By The Nation
Published on October 17, 2008
Army chief General Anupong Phaochinda yesterday described the rumour that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the recent flare-up of violence along the Thai-Cambodian border unfathomable.
"It's an issue too deep to speculate about. Even if it were true, it would be impossible to confirm," Anupong said.
Speaking on TV Channel 3, Anupong and commanders of all of the armed forces, including the police chief, declined to speculate as to why Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had given Thailand an ultimatum to withdraw its troops from the overlapping claims.
Thai armed-forces commander General Songkitti Jakkabatra suggested Hun Sen might have been misinformed about the situation along the border.
Meanwhile, Thai and Cambodian troops along the overlapping claims near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple grinned nervously as their respective commanders announced the two sides would conduct joint patrols but hold their ground.
Lt-General Wiboonsak Neeparn, commander of the Second Army Area, told reporters after his meeting with Cambodian officials that joint patrol should "prevent this kind of incident from happening again".
He said artillery and heavy weaponry would remain in place and not be pulled back for the time being.
"Thailand keeps its promises, but if Cambodia does not, [violence] could happen again," he said after the five-hour meeting.
He said talks would resume next Tuesday in Siem Reap but cautioned that more fighting was possible.
While most soldiers along the border were tight-lipped, a group of Thai paramilitary rangers near Pha Moh I-Daeng cliff said joint patrols were not exactly progress.
"We already ate from the same rice pot with the Khmer soldiers and conducted joint patrols with them in the disputed territory. But one bad day, politicians decided the two sides should fight," said one ranger, who asked not to be identified.
"It's bad enough to be working in this mine-infested area. We don't need any more of this," said another.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured on Wednesday when tensions spilled over into a shoot-out.
Immediately after the two-hour clash, political leaders from both sides worked hard to discredit each other's claims about who fired the first shot and who captured whom.
Major-General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troops in the disputed border area, said his men had released 10 captured Thai rangers and handed back their weapons. Thailand, however, insists that none of its troops was captured.
Published on October 17, 2008
Army chief General Anupong Phaochinda yesterday described the rumour that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the recent flare-up of violence along the Thai-Cambodian border unfathomable.
"It's an issue too deep to speculate about. Even if it were true, it would be impossible to confirm," Anupong said.
Speaking on TV Channel 3, Anupong and commanders of all of the armed forces, including the police chief, declined to speculate as to why Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had given Thailand an ultimatum to withdraw its troops from the overlapping claims.
Thai armed-forces commander General Songkitti Jakkabatra suggested Hun Sen might have been misinformed about the situation along the border.
Meanwhile, Thai and Cambodian troops along the overlapping claims near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple grinned nervously as their respective commanders announced the two sides would conduct joint patrols but hold their ground.
Lt-General Wiboonsak Neeparn, commander of the Second Army Area, told reporters after his meeting with Cambodian officials that joint patrol should "prevent this kind of incident from happening again".
He said artillery and heavy weaponry would remain in place and not be pulled back for the time being.
"Thailand keeps its promises, but if Cambodia does not, [violence] could happen again," he said after the five-hour meeting.
He said talks would resume next Tuesday in Siem Reap but cautioned that more fighting was possible.
While most soldiers along the border were tight-lipped, a group of Thai paramilitary rangers near Pha Moh I-Daeng cliff said joint patrols were not exactly progress.
"We already ate from the same rice pot with the Khmer soldiers and conducted joint patrols with them in the disputed territory. But one bad day, politicians decided the two sides should fight," said one ranger, who asked not to be identified.
"It's bad enough to be working in this mine-infested area. We don't need any more of this," said another.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and seven Thai troops injured on Wednesday when tensions spilled over into a shoot-out.
Immediately after the two-hour clash, political leaders from both sides worked hard to discredit each other's claims about who fired the first shot and who captured whom.
Major-General Srey Deok, commander of Cambodian troops in the disputed border area, said his men had released 10 captured Thai rangers and handed back their weapons. Thailand, however, insists that none of its troops was captured.
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