Thailand denies withdrawal from disputed Cambodian border

Thai soldiers stand guard near a pagoda close to Preah Vihear temple

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's foreign minister on Tuesday denied that about 80 of the country's troops had withdrawn from a disputed area on the border with Cambodia, and insisted they had the right to stay there.

Cambodian military officials earlier said that the Thai soldiers had moved out of the contentious area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an ultimatum.

"All 80 troops will remain in the disputed area because Thailand has overseen that area for 20 to 30 years," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat told reporters.

"Of those 80 troops, 20 of them are mine clearance workers and the rest offer protection for the mine clearance troops. Thailand insists it has not encroached in any territory."

The Thai army also ratcheted up the rhetoric, saying that it was prepared for a confrontation with Cambodia if the months-long spat on the border escalated.

"The Thai armed forces agreed to maintain troops in the area because that area is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia," the army said in a statement.

"The armed forces reaffirmed that all three armed forces -- army, navy and air force -- are ready for confrontation in the area and are confident in our potential to defend Thailand's sovereignty," it said.

The Cambodian officials said some 80 Thai troops began to withdraw from the area near the ancient Khmer Preah Vihear temple shortly after commanders from both sides held talks during the morning.

"They withdrew from the area around 10:20am and went back to their headquarters, which is around a kilometre away," Cambodian Brigadier General Yim Pim told AFP by telephone from the area.

"There is no more confrontation now. The situation is eased now, but we still on high alert," he added.

Speaking at an economic forum in Phnom Penh before the reported withdrawal, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen maintained his tough rhetoric.

"I have ordered all military commanders to take responsibility for the area. The area is a life and death battle zone," he added.

"Ants can hurt elephants. They (Thais) should not have done this."

The International Court of Justice ruled back in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute.

Tensions between the neighbours first flared in July after the temple was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations cultural body UNESCO.

They escalated into a military confrontation, with to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers.

Each country accuses the other of violating its territory.

Hun Sen's comments Tuesday reiterated the ultimatum he made Monday, after negotiations in Phnom Penh between the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers ended without a breakthrough.

In Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat called an urgent meeting of the top military brass, and said he was not against withdrawing troops from the disputed area but that the two sides much first agree the details.

"Thailand is not opposed to a withdrawal, where each side moves back to avoid confrontation, but we propose that the detail of any withdrawal should be worked out by a joint committee," he told reporters earlier.

He said the committee would decide the extent of any pullback.

After his trip to Phnom Penh, Thai foreign minister Sompong had appeared bullish, saying he thought should they should wait for Cambodian officials to cool down and insisting the disputed land belonged to Thailand.

"The problem now is not about withdrawing or not withdrawing -- it's our territory. How can they tell us that it is their territory?" he asked.

"As soon as I returned there was a report of a deadline. What can we do? We are in our own homeland, and they want us to evict us from our own home."

Q+A-Thailand and Cambodia face off again - for what?

Source: Reuters

BANGKOK, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Fighting talk from Cambodia and Thailand over the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple on a disputed stretch of border has raised fears of a serious military confrontation.

The following Q+A aims to clarify some of the issues behind the dispute:

1) If war broke out, would Thailand easily defeat Cambodia?

Yes and no.

The 300,000-strong Thai military has firepower that impoverished Cambodia can only dream of, including U.S.-made F-16 fighters and Blackhawk helicopters.

Cambodia has a few MiG-21s that have never been known to get off the ground and a handful of ageing Soviet transport choppers.

If it came to "all-out" war, there could be only one winner. The problem for Thailand is that it will never come to that.

At worst, it could escalate into a series of jungle guerrilla battles similar to Thailand's 1987-88 border war with Laos in which the much larger Thai forces ended up with a bloody nose.

Like the Lao, Cambodian troops are ill-equipped and poorly paid but many are ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers who have only known peace in the last 10 years. They are tough and utterly ruthless.

In addition, the entire border is seeded with millions of landmines, the legacy of decades of civil war, and any Thai advance would incur heavy casualties.

2) Apart from national pride, is there any reason to go to war over this scrubland?

Not really, but national pride counts for a great deal in this part of the world, and temples including Preah Vihear -- or Khao Phra Viharn, as the Thais call it -- are inextricably entwined in the national psyches of both countries.

The stunning Hindu ruins were awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court of Justice, a ruling that sparked uproar in Thailand, where the military government had asked every citizen to donate 1 baht to pay for its legal costs.

A Cambodian mob torched the Thai embassy in 2003 after misreported comments from a Thai actress that the 800-year-old Angkor Wat temples deep inside Cambodia actually belonged to Thailand.

Preah Vihear ranks second only to Angkor in Cambodian hearts.

3) Are domestic politics to blame for the sabre-rattling?

Probably, in particular in Thailand where the government is under huge pressure from a five-month street campaign.

The Thai military are also facing growing calls from the protesters to launch a coup, but are so far resisting. A border war with one of Thailand's traditional enemies would be likely to rally some support behind the government and army.

The gains for Cambodia are less clear, especially after Prime Minister Hun Sen's huge victory in a July general election.

However, the wily ex-Khmer Rouge commander knows he cannot let Thai aggression go unchallenged, and is probably keen to steal a march on his larger neighbour as it wallows in the worst domestic political upheaval in 16 years.

4) Are border disputes common in this bit of Southeast Asia?

Yes. Long stretches of Thailand's borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have never been properly mapped, leaving considerable room for confusion and argument.

In addition, huge flows of refugees and legal and illegal economic migrants from Cambodia and Myanmar since the 1970s have ensured they are porous to everything from narcotics to weapons.

Cambodia is also very sensitive about its size, mindful of its 800-year slide from a Khmer empire that spanned the region to a small, troubled nation sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam.

Drummed into every school-child's head, its area -- 181,035 sq km -- is as etched into the collective memory as deep as "9-11" in the United States.

5) Surely the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will step in and solve the problem?
No.

Singapore has called for calm, but if Bangkok and Phnom Penh really decide to slug it out, there is nothing ASEAN's toothless diplomacy will be able to do about it.

(Editing by Bill Tarrant)

Thai govt to discuss Khmer threat this afternoon

THE NATION

Thai FM says he was surprised about Cambodia's threat because Cambodia PM appeared to have no problem on border talk.

Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will chair an urgent meeting this afternoon to discuss about Cambodia's threat to start war if Thailand did not evacuate its troops from an area near the Preah Vihear Temple.

Somchai said commander in chiefs are meeting to look into details and information of the matters.

He reiterated that it is not possible for the Thai troops to withdraw from the area. "It is like you are asked to retreat from your own house," he said.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has threatened to start fighting if Thailand failed to evacuate its 81 troops from the Veal Intry area near the Preah Vihear Temple on Cambodian soil within 24 hours.

"The meeting of officials concerned on the matters will be held at 2pm," Somchai said.

Hun Sen issued the threat after Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat met with his Khmer counterpart; Hor Nam Hong, in Phnom Penh to discuss about border controversies.

Somchai quoted Sompong as saying that he was surprised that Hun Sen made such a threat after the meeting. "During the meeting, Prime Minister Hun Sen seemed to have no problems on the matters. It was surprising that he came out of the meeting room to say that," Sompong said.

Sompong told the meeting in Phnom Penh that Thailand will not have any problem to withdraw if Cambodia did the same to avoid any confrontation.

Asked whether he will telephone Hun Sen about the issue, Somchai said he will look into details and surrounding circumstances before deciding the next step.

According to Xinhua news agency, Hun Sen said after meeting with Sompong on Monday, "The Veal Intry area is the dead or alive point for us."

"The situation at the Veal Intry area is too hot. They have to remove tonight or tomorrow. If they don't remove from the Veal Intry area, war will be waged," he said.

"They entered there (Monday morning) and are deploying and camping their tents about 30 meters from our soldiers. They said they stay here only one day," he said.

"Cambodia still keep our maximum restraints and won't mind if they go back to their own stronghold," he said.

Thai troops leave Cambodia border

Thai soldiers (in black) and Cambodia troops have been patrolling close to each other [AFP]

Al Jazeera
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Thai soldiers have pulled back from a disputed stretch of the border with Cambodia near an ancient temple after Cambodia's leader threatened Thailand with "armed clashes".

General Chea Mon of the Cambodian army, said on Tuesday that Thai troops had "pulled out from our land" shortly before the expiry of a noon deadline set by Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister.

After meeting Thailand's foreign minister on Monday, Hun Sen had said "armed clashes" would erupt if Thai troops continued to "trespass" over the border.

"We told them that if they do not stop [trespassing], armed clashes will break out," Hun Sen told reporters, warning that the area could become "a life-and-death battleground".

Disputed area

Hun Sen's meeting with Sompong Amornwiwat, Thailand's foreign minister, was the latest effort to ease tensions over a territorial dispute that earlier this month sparked a brief exchange of gunfire at the border that injured one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers.

Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.

Sovereignty over some of the land around the temple, however, has not been clearly resolved.
Tensions flared in July when the UN accepted Cambodia's submission to name Preah Vihear a World Heritage site, with both countries deploying troops to the border.

There has been a limited troop withdrawal from the area since, and talks have been held several times to resolve the conflicting claims, but without much progress.

In a statement issued after Monday's meeting, Cambodia's foreign ministry called for more talks to "avoid further unwarranted hostilities".

Hun Sen sets Tuesday noon as ultimate time for Thai troops withdrawal from border area

www.chinaview.cn

2008-10-14

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen here Tuesday set 12:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) as the ultimate time for over 80 Thai troops to withdraw from the Veal Intry area, about 2,000 meters west of the Preah Vihear Temple.

Both commanders have been discussing the issue since 08:30 local time Tuesday at the area, the premier told the Fourth Asia Forum, which was attended by hundreds of foreign guests and diplomatic corps.

"If the talk fails, weapon conflict will break out. But we don't want to see weapon conflict occur," he said.

The Veal Intry area is a very important location for reaching the Preah Vihear Temple, he said, adding that the Thai troops want to cut the road to the temple.

"I told Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat yesterday in a candid talk that he has to tell Thai premier that the Cambodian side won't bear any loss of its land to Thailand," he said.

Thailand shouldn't treat Cambodia like this, because both are members of ASEAN and neighboring countries, he said.

Cambodia and Thailand used to have good cooperation with each other, especially in the field of fighting against terrorism, he said.

"The (usual) relationship between the two sides still continues normally at this minute," he added.

Here Monday, Hun Sen once asked Thailand to evacuate its troops from the Veal Intry area within 24 hours, and warned of war otherwise.

"The Veal Intry area is the dead or alive point for us," he told reporters at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation after meeting with visiting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat.

"The situation at the Veal Intry area is too hot. They have to remove tonight or tomorrow. If they don't remove from the Veal Intry area, war will be waged," he added.

The Veal Intry area is on the Phnom Trap hill side, approximately 2,000 meters from the west side of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple.

In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

The tension later turned into a military confrontation, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks. In mid-August, most troops evacuated and just a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.

However, bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.

In October at the border area, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during an exchange of gunfire, and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine.

Editor: Wang Yan

Cambodia: Thai troops retreat on ultimatum

Cambodian PM Hun Sen, left, shakes hands with Thai deputy PM Sompong Amornvivat on Monday.

CNN.com/asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Thai troops retreated from a disputed border on Tuesday, according to a Cambodian army official, after Cambodia's prime minister issued a noon ultimatum to Thailand.

Cambodian army commander Brig. Gen. Yim Pin says all Thai troops have retreated and are about half a mile (1 kilometer) from the contested territory.

Yim Pin told the Associated Press that the "tense situation has now eased."

Prime Minister Hun Sen's warning to withdraw troops from a disputed border area or face a "life-and-death battle zone "came amid rising tensions over a stretch of border near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple. It has been a source of dispute between the two countries for decades.

Hun Sen accused Thai troops of advancing on a border area called Eagle Field near the temple in an attempt to occupy Cambodian land.

"They must withdraw," Hun Sen said. "I have set the timeline for them to withdraw by 12 o'clock." Noon in Cambodia is 0500 GMT.

"At any cost, we will not allow Thai troops to invade this area. I would like to be clear about this," Hun Sen said, adding that he had ordered Cambodia's army chiefs to "take full responsibility over this area. It is a life-and-death battle zone."

Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he had ordered the army to "take care of the situation so there is no violence."

"We do not object to redeployment so there is no confrontation," Somchai told reporters as he headed into Tuesday's weekly Cabinet meeting. However, he added that he was not aware of Hun Sen's deadline, and it was unclear whether any Thai troop withdrawal would be completed ahead of the deadline.

Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. However, sovereignty over some of the land around the temple has not been clearly resolved.

Tensions flared July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple named a World Heritage Site. Both sides deployed troops to the border.

A brief gunfight broke out between the two sides early this month, with one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded. Both sides claimed the other fired first and blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border. Three days later, two Thai soldiers lost legs when they stepped on land mines in the area.

Hun Sen met Monday with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat, but the meeting appeared to end without a resolution.

He said Monday, "We told them that if they do not stop (trespassing), armed clashes will break out."

There has been a limited troop withdrawal from the area since, and talks have been held several times to resolve the conflicting claims, but without much progress.

Construction workers wear flip-flops, cloth hats on Cambodian jobsites

Daily Commercial News
October 14, 2008

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia

The race is on to build Phnom Penh’s first skyscraper but as the fast-modernizing city famous for its graceful colonial skyline transforms, safety standards appear to be stuck in the past.

The construction business in Cambodia is booming, attracting investments of $3.2 billion in the first six months of this year and luring some 40,000 seasonal construction workers from impoverished provinces.

