Thai soldiers are withdrawing from Ta Moan Thom

Cambodge Soir
07-08-2008

Cambodian military sources reveal that Thai soldiers withdrew from the Ta Moan Thom temple, at 3pm on Tuesday 5th of August. The situation evolves positively in Preah Vihear as well.

70 Thai military troops just moved back 300 metres and thus stopped occupying the temple in Oddar Meanchey province. This news comes from Sim Sokha, border protection unit deputy commander, contacted by Cambodge Soir Hebdo. The stand off follows a meeting which was held this morning between delegations of Thai and Cambodian officials on the Thai side of the site. “The Bangkok based soldiers have assumed their original positions, on their own territory”, says Sim Sokha. The officer explains that the Khmer military promised not to take advantage of this situation in order to invade the temple. This good news comes parallel with other important information revealed at the end of this afternoon.

According to the Bangkok Post, today the cabinet of the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has confirmed the withdrawal of troops from Preah Vihear, but without giving precise dates or the number of soldiers. Quoted by the English newspaper, a Thai officer states that the officials of both Kingdoms allegedly agreed to meet between the 18th and the 19th of August in the Thai seaside town of Hua Hin. If confirmed, this information would contradict recent comments made by Khieu Kanharith, who said that the negotiations concerning Preah Vihear would only be resumed after the formation of the new Cambodian government. The news concerning this withdrawal confirms thus the conclusions from the conciliatory meeting in Siem Reap on the 28th of July. A meeting after which a decision from the Thai government was still pending. Now it became fact!