BLOODY ROW: A man's face is bloodied after skirmishes with Thai protesters marching towards Preah Vihear temple. The protesters were blocked by hundreds of villagers in Thailand's Sisaket province. -- PHOTO: REUTERSCambodian PM urges Thai counterpart to pull out troops ahead of talks
PREAH VIHEAR (CAMBODIA) - CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen said a border row with Thailand was 'worsening' and urged the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops from a disputed ancient temple.
Although the two countries had agreed to hold talks on Monday to resolve the stand-off, Mr Hun Sen wrote to Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday asking him to 'ease the tensions and order the Thais to withdraw from the area'.
'The situation has worsened due to the continuing increase of the number of Thai military inside and around the area,' he wrote in the letter, which was shown to reporters.
'The deteriorating situation is very bad for the relations between our countries,' he said.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions in both countries after the United Nations cultural agency Unesco awarded the Preah Vihear temple World Heritage status earlier this month.
Thai protesters have revived nationalist sentiments over the issue, fearing the temple's new status will jeopardise claims to the land nearby.
But Thais living just across the border affected by the loss of cross-border trade sought to calm the situation.
Hundreds of villagers in Thailand's Sisaket province blocked a group of Thai anti-government protesters from marching to Preah Vihear yesterday.
Some shouted at the protesters to 'go home' and stop fomenting trouble, as police stood by a barricade blocking the road to the temple.
One protest leader, Mr Pramoj Hoimook, said Cambodians have settled on Thai soil 'and we want to correct that'.
'We want to get to Preah Vihear to read a statement, asking for our land back,' he said.
In Cambodia, military officials said 70 per cent of local villagers had fled their homes, fearful of violence erupting.
But those who remained were defiant.
'I am not afraid to make war with the Thais. Even if death is one step ahead, I won't leave here,' said Mr Seoung Pisith, 27.
'If any order comes from the top, I can launch my rocket immediately. I am protecting my territory and temples,' said soldier Lorm Trouk.
Mr Samak told reporters yesterday that he blames the tension at the border to the three Thai protesters who were briefly detained on the Cambodian side for trying to plant a Thai flag there.
'Those crazy three people who crossed the border sparked the problem. They nearly achieved their aim by causing the military on each side to face one another,' Mr Samak said.
Cambodia accuses Thailand of sending troops across the border following the incident.
But Thailand continues to deny the trespass, insisting the soldiers remain on their own soil.
More than 400 Thai troops and 800 Cambodian soldiers remain assembled around a small Buddhist pagoda on the slope of a mountain leading to the Preah Vihear temple.
Yesterday, Cambodian soldiers laid razor wire across possible paths into Cambodia to prevent more Thais from sneaking across the border.
Thai troops defused landmines in the pagoda compound after one of their soldiers was injured by a landmine on Tuesday.
Groups of Cambodian soldiers based at the foot of the mountain were redeployed to the temple, armed with AK-47 rifles and rocket launchers.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS, REUTERS
PREAH VIHEAR (CAMBODIA) - CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen said a border row with Thailand was 'worsening' and urged the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops from a disputed ancient temple.
Although the two countries had agreed to hold talks on Monday to resolve the stand-off, Mr Hun Sen wrote to Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday asking him to 'ease the tensions and order the Thais to withdraw from the area'.
'The situation has worsened due to the continuing increase of the number of Thai military inside and around the area,' he wrote in the letter, which was shown to reporters.
'The deteriorating situation is very bad for the relations between our countries,' he said.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions in both countries after the United Nations cultural agency Unesco awarded the Preah Vihear temple World Heritage status earlier this month.
Thai protesters have revived nationalist sentiments over the issue, fearing the temple's new status will jeopardise claims to the land nearby.
But Thais living just across the border affected by the loss of cross-border trade sought to calm the situation.
Hundreds of villagers in Thailand's Sisaket province blocked a group of Thai anti-government protesters from marching to Preah Vihear yesterday.
Some shouted at the protesters to 'go home' and stop fomenting trouble, as police stood by a barricade blocking the road to the temple.
One protest leader, Mr Pramoj Hoimook, said Cambodians have settled on Thai soil 'and we want to correct that'.
'We want to get to Preah Vihear to read a statement, asking for our land back,' he said.
In Cambodia, military officials said 70 per cent of local villagers had fled their homes, fearful of violence erupting.
But those who remained were defiant.
'I am not afraid to make war with the Thais. Even if death is one step ahead, I won't leave here,' said Mr Seoung Pisith, 27.
'If any order comes from the top, I can launch my rocket immediately. I am protecting my territory and temples,' said soldier Lorm Trouk.
Mr Samak told reporters yesterday that he blames the tension at the border to the three Thai protesters who were briefly detained on the Cambodian side for trying to plant a Thai flag there.
'Those crazy three people who crossed the border sparked the problem. They nearly achieved their aim by causing the military on each side to face one another,' Mr Samak said.
Cambodia accuses Thailand of sending troops across the border following the incident.
But Thailand continues to deny the trespass, insisting the soldiers remain on their own soil.
More than 400 Thai troops and 800 Cambodian soldiers remain assembled around a small Buddhist pagoda on the slope of a mountain leading to the Preah Vihear temple.
Yesterday, Cambodian soldiers laid razor wire across possible paths into Cambodia to prevent more Thais from sneaking across the border.
Thai troops defused landmines in the pagoda compound after one of their soldiers was injured by a landmine on Tuesday.
Groups of Cambodian soldiers based at the foot of the mountain were redeployed to the temple, armed with AK-47 rifles and rocket launchers.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS, REUTERS
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