But, as construction worker Chan Vuthy can attest, work safety has deteriorated as buildings spring up, the worker told Agence France-Presse.

The day a blade from a malfunctioning saw cut deep into his knee, the 23-year-old was wearing flip-flops, a cloth hat and no protective equipment.

When he stumbled to the bottom of the site, his boss scolded him for recklessness.

He was then fired, and had to spend his savings on a month of hospital treatment.

“Every time other workers and I have accidents, they say we are careless,” Chan Vuthy says.

Cambodian construction workers risk their lives for an average wage of two and a half dollars a day, says Sok Sovandeith, president of the Cambodia National Federation of Building and Wood Workers.

There are no laws to force construction enterprises to pay adequate wages so many workers must live on building sites.

Few of them have any training and companies have little incentive to take measures to avoid accidents or use equipment such as hard helmets, work boots or safety harnesses.

“We’re very worried about poor working conditions which have not been improved or guaranteed by law,” Sok Sovandeith says adding that construction work is the most dangerous kind of labour in the country.

“We are not happy when workers are not safely equipped. After some inspections, we found a lot of building sites and companies do not give out safety materials.”

Many construction companies lay the blame for poor safety on workers who do not protect themselves.

So far the government has sided with businesses, taking no action to ensure better work conditions amid the building boom which has attracted investment from South Korea and China and helped fuel double-digit economic growth.

DCN News Services

Somchai says Thailand cannot pull out troops now

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Tuesday that Thailand could not pull out troops from the disputed border area near Preah Vihear temple as demanded by Cambodian Prime Minister Hunsen now.

Somchai said the joint committee of the two countries needed to reach an agreement on how to carry out the pullout first before it could be done.

Hunsen threatened to go for a full war if Thailand did not pull out the troops from the disputed border by noon Tuesday.

Somchai said the armed forces' commanders were discussing the issue and he would summon all agencies concerned to consult on the matter at 2 pm.

The Nation

Cambodia issues ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw

By KER MUNTHIT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia's prime minister issued an ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw troops from a disputed border area by noon Tuesday.

Prime Minister Hun Sen's warning came amid rising tensions over a stretch of border near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, which has been a source of dispute between the two countries for decades.

Hun Sen accused Thai troops of advancing on a border area called Eagle Field near the temple in an attempt to occupy Cambodian land.

"They must withdraw," Hun Sen said. "I have set the timeline for them to withdraw by 12 o'clock." Noon in Cambodia is 1 a.m. EDT.

"At any cost, we will not allow Thai troops to invade this area. I would like to be clear about this," Hun Sen said. He added that he had ordered Cambodia's army chiefs to "take full responsibility over this area. It is a life-and-death battle zone."

Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he had ordered the army to "take care of the situation so there is no violence."

"We do not object to redeployment so there is no confrontation," Somchai told reporters, adding that he was not aware of Hun Sen's deadline.

Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. However, sovereignty over some of the land around the temple has not been clearly resolved.

Tensions flared July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple named a World Heritage Site. Both sides deployed troops to the border.

A brief gunfight broke out between the two sides early this month, with one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded. Both sides claimed the other fired first and blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border. Three days later, two Thai soldiers lost legs when they stepped on land mines in the area.

Hun Sen met Monday with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat, but the meeting appeared to end without a resolution.

He said Monday, "We told them that if they do not stop (trespassing), armed clashes will break out."

Minister: Thai troops won't leave disputed border

(BangkokPost.com) - Thai soldiers will not withdraw from the disputed border area near the Preah Vihear temple despite an ultimatum from Cambodia to withdraw by midday Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said Tuesday morning.

"We are in our homeland. How can they expect us to leave our home?" he told reporters.

His statement came after a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who said Thai soldiers could face being fired upon by Cambodian troops.

"If they cannot withdraw tonight, they must withdraw tomorrow," Hun Sen said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat called an urgent meeting with chiefs of armed forces and Foreign Ministry officials at 2pm Tuesday to assess border row.

He said in the morning that troops of both countries should withdraw from the disputed area.

"We would not have any problems if both countries withdraw their troops to avoid confrontation," Mr Somchai said. "I would like the bi-lateral committee that has been formed to state clearly the distance that the troops should stay away from the disputed land."

He insisted that the Thai government is ready to discuss the problem with Phnom Penh

Thai soldiers pull back from Cambodian border

Tue Oct 14, 2008
By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Thai soldiers pulled back from a disputed stretch of the Cambodian border on Tuesday, averting a possible military confrontation in the region of the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, a Cambodian general on the scene said.

"They pulled out from our land," General Chea Mon told Reuters by phone from the border shortly before the expiry of a midday (1 a.m. EDT) deadline set by Phnom Penh for the withdrawal of nearly 100 Thai soldiers from the jungle-clad area.

"The situation seems to have returned to normal," he said. "Our troops are occupying the area where the Thai troops have pulled out."

Before the withdrawal, both Phnom Penh and Bangkok had been banging the war drums, with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat saying his government would not heed the ultimatum from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. "We are in our homeland. How can they expect us to leave our home?" he said in reply to a question from a reporter.

In a speech to an economic conference in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen repeated the deadline for Thai forces to pull back, but did not say what consequences would follow. On Monday, he said his forces would turn the area into a "death zone."

"We will not let the Thais stand on our land," he said, adding that Cambodian soldiers, many of them battle-hardened Khmer Rouge veterans, were shouting at the Thai lines: "If you want to die, come over here."

Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat had said Bangkok would pull back its troops only as part of wider joint effort to agree on the various disputed parts of the border.

"We have no problem with a troop withdrawal to avoid confrontation, but we need a joint committee to meet and agree on how far we are going to pull back and how many troops will be withdrawn," he said before a weekly cabinet meeting.

Singapore called for both sides to show restraint.

"We urge both sides to contain emotions, exercise restraint and resolve the issue through negotiations without resorting to force," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Tensions have been high since July, when around 1,000 soldiers on both sides faced off only yards apart in trenches dug into a hillside that until 10 years ago was under the control of remnants of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot's guerrilla army.

At the heart of the dispute is 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub near the temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962, a ruling that has rankled many in Thailand ever since.

The dispute flared in July after protesters trying to overthrow the Thai government attacked Bangkok's backing of Phnom Penh's bid to list the Hindu ruins as a World Heritage site.

(Additional reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak and Nopporn Wong-Anan)

(Writing by Ed Cropley, Editing by Alex Richardson)

Even Aid Could Be Hurt in Crisis: Official

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
13 October 2008

Khmer audio aired 11 October 2008 (1.28 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 11 October 2008 (1.28 MB) - Listen (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 12 October 2008 (2.12 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 12 October 2008 (2.12 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Financial woes spreading from the US and across developed countries could lead to decreased future investment—and aid—in Cambodia, a top economic official said Friday.

