploy the troops" with details to be discussed later.

But neither side had set any firm deadline for the troop withdrawal from area around the temple, or a date for the next meeting.

During Monday's talks the two countries also proposed a series of steps to end the conflict including a scheme to remove landmines that litter the area so that the border can be properly demarcated.

Cambodian and Thai officials said the meeting was the first step in what is likely to be protracted negotiations to end a dispute that has simmered for decades.

A first round of talks in Bangkok failed last week after Thai and Cambodian defence ministers could not agree on which maps to use to demarcate the border.

Cambodia had sought help from the United Nations but suspended its request pending the outcome of talks with Thailand.

The current conflict focuses on an area about 5 sq km of scrubland surrounding the 11th century temple which was recently awarded World Heritage listing by Unesco, the UN cultural organisation.

Cambodian military commanders wary of Preah Vihear detente

Thursday, 31 July 2008
Written by Sambath Teth
The Phnom Penh Post

CAMBODIAN military commanders at Preah Vihear reacted cautiously to news this week that Thai and Cambodian leaders had tentatively agreed to redeploy troops from nearby the historic temple, but said they had yet to receive orders to move from their positions and would remain ready for combat until they were told to stand down.

“I received no order to withdraw troops,” said Lieutenant General Chea Saran, a deputy infantry commander on the de facto front line just hundreds of metres from the 11th-century Hindu ruins where hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers have massed.

“While the meeting results were not yet good, tensions have eased,” he added, referring to Monday’s crisis talks in Siem Reap.

“Cambodia has no problem withdrawing its armed forces – we can do it at any time but the Thai soldiers have to do this as well.”

In the two weeks since the military standoff between Cambodia and Thailand began, soldiers from both sides have battled cold, hunger and boredom while the countries’ leaders traded diplomatic barbs and refused to relinquish any territory around the temple.

Cambodian and Thai troops remained bivouacked within metres of each other Tuesday, sometimes trading jokes or cigarettes.

Relations for the most part have remained cordial during the standoff, with guns being drawn only once last week after dozens of Cambodian monks entered a pagoda where Thai troops had rallied.

The ambiguous ending to Monday’s talks have only added to the uncertainty over how the largest military buildup in years would be resolved.

“Top officials are doing the negotiating with the Thai side but we, the soldiers, are continuing to do our duty and remain on alert ... we are waiting for our orders,” said Nuon Nov, deputy commander of Military Region 4, saying, however, the border demarcation by both Thai and Cambodian soldiers was continuing.

Others said they were excited to hear that talks had moved forward following last week’s breakdown of negotiations and fears that the crisis would erupt into violence amid reports that more troops and heavy equipment, including tanks and artillery, were being deployed on both sides of the border.

“I am excited to hear that both sides have agreed to withdraw their armed forces from the pagoda – it eases tensions at the temple,” said Chan Sokhon, a former Khmer Rouge guerrilla who said he served alongside Thai troops in the early 1980s during the fight against Vietnamese soldiers.

“War is no good at all. Neither side would benefit if they go to war,” he added.

Thailand waiting for Cambodia on temple pullback

Thursday, July 31, 2008
TNA

Reiterating that it is up to the Thai government as to when troops might be withdrawn from the disputed Preah Vihear temple site claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia, Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said Thursday the Cambodian government has "not informed Thailand officially" when it will pull out its troops from the area.

It is not necessary for the Thai government to react because the Cambodian government has not shown any sign that it would withdraw its troops from the disputed area, Mr. Tej said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh on Tuesday that Cambodian troops were ready to withdraw from the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area adjacent to the 11th century temple.

He indicated that the timing of the troop withdrawal is up to Thailand to decide, as far as when the action is taken, as it is not a problem for Cambodia.

Mr Tej said what Hun Sen had said could be his personal opinion but that "so far there is no official reaction from Cambodia."

Senior Thai officials on Thursday held a workshop at the National Security Council and one major topic of discussion was expected to focus on the agreements made by foreign ministers of the two countries on Monday in Cambodia's Siem Reap province.

Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers called for the redeployment of troops in and around the new pagoda located in the temple complex, so that a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission could be held to continue to demarcate the border line, to clear landmines around the ancient temple, and to avoid armed confrontation.

Mr Tej said the Thai military will have to follow the government's instruction and that a troop reduction could not be made at once due to official procedures.

Thailand, Cambodia to follow up 'success' [-What success???]

NSC asked to support border agreements

Thursday July 31, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post

The National Security Council (NSC) is to meet with other agencies to follow up on agreements made at the assembly in Siem Reap on the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.

But no date for the talks has yet been set, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday invited 11 Bangkok-based diplomats whose countries are members of the United Nations Security Council and envoys of nine members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to a briefing on the outcome of the Siem Reap meeting last Monday between Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

Cambodian ambassador to Thailand Ung Sean reported the meeting's outcomes to other envoys.

The briefing was aimed at convincing Security Council members to back efforts by the two countries to resolve the border row over 4.6 sq km of overlapping territory between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear.

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to reduce the number of troops in the area as a step towards a military withdrawal, to hold a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to demarcate the border line, to clear landmines around Preah Vihear temple and to seek to avoid armed confrontation.

Thailand's deputy foreign minister co-chairs the JBC, together with Cambodia's Senior Minister Var Kim Hong, who is in charge of border affairs.

But there is no deputy foreign minister, and that could delay the meeting.

''There might be a problem in Thailand resuming JBC talks, as it does not have a deputy foreign minister to lead the meeting,'' Mr Tharit admitted.

Supreme commander Gen Boonsrang Niempradit said the Foreign Ministry was the key agency in solving the problem with Cambodia and the armed forces would support its efforts.

With the proclaimed success of the talks in Siem Reap, Gen Boonsrang indicated that there was no need for another meeting of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee, which is chaired by the respective defence ministers, in the near future.

Hun sen insists Thais must pull back first

July 30, 2008
By The Nation, Agencies

Army chief says withdrawal will take time; govts still trying diplomacy

Phnom Penh -Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen placed the ball firmly in Thailand's court over the Preah Vihear issue, saying it was up to Bangkok to decide on withdrawing troops from the border.

Speaking to reporters in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen indicated that Thailand would have to pull out first.

"For us, there is no problem at all. The issue is that it is up to Thailand to decide to act. For us, [we are ready] any time," he said.

"The problem is the timing and how long it will take the Thai side to get a political decision from the govฌernment."

His comments came one day after Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag held talks on Monday in Siem Reap with a handful of top milฌitary officials from both countries.

The two countries agreed in prinฌciple to a redeployment of troops from the area near the 11thcentury Preah Vihear temple, where thousands of soldiers have been facing off for two weeks. After about 12 hours of talks, the foreign ministers said they would ask their governments to redeploy the troops.

Although the territorial disฌpute was not solved, the two sides agreed to continue to use "utmost restraint" to avoid an armed confrontation and to continue discussions on a bilateral basis.

Thailand's Army chief conฌfirmed that any withdrawal from the border area would take time.

"The resolution from the meeting between Cambodia and Thailand [on Monday] will help relieve tension and improve the situation," Anupong Paojinda said by phone.

"Reducing the troops at the border, however, needs an order from the govฌernment first."

But Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sought to reassure the public, telling reporters: "The Foreign Ministry is talking to the milฌitary. Everything is fine."

"Both sides are convinced that the bilateral mechanism is still there for us to utilise," said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat.

Prior to the Siem Reap meeting, Cambodia had appealed to both Asean and the United Nations Security Council to intervene in the border row. More than 1,500 troops from the two countries have been disฌpatched to the area.

"We carry pens and pencils," said Tharit. "We cannot speak for those who carry guns and weapons."

But Tharit claimed the Foreign Ministry had received assurances from the Thai military, which has a tendency to act independently of the government in Thailand, that they would avoid a confrontation at all costs.

"They confirmed that they said the first gunshot will not be from the Thai side, and if there is a first gunshot they will not immediately respond but investigate the source first," said the Thai foreign ministry spokesman, who attended the Siem Reap meeting.

