Wednesday, 22 October 2008

HM the Queen grrants wreath for Thai trooper

By The Nation
Published on October 22, 2008

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously granted a funeral wreath to the Thai paramilitary trooper who died yesterday from shrapnel wounds to the head received in a clash with Cambodian troops near Preah Vihear Temple on October 15.

Boonyarit Khandee, 40, of Paramilitary Trooper Company 23, slipped into a coma on Monday night and died at the Sappasit Prasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani yesterday morning.

Si Sa Ket Governor Seni Jitkasem presented the royal-granted wreath at Boonyarit's bathing ritual in the afternoon at Ban Na Truan Temple in Phu Sing district.

The Khandee family will get Bt300,000 from Boonyarit's life insurance, Bt100,000 from the War Veterans Organisation of Thailand, Bt20,000 from the Paramilitary Trooper Company 23 and disabled paramilitary compensation calculated by his salary times the amount of years he had served in the trooper company.

Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung offered his condolences to the Khandee family and said the ministry would pay Bt107,000 in medical expenses at the hospital for the family and accommodate the transport of Boonyarit's body to Ban Na Truan Temple.

Dr Monchai Wiwatanasithipong who treated Boonyarit, told Agence France-Presse the paramilitary trooper died from sudden kidney failure, which was one of the complications.

Two Cambodian soldiers were killed during the shoot-out, while a third died a day later of smoke inhalation and illness which authorities said were linked to the clashes. Six Thai soldiers were also wounded.

Tension between Cambodia and Thailand flared in July when the Preah Vihear Temple was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling long-simmering tensions over ownership of land surrounding the temple.

In Bangkok, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he would meet with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen on Friday in Beijing to talk about the two countries' border dispute.

Thailand would reaffirm its good relations with its neighbour, Somchai told reporters after a meeting to prepare for the Asia-Europe Meeting in China from tomorrow to Saturday.

He would explain to Hun Sen that Thailand would rather use bilateral negotiations to solve what problems they had rather than table the issue on a grander stage.

Burapha Army deputy chief Lt Colonel Ekkarat Methawattananant said Thai intelligence had confirmed that the Cambodian government had announced a recruitment of new soldiers aged over 18 from many villages in Banteay Meanchey province's Ou Chrov district and the Poipet Market.

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