Aun Porn Moniroth, secretary of state for the Ministry of Economy and Finance and an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, led a delegation to Washington over the weekend, as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund held meetings amid spreading economic worries in the US, Europe and Asia.

Aun Porn Moniroth said he planned to "to draw attention to our main development partners, who give significant donations to developing countries."

All countries "worry," he said, "and are spending much money to stabilize their individual economies," he said, which could lead to a decrease in aid.

Cambodia receives around $600 million a year in aid from international donors to help its development, but that money could be affected, as well as investment, as the global economy slows down.

While the main focus of the weekend meetings was the global economy, Aun Porn Moniroth said Cambodia's goals of poverty reduction and improvement of the health and education sectors remained a priority.

Independent economist Kang Chandararot, director of the Cambodia Institute of Development Study, said a sweeping crisis may still not hit Cambodia too hard.

Aid to Cambodia was minimal, he said, and not likely to stop.

"Up to $1 billion or more, it's a sum that countries can cooperate on or take partnerships in helping Cambodia," he said.

Outside of aid money, Cambodia's main earners are tourism, construction, agriculture and garment export. Experts worry a sustained financial crisis could hurt there, too, though exactly how is not certain.

Export markets like the US, hurt by a shrinking economy, a debt crisis among lending institutions and wobbly markets, could affect Cambodia through lowered demand for produced goods, Aun Porn Moniroth said.

Cambodia's garment sector employs up to 350,000 workers, and the government will have to take active measures to attract investors and coordinate incentives, Kang Chandararot said.

A "large-scale development plan" nationwide and especially the promotion of special economic zones attractive to investors will be needed, he said.

Meanwhile, outside investment will be hard to maintain at the same level, and microfinance institutions may have a harder time supporting borrowers, he said.

Aun Porn Moniroth said the government has a strategy to strengthen its own financial systems in the long term.

"The main goals of our strategy are to first strengthen the banking system and strengthen and continue to develop some of the other sectors…such as insurance, stocks, and so on," he said. "But we are precautious now with the development of the stock market, for instance, as we are seeing this crisis around us in the world."

Meanwhile, Cambodia hopes to maintain an economic growth rate of 7 percent, he said, even as Cambodians are being hit with rising inflation, food and fuel prices.

FM Sompong affirms troop patrolling within Thai territory

BANGKOK, Oct 14 (TNA) - Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said he is checking news reports that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warned Thailand to immediately withdraw its military forces from a disputed border area near an ancient Khmer temple, but affirmed that the Thai troops were patrolling within this country's territory and had not encroached upon Cambodia.

Khmer PM Hun Sen commented on the issue after he met Mr. Sompong in Phnom Penh after the latest talks between the two countries' foreign ministers meant to ease tensions over a disputed border area failed to reach any agreement.

Mr. Sompong earlier met with his counterpart Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who reportedly warned of the risk of a "large-scale armed conflict."

The Thai foreign minister said after returning from Phnom Penh that he had to get further information about Mr. Hun Sen's comment.

Thai military units were patrolling within the country's borders, and had not trespassed on Cambodian territory, he affirmed.

Upon his arrival in Bangkok, Mr. Sompong went to meet Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to report the results of the failed border talks. Prime Minister Somchai reportedly told him to use restraint and patience to solve the problem.

Cambodian military officials said earlier that 80 Thai troops had entered the disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Tensions between the two bordering countries escalated in July after UNESCO listed the Khmer temple as the World Heritage Site which angered Thailand, with strongly nationalist Thais claiming that the temple belongs to Bangkok and not Phnom Penh.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but that the surrounding land remains in dispute.

Thai and Cambodian border talks agreed to redeployment of troops in August but the talks to solved border problems were delayed because of the political turmoil in Thailand. (TNA)

In Phnom Penh, US Voters Party, Debate

By Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 October 2008

American voters gathered at the FCC restaurant in Phnom Penh on Saturday night to watch a recording of the third US presidential debate. As senators Barack Obama and John McCain prepared to square off, the atmosphere at the FCC resembled a party, with participants looking delighted, drinking, eating snacks and shouting their views.

The debate party underscored a stark difference between US elections, a time of free speech, open opposition and celebration, and Cambodia's process, where voters worry about their security and often keep their political choices secret.

US presidential elections will be held Nov. 4, bringing to a close a heavily contested race in an important time in US history.

During the debate, Wayne Weightman, chairman of the advocacy group Democrats Abroad, said his group had registered both Democratic and Republican party supporters from across Cambodia in an "important election."

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a growing economic crisis have made Americans serious about this election, he said.

"I can say that it has been incredible, that we see people all over Cambodia, Americans from all provinces, come to register," he said. "A lot of the people that I talked to said that they wanted a change."

Tashi Bradford, from Washington, DC, who spoke in sign language through an interpreter, said there was no need for her to be afraid to speak of her choice, Obama, on the Democratic ticket.

"It is no secret, and we have the freedom to say what we want to," she said. "The freedom of speech and freedom to vote for who we want is a cherished value."

US voter Matthew Alan said he felt sorry for Cambodians who must keep their choices secret.

"My Khmer friends asked me if I wanted to leave Cambodia for the election because they thought I might be afraid," he said. "I think it is fun to vote. It is a happy time. I think people in Cambodia are more worried during election days than people in America."

Before playing a video of the debates, Weightman asked audience members whether they had registered and encouraged them to do so. Meanwhile, some groups said they would vote for Obama, and others for McCain, but they expressed their intentions with pride, without fear or secrecy, even if they sat next to a rival supporter.

As the debate was shown, some of the audience became red-faced, not because of anger, but because of their drinking, a scene not unlike some days ahead of Cambodian elections, although these can sometimes turn violent. (Prime Minister Hun Sen banned drinking on the eve and day of July's national election. On Saturday night, by contrast, the FCC offered half-price drinks.)
Koul Panha, executive director for the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the US presidential race could not be compared to Cambodian elections.

Many Americans are not secret in their political preferences, and they cast their ballots without pressure, he said.

"Elections are normal for Europeans and Americans," he said. "They freely express their opinions. They enjoy it. When democracy is mature, it is like that. They are not worried about possible mistreatment, threats or intimidation. They have fun with the process. Elections are a happy time for them, to exercise their power, their decision to have political change. Our country is still behind, so during the elections we sometimes see violence."

Koul Panha said that when real democracy comes to Cambodia, voting secrecy will be a thing of the past, replaced with the freedom of speech to claim one's support.

"We need to try hard to make Cambodian elections a normal thing, an expression of opinion by the people," he said. "It will take a long time."

Thai Border Talks Produce No Results

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong addresses reporters following talks with his Thai counterpart Monday.

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 October 2008

Khmer audio aired 13 October 2008 (0.99 MB) - Download (MP3) Khmer audio aired 13 October 2008 (0.99 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand on Monday failed to reach bilateral agreement on an ongoing dispute involving thousands of armed troops along the border that has led to at least one clash in recent weeks.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat in Phnom Penh, following a brief skirmish in which both Thai and Cambodian soldiers were wounded near Preah Vihear temple early this month.

