The Canberra Times
BY THANAPORN PROMYAMYAI
IN BANGKOK
5/08/2008
Thailand's military chief has asked Cambodia to withdraw its soldiers from around a second Khmer ruin on their joint border, raising fears of a fresh territorial dispute.
General Boonsrang Niumpradit, head of Thailand's armed forces, said yesterday he had asked his Border Affairs Department to pass on the message to Cambodian Defence Minster Tea Banh.
''We ask Cambodia to move their soldiers, who are near the Ta Muen Thom temple,'' he said. ''I have not received the response yet.''
The ruins of Ta Muen Thom in Cambodia lie 130km west of the better-known Preah Vihear temple, where more than 1000 Thai and Cambodian troops have been stationed since a border dispute erupted last month.
The Defence Minister said in Phnom Penh that Cambodian soldiers and civilians were usually allowed to enter the Ta Muen Thom ruin for religious ceremonies, but over the weekend Thai soldiers blocked them.
''They did not allow our troops to go. That's why the problem happened,'' he said. ''Now we want the troops to stay wherever they are for a while.''
Confirming the Cambodian troops were, as usual, still stationed nearby, he said the two sides were ''working on this issue''.
Ta Muen Thom sits on one of many disputed areas along the border. Thai troops have been stationed there since 1998, officials from both countries say, but both sides lay claim to the land on which the Khmer ruin sits.
Mr Boonsrang said a small group of Cambodian soldiers advanced towards the temple, which sits on the border between northern Cambodia and north-eastern Thailand.
He denied Thailand had increased the number of troops stationed at Ta Muen Thom, and declined to comment on ownership of the ruin.
''I don't want to answer other questions, otherwise it will escalate,'' he said.
Relations between the neighbours flared up last month after Preah Vihear, which belongs to Cambodia, was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the prized ruin.
Cambodia arrested three Thai protesters on July 15 for illegally crossing the border to try to reach the temple, sparking the deployment of troops from both sides on a tiny patch of disputed land near Preah Vihear.
During talks last week, Cambodia and Thailand both said they were willing to stand down the soldiers, but neither has shown signs of making the first move.
Cambodian Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said his side was committed to avoiding the ''explosion of gunfire'' along the frontier. ''The situation along the border has not yet reached emergency state.'' AFP
BY THANAPORN PROMYAMYAI
IN BANGKOK
5/08/2008
Thailand's military chief has asked Cambodia to withdraw its soldiers from around a second Khmer ruin on their joint border, raising fears of a fresh territorial dispute.
General Boonsrang Niumpradit, head of Thailand's armed forces, said yesterday he had asked his Border Affairs Department to pass on the message to Cambodian Defence Minster Tea Banh.
''We ask Cambodia to move their soldiers, who are near the Ta Muen Thom temple,'' he said. ''I have not received the response yet.''
The ruins of Ta Muen Thom in Cambodia lie 130km west of the better-known Preah Vihear temple, where more than 1000 Thai and Cambodian troops have been stationed since a border dispute erupted last month.
The Defence Minister said in Phnom Penh that Cambodian soldiers and civilians were usually allowed to enter the Ta Muen Thom ruin for religious ceremonies, but over the weekend Thai soldiers blocked them.
''They did not allow our troops to go. That's why the problem happened,'' he said. ''Now we want the troops to stay wherever they are for a while.''
Confirming the Cambodian troops were, as usual, still stationed nearby, he said the two sides were ''working on this issue''.
Ta Muen Thom sits on one of many disputed areas along the border. Thai troops have been stationed there since 1998, officials from both countries say, but both sides lay claim to the land on which the Khmer ruin sits.
Mr Boonsrang said a small group of Cambodian soldiers advanced towards the temple, which sits on the border between northern Cambodia and north-eastern Thailand.
He denied Thailand had increased the number of troops stationed at Ta Muen Thom, and declined to comment on ownership of the ruin.
''I don't want to answer other questions, otherwise it will escalate,'' he said.
Relations between the neighbours flared up last month after Preah Vihear, which belongs to Cambodia, was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the prized ruin.
Cambodia arrested three Thai protesters on July 15 for illegally crossing the border to try to reach the temple, sparking the deployment of troops from both sides on a tiny patch of disputed land near Preah Vihear.
During talks last week, Cambodia and Thailand both said they were willing to stand down the soldiers, but neither has shown signs of making the first move.
Cambodian Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said his side was committed to avoiding the ''explosion of gunfire'' along the frontier. ''The situation along the border has not yet reached emergency state.'' AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment