A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 19 May 2009

Twenty Thai soldiers still set up camp inside Khmer territory west of Preah Vihear temple

Thai soldiers set up camp inside Khmer territory.

Source: Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization

Twenty Thai soldiers who have occupied what the Cambodian side believed to be its territory about one week ago have not withdrawn from the area yet, despite strong protest by the Cambodian side, report Radio Free Asia.

A few days ago, twenty Thai troops had occupied an area on top of the mountain at Chak Chreng, about 7 kilometres north west of Preah Vihear temple.

The Cambodian side had given them three days to withdraw but the dateline had passed and they have not withdrawn.

Brigadier-General Yim Pim, the area commander, said: "They set up camp in the forest on top of the mountain. That area is a forbidden (disputed) zone. We have made a request to them (to withdraw), but they have not responded to our request yet."

In another report, there is a group of 12 Thai soldiers who had entered another Cambodian territory at Ta Thav, 6 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple on Saturday 16th May.

A Cambodian border police from batallion 795 based in the area said: "They entered the area at 9:30 am and returned back at 2:20 pm. They came to see what our troops are doing in the area."

Up to the 18th of May, Gen. Srey Doek, commander of the Preah Vihear precinct, said that he is trying to seek talks with the Thai commander about the issue to avoid armed clashes.

He said: "We are trying to determine the geography of the location to ease tension in order to avoid armed clashes. In that area, if there is no (Thai) troops, we will not deploy our troops there either. It was a forbidden zone where no one can deploy the troops there. Whatever we do, we do it by following strict orders. Now we have strict orders from Prime Minister Hun Sen that won't allow us to encroach on someone's lands, even one militmetre, and we won't allow anyone to encroach on our lands even one milimentres either."

A Thai border official denied that Thai troops had violated Cambodian territory. He said: "I did not know about that (Thai encroachment) issue, but the Thai troops had claimed that they have not violated any Cambodian sovereignty in that area. They are upholding their honour by staying in their base like before."

Another Khmer soldier said that those 20 Thai soldiers are still in the Chak Chreng area, 7 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple. He said: "Most of them are paramilitary troops from division 6. there are 2o of them. We told them that if they do not withdraw we will send our troops there as well. We will deploy the same numbers of troops as they do."

Up to today, there is still no sign that those 2o Thai troops will withdraw from the area.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I use to consider thai as brothers and sisters but this continueing of encroachment is maddening. i am begganning to hate them like the viet. what happen if the viet take over cambodia and loas? what will the thai do? they probably fight each other then.? stupid fuck roaches(thai) and leeches(viet).