Cambodia said in a statement Monday it wanted an immediate meeting between task forces on each side for the “redeployment” of troops at a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple; the withdrawal of Thai troops from two temples in Oddar Meanchey’s Ta Moan temple complex; and that a third in the complex, Ta Krabey, remain unoccupied.

The standoff between the two countries began in July over the inclusion of Preah Vihear temple, and observers warn that a protracted standoff could end in violence.

Hor Namhong said ahead of Monday’s meeting failure to reach an agreement on the border could lead to a round of Cambodian appeals among the international community.

Sompong was to take Cambodia’s requests to the Thai government for consideration, a Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

KRouge fighters jailed for British mine clearer's murder

Former Cambodian Khmer Rouge rebel Khem Ngun covers his face as a policeman escorts him into court

Cambodians walk past a landmine awareness sign

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A Cambodian court Tuesday sentenced four former Khmer Rouge guerrillas to up to 20 years in prison over the kidnapping and murder of a British mine clearer and his translator in 1996.

Three of the five accused were jailed for 20 years, a fourth for 10 years, while the fifth man was acquitted and released.

The international charity Mines Advisory Group, for which the two dead men worked, welcomed the verdict, saying their families were "extremely satisfied with today's outcome."

All five -- Khem Ngun, Puth Lim, Loch Mao, Sin Dorn and Cheap Chet -- were arrested over the past year, nearly a decade after a joint investigation into the incident by British and Cambodian police.

They proclaimed their innocence when they went on trial two weeks ago over the abduction and murder of Christopher Howes and translator Huon Huot.

But the judge convicted Khem Ngun, 58, Puth Lim, 57, and Loch Mao, 56, and sentenced each of them to 20 years in prison, while Sin Dorn, 52, was jailed for 10 years.

Judge Iv Kim Sri, reading out the verdict at the Phnom Penh court, ordered the men jointly to pay 10,000 dollars to the families of the victims.

Puth Lim again denied involvement. "The verdict is unjust for me. I did not kill them," he told reporters.

The fifth man, Cheap Chet, 33, was freed.

Howes and Huon Huot were shot a few days after they and the mine clearance team were seized near the famed Angkor Wat temples in northwest Cambodia.

At the time, the communist Khmer Rouge were battling government troops in the final years of Cambodia's drawn-out civil war.

Howes, 37, refused a chance to leave his kidnapped team of 20 mine clearers to retrieve a ransom.

While the rest were eventually released he and Huon Huot were taken deeper into rebel-held territory and killed.

Their remains were found in 1998, the same year Cambodia's civil war ended when the Khmer Rouge movement disintegrated.

"Today, we feel that justice has been done for our two colleagues who were brutally murdered whilst carrying out life-saving work," Mines Adivsory Group executive Lou McGrath said in a statement issued at the court.

Sihanoukville Preps Up For Local Government Forum On Water Management

" The Municipality of Sihanoukville in Cambodia is poised to host the 2008 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) Forum on 19-21 November at the Sokha Beach Hotel. "

(1888PressRelease) October 14, 2008 - The Municipality of Sihanoukville in Cambodia is poised to host the 2008 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG) Forum on 19-21 November at the Sokha Beach Hotel. The Forum will discuss critical issues on "Water Resource Protection, Utilization and Management" and will convene more than 80 local executives and technical staff from nine PEMSEA participating countries. It will also be a venue for the directors and staff of the Project Management Offices in ICM sites to discuss the proposed highlights and activities for the next three years of ICM program implementation.

"As a local government member, we are 100-percent committed to the PNLG, which is why, after a series of discussions with various agencies and the Ministry of Interior, we have decided to host this year's Forum. It is also a way for us to get people to know more about Sihanoukville," says PMO Director and Second Vice Governor, Prak Sihara.

"You know, a lot of people don't even know where Sihanoukville is. We don't have the usual tourist destinations like those in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but we hope that the PNLG participants can take a break from the usual hustle bustle of the city and just relax," added Mr. Prak Visal, Project Manager for the Sihanoukville ICM Office.

For the host Municipality, the event is also hoped to raise awareness among coastal municipalities and local partners on potential water management issues arising from unmitigated urban expansion, and possibly encourage the coastal municipalities to implement integrated coastal management in their respective municipalities.Recalling the response from local officials when asked about water management in 2007, local executives were then certain that this will not be a major concern for the coastal municipality.

In recent years, however, Sihanoukville's landscape has undergone a dramatic change with the construction of hotels, industries, residential buildings and other tourist establishments. When asked of the same question now, Mr. Prak Visal does not hesitate to air what could be a common concern among PNLG members, "Sure, it is a problem now, especially water quality and supply.

"This year's participants are eyeing the Forum to provide them with the needed guidance and advice to address, if not prevent, potential problems on water use and management. The Xiamen Municipal Government serves as the secretariat for the PNLG, with the PEMSEA Resource Facility providing technical guidance.

Largest pedophile case of Cambodia stalls again

www.chinaview.cn

2008-10-14

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Child protection NGO has blasted the Sihanoukville Municipal Court for once again postponing the largest pedophile trial in the country's history, English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily said Tuesday.

Alexander Trofimov, 41-year-old executive director of the Koh Puos Investment Group, was supposed to face charge Monday of abusing 11 girls younger than 15 and seven girls aged between 15 and 17, but his hearing was postponed once again because he still doesn't have a lawyer.

Trofimov was originally set to appear before the court on Sept.23, but the trial was delayed after his lawyer quit because of sore throat. Judge Taing Sunlay told Trofimov to have another lawyer Monday or the court would appoint him one.

"This postponement shows that the judge has limited abilities," said Ket Chanto, member of international NGO World Vision, which takes care of the victims.

"Judges always use excuses to change cases. Even though we know the excuses are invalid, we can do nothing," he added.

Trifimov is currently being held in pre-trial detention at Sihanoukville municipal prison. The businessman once established his company to develop an isolated island in Sihanoukville into a comprehensive resort.

Editor: Sun Yunlong

One more Cambodian prince quits politics

www.chinaview.cn

2008-10-14

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Prince Norodom Sirivudh has followed suit, right after his nephew Norodom Ranariddh announced to quit politics around a week ago, English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily said Tuesday.

This seems to represent "the end of direct involvement in (Cambodian) politics by members of the royal family," said the paper.

"The retired king (Norodom Sihanouk) has said that he would like royal family members to stop doing politics and let political parties do work in politics and compete in the election," Sirivudhwas quoted as saying.

His sister Norodom Vicheara, former lawmaker of the co-ruling Funcinpec Party, has also decided to leave politics behind to support the retired king, he said.

