The Bangkok Post
Monday August 04, 2008
BANGKOK POST AND AP
Cambodia has accused Thai soldiers of occupying a second temple site in the disputed border area in a claim strongly denied by Thailand.
Sim Sokha, a Cambodia border protection unit deputy commander, said about 70 Thai soldiers on Thursday occupied the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple in the northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey.
''They [Thai troops] said they will only pull back when the dispute involving the Preah Vihear temple is resolved,'' said Maj Sim Sokha yesterday by telephone from Oddar Meanchey province, about 470 kilometres northwest of Phnom Penh.
The temple is several hundred kilometres west of the ruins of the 11th century Preah Vihear Hindu temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff for three weeks in a dispute over nearby land.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat yesterday rebuffed the Ta Moan Thom temple allegation, saying Thai soldiers had been stationed at the temple in Phanom Dong Rak district in Surin for years and there was no unusual military build-up in the area as claimed.
Mr Tharit said Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the temple grounds to prevent Cambodian troops from entering the area.
The fresh allegation was made one day after about 50 Cambodian soldiers and a group of Cambodian journalists contacted the Thai paramilitary rangers asking them that they be allowed to enter the restricted area on Saturday.
Their request was denied by the 26th regiment commander Col Kittisak Boonpratham on grounds that tensions were still high between the two countries. They should wait until the situation returns to normal, he said.
He was obviously referring to the dispute over the overlapping border area in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province.
Khieu Kanharith, the chief Cambodian government spokesman, said he was aware of the new troop movements, but could not provide details.
He said his government will try to solve the issue through peaceful means. Although it is not as well known as the Angkor or Preah Vihear sites, Ta Moan Thom is also considered one of the architectural wonders of the ancient Khmer empire.
It was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is today known as northeastern Thailand, said Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.
The Preah Vihear row erupted last month when Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage site was approved.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking anti-government demonstrations.
About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand are still in the area despite an agreement between their foreign ministers last week to redeploy them in an effort to ease tensions.
Monday August 04, 2008
BANGKOK POST AND AP
Cambodia has accused Thai soldiers of occupying a second temple site in the disputed border area in a claim strongly denied by Thailand.
Sim Sokha, a Cambodia border protection unit deputy commander, said about 70 Thai soldiers on Thursday occupied the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple in the northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey.
''They [Thai troops] said they will only pull back when the dispute involving the Preah Vihear temple is resolved,'' said Maj Sim Sokha yesterday by telephone from Oddar Meanchey province, about 470 kilometres northwest of Phnom Penh.
The temple is several hundred kilometres west of the ruins of the 11th century Preah Vihear Hindu temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff for three weeks in a dispute over nearby land.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat yesterday rebuffed the Ta Moan Thom temple allegation, saying Thai soldiers had been stationed at the temple in Phanom Dong Rak district in Surin for years and there was no unusual military build-up in the area as claimed.
Mr Tharit said Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the temple grounds to prevent Cambodian troops from entering the area.
The fresh allegation was made one day after about 50 Cambodian soldiers and a group of Cambodian journalists contacted the Thai paramilitary rangers asking them that they be allowed to enter the restricted area on Saturday.
Their request was denied by the 26th regiment commander Col Kittisak Boonpratham on grounds that tensions were still high between the two countries. They should wait until the situation returns to normal, he said.
He was obviously referring to the dispute over the overlapping border area in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province.
Khieu Kanharith, the chief Cambodian government spokesman, said he was aware of the new troop movements, but could not provide details.
He said his government will try to solve the issue through peaceful means. Although it is not as well known as the Angkor or Preah Vihear sites, Ta Moan Thom is also considered one of the architectural wonders of the ancient Khmer empire.
It was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is today known as northeastern Thailand, said Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.
The Preah Vihear row erupted last month when Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage site was approved.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had backed the bid, sparking anti-government demonstrations.
About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand are still in the area despite an agreement between their foreign ministers last week to redeploy them in an effort to ease tensions.
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