Cambodia says Thai troops crossed border

Thai soldiers stand guard close to Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Around 100 Thai troops briefly entered Cambodian territory on Wednesday near a disputed border temple where a deadly gunbattle broke out last year, Cambodian officials said.

Thailand's military however denied the claim, saying that they only had a few soldiers in a disputed area where troops from both sides have been posted since the clashes in October.

"There are nearly 100 armed Thai troops -- fighting troops -- who violated about one kilometre (just over half a mile) into Cambodian territory," Cambodian government cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan told AFP.

The Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodia about two kilometres away from the ancient Preah Vihear temple at about 1:45 pm (0645 GMT), he said.

The spokesman and the Cambodian military later said the Thai troops pulled back from the area after talks between Cambodian and Thai commanders.

"They withdrew from the area at around 5:00 pm (1000 GMT). There was no clash during the confrontation," commander Yim Pim said.

During the brief standoff, a Cambodian soldier stationed at the temple told AFP by telephone that the situation was "hot and all Cambodian troops are fully alert and prepared."

Tensions over the long-disputed territory flared in July last year after the 11th century temple was granted United Nations world heritage status. Soldiers clashed in the area in October, leaving four troops dead.

Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not led to a resolution of the dispute.

"Both Thai and Cambodian soldiers are there in the disputed area and we have not crossed into Cambodia," said Lieutenant General Wiboonsak Neeparn, army commander for northeastern Thailand, in response to the Cambodian claims.

"We have not increased our amount of soldiers at all. We have stayed with the same amount for several months," he told AFP.

The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.