"I won't do politics, but it doesn't mean that I won't pay attention to big national issues. Simple people also have the right to question the government and the National Assembly about big issues," he said.

"I don't belong to any (political) party and I will serve the country within the framework of being a royal family member: to serve the monarchy and the country with honesty," he added.

Sirivudh belongs to the Funcinpec Party and worked as foreign minister in the government. Ranariddh once worked as premier, and headed Funcinpec in the past few years, but was sacked in 2006.

Funcinpec was established by Sihanouk in 1981 and has remained as an important political force of Cambodia in its royal capacity, the paper said.

Editor: Sun Yunlong

Cambodia, Taiwan and Hong Kong possible new destinations for Tiger

Travelle Blackboard
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Tiger Airways has hinted at new routes to Cambodia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as extra capacity to existing routes in Asia and Australia.

As Tiger gets ready to attend the 14th World Route Development Forum in Kuala Lumpur, the carrier has indicated that it intends to grow routes and capacity in these uncertain economic times.
“History tells us that the true low cost airline model is perfectly positioned to thrive in uncertain economic times,” said Steve Burns, Tiger COO.

“By building our presence on existing routes from Singapore and within Australia, and expanding our footprint to new destinations in places such as Hong Kong, Cambodia and Taiwan, we can be the first airline to offer true low fares to these destinations.”

Tiger adds that it will be in discussions with representatives from these destinations at the Forum.

In terms of where the capacity increases will go, no existing route has been ruled out, though it is expected that Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and domestic Australian routes will be prioritised.

“With our firm aircraft order Tiger Airways is set to further grow air traffic in the Asia-Pacific region while other airlines cut back services,” adds Mr Burns.Currently flying 12 aircraft, the airline is looking to receive four more planes in the next four months.

Cambodia - News : Risk of armed conflict - 13.10.2008

Cambodia - News : split house in divorce - 13.10.2008

Leave disputed area or face "death zone," Cambodia tells Thailand

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat speaks to Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008.(Chor Sokunthea/Reuters)

Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong speaks to the media after meeting with Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008. Amornvivat is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit and to discuss the border dispute issue.(Chor Sokunthea/Reuters)

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks to the media after a meeting with Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008. Cambodia accused Thailand on Monday of trying to send troops across their disputed border, warning that such a provocation could eventually lead to "large scale conflict".REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) shakes hands with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat in Phnom Penh.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (L) shakes hands with Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong before meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008. Sompong Amornvivat is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit and to discuss the border dispute issue.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

REFILE - CORRECTING "BEFORE MEETING" TO "AFTER MEETING" Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (L) shakes hands with Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong after meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008. Amornvivat is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit and to discuss the border dispute issue.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (2nd L) walks out from a room after meeting with Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008. Amornvivat is in Cambodia for a one-day official visit and to discuss the border dispute issue.REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (R) greets Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008.(Virak Mony/Reuters)

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (L) meets with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh October 13, 2008.(Tang Chhinsothy/Pool/Reuters)

Thai soldiers stand guard near a pagoda close to Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia. Cambodia has warned of the risk of a large-scale armed conflict with Thailand as ministers from the two neighbours failed to reach a breakthrough in talks on their border dispute.(AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)

A Cambodian soldier takes cover after a landmine explosion near Preah Vihear temple on October 6. Cambodia and Thailand on Monday resumed talks on their simmering border spat, following a skirmish between troops near an ancient temple earlier this month.(AFP)

Cambodian soldiers on patrol close to the disputed Preah Vihear temple.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Thai soldiers are seen near the Preah Vihear temple on October 7. Cambodia and Thailand on Monday resumed talks on their simmering border spat, following a skirmish between troops near an ancient temple earlier this month.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Cambodia warns of "large-scale armed conflict" with Thailand

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) shakes hands with Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat in Phnom Penh.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Mon Oct 13

PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Cambodia warned Monday of the risk of a large-scale armed conflict with Thailand as ministers from the two neighbours failed to reach a breakthrough in talks on their border dispute.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart Sompong Amornviwat met in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh while troops from the two sides faced off near a disputed temple on their border.

The Cambodian foreign minister said the talks failed to end in agreement because his Thai opposite number "could not sign on anything."

Hor Namhong told reporters that while he was meeting with Sompong he received word Thai soldiers had attempted to cross the border near the disputed ancient temple of Preah Vihear into Cambodia.

"I told my Thai counterpart that sending a lot of troops along the border is dangerous and can provoke a large-scale armed conflict," he told reporters.

He warned that "even one shot can lead to a large-scale armed conflict."

Major general Srey Deok, who oversees the Cambodian military in the area of Preah Vihear, told AFP by telephone that some 80 Thai troops had crossed into the disputed territory.

"Thai troops have already entered the area. They are confronting our troops," he said.

However Thai border commander Major General Kanok Netrakavaesana said his troops were merely patrolling a disputed area. "The Thai army has a responsibility to take care of the area... We stay where we stay," he said.

Hor Namhong told reporters Cambodia would take the border dispute to an international court if the neighbours cannot resolve it within "an appropriate time."

The two countries have swapped accusations of violating each other's territory in the dispute over land near at least three ancient temples along their border.

At least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded when units exchanged gunfire during a brief clash on October 3 near the Preah Vihear temple.

Talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.

Tensions flared in July after the ancient Khmer temple was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations cultural body UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

Those tensions turned into a military confrontation in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.

Both sides agreed to pull back in mid-August, leaving just a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.

However, much of the Cambodian-Thai border remains in dispute, and the slow pace of mine clearance has delayed demarcation.

Cambodian spirit survives

Kara Gifford / Na Pueo; Cambodian dancers unify flags to represent the renewed friendship between the schools.

Teens from the country share cultural dances -- and reveal their resiliency through turmoil

STAR BULLETIN

By Daniel Ching / Na Pueo

Oct 13, 2008

When people think of the country of Cambodia, what comes to mind? Death, poverty, destruction?

Today, Cambodia is one of the most poverty-stricken countries in Southeast Asia. Because of the 1975-79 Khmer Rouge era and the Vietnamese invasion that followed, Cambodia's rich culture was virtually obliterated. Pol Pot, leader of the communist regime, had overthrown the existing government and attempted to "restart civilization in Year Zero." This cultlike agenda to strip Cambodia of its identity and bring civilization back to archaic, agrarian life was as devastating to Cambodia as the Cultural Revolution was to China. And yet the destruction would not end here. When the Vietnamese invaded, the chaos increased.

What is left? What could possibly remain from such crimes against humanity?

The Cambodian spirit lives on, as unbelievable as that seem. I saw it with my own eyes -- the smile of a few Cambodian teenagers who seem to have transcended the most horrific of evils, transforming the most tragic of events into the most inspirational of stories.