Cambodia, Thailand continue troop withdrawal talks

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia and Thailand have shown willingness to withdraw troops deployed along their disputed border.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen says his country's troops are ready to withdraw, but indicates Thailand will have to pull out first from the disputed patch of land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

He says the problem is the timing and how long it will take the Thai side to have a political decision from the government.

His comments came as a Thai foreign ministry official said the government in Bangkok may ask parliament for approval before withdrawing troops, which could delay the process by several weeks.

Thailand's army chief confirmed that any withdrawal from the border area would take time.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej says the foreign ministry is talking to the military about the matter and everything is fine.

High-level talks on Monday discussed removing up to 1,500 soldiers from the temple area and ending the two-week long dispute.

Thailand defensive as Cambodia acts tough

Wednesday July 30, 2008
By BUNN NAGARA The Star (Malaysia)

New Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag was appointed to his post on Saturday, took his oath of office on Sunday, and was in urgent talks in Cambodia by Monday.

Bangkok is scrambling to make up for lost time, after its former foreign minister Noppadon Patttama seemed as indifferent to Thai interests as Phnom Penh was consistently focused over the disputed 11th-century Preah Vihear Hindu temple site.

In 1962, the World Court (ICJ) ruled that the temple stood on Cambodian soil, and Cambodia unilaterally filed for World Heritage List status. In May this year, Thailand agreed to that only if Cambodia’s filing excluded the disputed area around the temple.

But Noppadon and his Cabinet colleagues had apparently forgotten that access to the temple was on Thai territory. Different historical maps and border demarcations further complicated the plot.

Thai opposition critics chastised Noppadon, arguing that filing for world heritage status should have been a joint effort by both countries. Meanwhile Cambodia raised the nationalist stakes, applying for Asean and the UN Security Council to intervene, which nicely helped the governing party win last Sunday’s election with an increased majority.

Phnom Penh’s high-profile activism contrasts sharply with Bangkok’s sedate approach. Both countries had signed a memorandum of understanding in 2000, after which Cambodia let its soldiers and citizens enter the disputed area.

Earlier this month Unesco declared the area a World Heritage Site, pouring more attention on it. Thailand moved troops into the area it considers in dispute but which Cambodia interprets as its own.

Three Thai protesters got into the fray, military forces on both sides accumulated at the border, tensions soared, Thailand’s Constitutional Court annulled an earlier joint communique and Noppadon had to quit. His successor moved in swiftly, and Tej is seen as Thailand’s best hope.

The new minister is a royal adviser as a Privy Council member, after retirement as an experienced and respected career diplomat with no personal political agenda to distract him. He also happens to be chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Association.

Yet his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong is no pushover, has been a foreign minister for decades and is known to be a tough negotiator. On a personal level, both Hor and Tej are known to have worked alongside each other as ambassadors to France in the mid-1990s.

Earlier talks between Thai Supreme Commander Gen Boonsang Niempradit and Cambodia’s deputy premier Gen Tea Banh had already proved fruitless. The latest talks that began the week in Siem Reap started as a volatile mix of hope and anxiety.

They began on Monday morning, followed by a lull in the afternoon, then continued late into the night for a 12-hour stretch. The three major agenda items were a military pullout from the site, relocation of citizens in the area, and the disputed 4.6sq km territory itself.

By yesterday, both negotiating teams had agreed to advise their governments to “adjust” their respective troop levels from about 2,500 massed in the area. This would be done after official approval from both governments.

But fresh from an election win, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thailand would need to pull its troops out first. The Thai government, already in a weakened state, said this could take weeks since the Cabinet might first have to refer it to Parliament.

Further talks would focus on border demarcation and the job of clearing landmines in the disputed area. Both sides also agreed to establish a joint task force for the larger issues.

The decades-long dispute could have been more than a storm in the proverbial teacup, as the risk of spillage and escalation can be unpredictable. A reliable gauge of political temperament is business sentiment, and traders and investors have not been alarmed.

Politically, both countries know they stand to lose if the dispute drags on and extremists on both sides are allowed free rein. After initial nationalist spasms are allowed to work themselves out and subside, diplomacy would regain the initiative.