A few weeks ago, my school was fortunate enough to host a few Cambodian teenagers from the Future Light orphanage, a facility in Phnom Penh devoted to sheltering Cambodian children from the poverty-stricken environment they live in and helping them develop the skills needed to become future leaders. Because they were coming to Hawaii to meet their sponsored foster parents -- many of whom are Mid-Pacific Institute faculty -- for the first time, the plan was for them to first perform their indigenous dance for the school at a special assembly. After this, a few MPI performing arts students were to share their dance technique and style with them.

When the assembly started, no one really knew what to expect. So many questions flooded people's minds. How did these Cambodian dancers survive such traumatic ordeals? How many of them were they? What would their dance be like?

All these thoughts were extinguished, however, once the dancers came out onto the floor. Once the music started and the dancers began their intricate hand gestures, I almost forgot that these were teenagers who had been born into such turmoil. Their dance said it all. The grace, confidence and simple gleefulness with whichthey danced suggested that these Cambodians could retain their humanity in a society that had virtually none.

While the student body was inspired by the dance the Cambodian teenagers performed, we still thought of them as victims. As much as I admired their achievements and enjoyed their presence, there was a hint of pity in my perception of the Cambodians. It wasn't until we walked up to the dance studios and interacted with them through dance privately that I started to perceive the Cambodians as my new friends rather than orphans.

It came to me in an epiphany that this was not a time to sympathize or grieve. Rather, this was a time to share one's culture with the other, laugh with each other -- take pleasure in the human spirit for all its tenacity and fervor.

As they taught us how to do the Khmer dance with our hands and we showed them how to pop and lock; as both Cambodian and MPI student alike constantly pulled out cameras, insisting on more and more shots as we gazed in pure delight and awe each other's moves; as e-mails were exchanged and hugs were given, I realized that this was much more than a special assembly -- this was the epitome of the human spirit.

Cambodia endangered by new, drug-fuelled AIDS epidemic

M&C Health News
Oct 13, 2008

Phnom Penh - Cambodia faces a fresh HIV/AIDS epidemic because of a sharp rise in intravenous drug use driven by an influx of cheap methamphetamines, a senior government official said Monday.

Lou Ramin, director general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, told a conference that statistics showed overall drug use had decreased but intravenous use was growing and spreading. Sponsored Links:

The driving force of the trend was a newfound popularity of ice, a cheap but particularly potent and addictive methamphetamine often sold in crystal form, he said.

'The face of drug use in Cambodia is changing,' he told officials. 'Even though the use of drugs in Cambodia has decreased overall, it has spread. Before, drug use outside of the capital was rare, but new reports show this is no longer the case.

'Now we have the rise in the use of ice, which is often injected,' he said. 'This is a very worrying trend, because injection carries an increased risk of HIV/AIDS.' Sponsored Links:

Ramin said his authority found that while 14 per cent of intravenous drug users in the capital were HIV-positive in 2006, that figure had risen to 35.1 per cent by 2007 and with the spread of ice, in particular, there was a real fear of a nationwide trend.

Cambodia has been held up as a model in the fight against HIV/AIDS after managing to reduce its infection rate substantially in recent years.

However, it still has one of the highest rates in the region, and experts have warned that complacency and changing demographics of those most at risk, ranging from sex workers and soldiers to drug users and others, could easily lead to a fresh explosion of the disease.

Thai-Cambodia crisis mellows down

timesnow.tv
10/13/2008

Thailand's new foreign minister Sompong Amornvivat arrived in Cambodia on Monday (October 13) for talks with his Cambodian counterpart to defuse a row over a 900-year-old temple that has raised fears of a military clash between the southeast Asian neighbours.

The talks on the simmering border spat come after a brief clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers deployed along the border area earlier in October.

The two sides have blamed each other for violating each other's territory where the Preah Vihear temple is located.

Tensions flared in July after the ancient temple became a UNESCO world heritage site, irking nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site. Troops were deployed from both sides and a standoff continued for nearly six weeks.

Talks between the two neighbours were postponed in August due to political turmoil in Bangkok. The new embattled Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was planning to attend Monday's meeting but as the political problems continue in Thailand, he also cancelled at the last minute.

The one-day meeting between the two foreign ministers made little headway in the dispute over the 1.8 square mile (4.6 square km) of scrubland near the temple.

"Now we have the confrontation between the two sides. The Thai side wanted to enter the area where mines exploded recently. They wanted to see the situation there but our soldiers stopped them from entering. Now I told the Foreign Minister and the general who came with him to order their troops not to enter. If they enter the Preah Lean Entry which I stated clearly to him is our toritory, there will be a war," said Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

The ancient Hindu temple sits on a jungle-clad escarpment that forms the natural boundary between the two countries. The International Court of Justice awarded the ruins to Cambodia in a 1962 ruling that has rankled many Thais ever since.

The Hague court did not rule on the disputed land next With troops and artillery building up on both sides of the border and brief clashes, Cambodia has threatened to take the spat to the United Nations Security Council.

Thailand wants all talks with its neighbour to remain strictly two-way. (Agency)

Leave disputed area or face "death zone," Cambodia tells Thailand

A Cambodian soldier stands guard in July at an entrance gate to Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai border. (Heng Sinith/Associated Press)

CBC News
Monday, October 13, 2008

Thailand has 24 hours to pull its troops out of a disputed border region that includes an ancient temple, Cambodia's prime minister warned Monday on threat of violence.

"Thai troops must withdraw from Cambodian land by tomorrow at the latest," Hun Sen told reporters after meeting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat in Phnom Penh.
"We will not allow them to occupy our land."

Both countries have laid claim to the Preah Vihear temple complex, an ancient Hindu site built by the same Khmer dynasty as the internationally renowned Angkor Wat temples in central Cambodia.

"We see that territory is our land, too. What would it mean if we retreated?" Sompong told reporters in Bangkok.

"If the Cambodians think it is their land, too, we should start bilateral talks to sort that out very quickly."

Thailand's failure to immediately withdraw, however, will incite Cambodian forces to turn the area into a "death zone," Sen said.

Cambodian troops are en route to the disputed territory to counteract up to 500 Thai soldiers who have crossed the border, Cambodian deputy defence minister Gen. Neang Phat said Monday.

Decades-old dispute

The dispute has simmered for decades but came to a head in July when UNESCO accepted Cambodia's request to declare the temple complex a World Heritage Site, a move seen in Phnom Penh as de-facto international recognition of its claim.

Thousands of heavily armed soldiers from both sides rushed to the disputed 460-hectare area, about 250 kilometres north of Phnom Penh, and faced off in hillside trenches just metres apart from one another.

Since then, two Thai soldiers have lost their legs in blasts from landmines strewn around the temple. A number of others from either side have been wounded during exchanges of fire.

Both countries are members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN, which has previously offered to mediate in the dispute. No consensus could be reached, however, on how best the organization could be involved.

Thai forces occupied land around the temple in 1954 when France withdrew its soldiers from newly independent Cambodia.

International legal authorities have found in favour of Cambodia's claim in the past, but Thailand has rejected such rulings.

Cambodia has since appealed to the United Nations Security Council to help resolve the standoff.

Cambodia warns Thailand to stop trespassing

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia's prime minister warned Thailand on Monday that "armed clashes" will erupt if Thai troops continue to trespass over the border.

Prime Minister Hun Sen's comments came after he met Thailand's foreign minister in the latest effort to ease tensions over a territorial dispute that earlier this month sparked a brief exchange of gunfire at the border.

"We told them that if they do not stop (trespassing), armed clashes will break out," Hun Sen told reporters.

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat did not immediately comment after the meeting.

Last week, two Thai soldiers were injured by land mines along the border. Thailand says the soldiers were on the Thai side of the border, but Cambodia has accused them of overstepping the boundary at a point several miles (kilometers) west of the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The area — known as Eagle Field — could become "a life-and-death battle ground," Hun Sen said, adding that Thai soldiers are now camped there about 33 yards (meters) from Cambodian troops.

Three days before that incident, at a point a few hundred yards (meters) away, a gunfight broke out between soldiers from the two sides. One Cambodian and two Thai soldiers were wounded.

Both sides claimed the other fired first and blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border.

Earlier Monday, Sompong held talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, but they failed to make any breakthrough in the dispute.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Cambodia's Foreign Ministry called for more talks to "avoid further unwarranted hostilities."

Cambodian Maj. Gen. Srey Doek, an army commander, said his troops are on high alert but declined to give their numbers.

Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. Sovereignty over some of the land around the temple, however, has not been clearly resolved.

Tensions flared July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N. agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple named a World Heritage Site. Both sides deployed troops to the border.

There has been a limited troop withdrawal from the area since, and talks have been held several times to resolve the conflicting claims, but without much progress.

Cambodia warns Thais over border

Cambodia's decision to ask for Unesco status sparked tensions

BBC NEWS
Monday, 13 October 2008


Cambodia has again warned Thailand against crossing a disputed border, saying such a provocation could lead to "large-scale conflict".

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong accused Thai troops of trying to cross into Cambodia near an ancient temple, the scene of a recent military clash.

Both countries claim they own the area around the Preah Vihear temple.

Hor Namhong made the comments after talks with his Thai counterpart Sompong Amornviwat failed to reach a deal.

Temple tensions

The standoff between the two countries centres on 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which sits on a jungle-clad escarpment dividing the countries.

An international court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims.

The decision by the UN in June to list Preah Vihear as a Unesco World Heritage Site reignited lingering nationalist tensions over the issue.

In early July Cambodian troops detained three Thai protesters who had entered the site illegally, sparking the military stand-off.

The two sides have already held several rounds of talks on the issue, but failed to reach agreement.

Cambodia warns off Thailand

TV1, TVNZ
Oct 13, 2008

Cambodia has accused Thailand of trying to send troops across their disputed border, warning that such a provocation could eventually lead to "large scale conflict".

Deputy Defence Minister General Neang Phat said more Cambodian troops were heading to the area after up to 500 Thai soldiers had tried to cross the border near an ancient Hindu temple claimed by both countries.

"We are building up our troops at the border in response to Thailand, but I cannot reveal the number," he told reporters.

After talks in Phnom Penh with his Thai counterpart, Sompong Amornvivat, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said further provocations could trigger another shooting incident. Three soldiers were wounded in a brief clash on October 3.

"This could lead to a large-scale conflict," he told reporters.

Sompong, who was due to meet Prime Minister Hun Sen later on Monday, did not speak to reporters and Thai officials in Bangkok denied any attempted incursion.

"Invasion? What invasion when the land is claimed by both sides?" army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said.

The standoff began in July and centres on 4.6 square kilometres of scrub near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple that sits on a jungle-clad escarpment dividing the countries.

The argument started when protest groups seeking to overthrow the Thai government criticised Bangkok's backing of Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a UN World Heritage site.

Both sides have claimed Preah Vihear for decades. The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, a ruling that has rankled many in Thailand ever since.

Cambodian PM asks Thai troops to withdraw from border area in 24 hours

www.chinaview.cn

2008-10-13

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen here Monday asked Thailand to evacuate its 81 troops from the Veal Intry area near the Preah Vihear Temple on Cambodian soil within 24 hours, and warned war otherwise.

"The Veal Intry area is the dead or alive point for us," he told reporters at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation after meeting with visiting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat.

"The situation at the Veal Intry area is too hot. They have to remove tonight or tomorrow. If they don't remove from the Veal Intry area, war will be waged," he said.

"They entered there (Monday morning) and are deploying and camping their tents about 30 meters from our soldiers. They said they stay here only one day," he said.

"Cambodia still keep our maximum restraints and won't mind if they go back to their own stronghold," he said.

"We want to solve the matter with a peaceful deal. We are trying to shorten the conflict," he said.

The international court is the best way for both sides to solve the border conflict and it can also avoid blame from the people of the two nations, he said.

In addition, Cambodia can't hand over concession land to Thailand, and Thailand either, he said.

The Veal Intry area is on the Phnom Trap hill side, approximately 2,000 meters from the west side of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple.

Earlier Monday, Sompong Amornviwat and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong decided to resume both sides' border talks between Oct. 21 and Oct. 24 in Siem Reap province.

In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

The tension later turned into a military confrontation, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks. In mid-August, most troops evacuated and just a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.

However, bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.

In October at the border area, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during an exchange of gunfire, and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine.

Editor: An

Leading garment brands confirm sourcing advantage of Cambodia

www.chinaview.cn

2008-10-13

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Leading garment brands have once again confirmed the sourcing advantage of Cambodia, said a press release from the International Buyers' Forum here Monday.

"Twenty-eight representatives from leading garment brands came to Cambodia last week for the two-day meeting of the International Buyers' Forum organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)" and stated "they are recommending that their companies continue sourcing from Cambodia," said the release.

Forum participants remain very optimistic about Cambodia's garment industry, Tuomo Poutiainen, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO's Better Factories Cambodia program, was quoted as saying.

"Participants told me that subject to customer demand, on-going monitoring from Better Factories Cambodia and continuing good results, their companies are very positive about producing garments in Cambodia," he said.

"It confirmed both the relevance and importance of Better Factories Cambodia and stakeholders' belief and support for its new directions. There was consensus too that industry actors need to work more closely together, and the program needs to move beyond monitoring, and expand training and remediation. This view was widely shared by all the stakeholders," he added.

Membership in the forum comprises 32 brands which buy 60 percent of Cambodia's garment exports.

The forum, which takes place twice a year in Cambodia and Hong Kong, was convened by ILO and IFC to discuss the current work and future of ILO's Better Factories Cambodia.

Cambodia's garment sector is worth 2.6 billion U.S. dollars and is critically important to the estimated 350,000 workers and their extended family members who depend on the industry, a total of at least 1.7 million people.

Editor: An