Controversial film to be screened at SRP HQ

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:02Meas Sokchea

Opposition Sam Rainsy Party officials have appealed to garment workers nationwide to attend a planned screening of a controversial documentary about the murder of labour leader Chea Vichea on Labour Day, May 1, at their party headquarters in Phnom Penh.

In a letter obtained by The Post yesterday to be sent to unions, workers and NGOs, SRP officials said that party president Sam Rainsy, who is currently in self-imposed exile in France, will talk with garment workers via video conference at the screening of Who Killed Chea Vichea?.

The 2009 documentary by American director Bradley Cox investigates the 2004 murder of Chea Vichea, former head of the Free Trade Union, examining the charges against two men initially accused of the crime and suggesting that government officials may have helped to plan the murder.

Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union and brother of Chea Vichea, said yesterday that thousands of workers had been prevented from watching the film because of government inference.

“We could not find any spot to screen the film,” Chea Mony said, adding that he predicted nearly 10,000 people at the screening. “The Interior Ministry spokesman [Khieu Sopheak] has said to watch the film at home.”

Previous attempts to screen the film publicly have been thwarted, with government officials calling the film an “illegal import”.

Last month, a screening of Who Killed Chea Vichea? at a restaurant in Daun Penh district was halted when the restaurant’s owner cut power to the building.

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We have promised [this to] workers for a long time

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Unionists who attempted to show the film at a Labour Day rally last year had their projector screen pulled down by local police.

“We would now like to appeal to workers and all people who want to watch Who Killed Chea Vichea? to see who was behind [Chea Vichea’s] killers, please go to watch the film at SRP headquarters,” Chea Mony said. He added that the decision to screen the film at SRP headquarters was not politically motivated.

“The Cambodian People’s Party, Funcinpec Party, if any party offers a large space for me to screen the film, I will screen it,” he said.

SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua said yesterday that the film must be shown to recall Chea Vichea’s struggle.

“We have promised [this to] the workers for a long time,” Mu Sochua said. “The authorities have always disrupted the screenings.”

Mu Sochua added that the screening was “not secret” and invited government officials to attend.

Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said yesterday that the film was not as important as the current border conflict with Thailand and urged SRP officials pay attention to the fighting.

“Thinking of the battlefield is more important than Who Killed Chea Vichea?,” Khieu Sopheak said.

“Collecting workers to help [Cambodian] armed forces in the battlefield is better.”

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Kampong Cham man accused of child rape

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:02Mom Kunthear

A 31-year-old Kampong Cham man has been charged with raping an under-age girl over the course of five years, officials said yesterday.

Kang Meas District Police Chief So Sarith said yesterday that El Zen had been arrested following a complaint from the 11-year-old’s mother.

“She did not tell anyone or inform the police before, because he beat her and threatened to kill her if she told others,” he claimed.

“I am now looking for an organisation, through cooperation with the Social Affairs Department, to help the girl,” he added.

Kampong Cham provincial prosecutor Hout Vuthy confirmed yesterday that El Zen had been charged with rape and had been detained in the local prison for further questioning.

A date for his hearing has yet to be set.

It is the first such case in Kang Meas district, So Sarith said, adding he felt deep contempt for all paedophiles.

“Society condemns this kind of person,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, police in Kampong Cham’s Stung Trang district are searching for a man suspected of raping a 14-year-old girl.

Chea Thearith, Stung Trang district police chief, said yesterday that the man escaped after the girl’s mother filed a complaint on Monday.

The accused was named by police as 31-year-old Sary Makara.

“We know the suspect’s identity ... we are looking to arrest him. We believe he has escaped to another province,” said Chea Thearith.

Forum result: Demand for housing rights

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:02Tep Nimol

Forum result

Thirty organisations have called upon the Cambodian government to take stronger measures to guarantee housing rights and end forced evictions, at a multilateral forum held in Phnom Penh yesterday.

Taryn Lesser, officer for the Organisation of Rights to Housing and Land at the United Nation’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the government must play a role in ensuring access to proper housing, in accordance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ratified by Cambodia in 1992.

Ouch Leng, president of the land department at local rights group ADHOC, said yesterday that seven communities in Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap and Koh Kong provinces had been evicted by the government so far this year.

Ou Wondy, permanent deputy secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Council for Land Policy, said that the government took proper measures to enforce land management, while ensuring the security of land possession.

Ministry seeks cigarette warnings

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:02Khoun Leakhana

Ministry of Health officials said yesterday that 29 percent of cigarette packets involved in a survey did not carry a public health warning mandated by ministerial sub-decree.

A Ministry of Health study of 5,000 cigarette packets across 88 brands revealed that only 71 percent of cigarette packages carried the health warning.

Ung Phyrun, secretary of state at the Ministry of Health, said at an inter-ministerial committee meeting in Phnom Penh yesterday that the results showed that a sub-decree on the warnings was not being fully implemented.

“After passing the sub-decree, I saw that tobacco products for sale in the market have yet to display the mandatory health warning,” said Ung Phyrun.

In 2009, the government approved a sub-decree making it mandatory for cigarette packages – both local and imported – to feature health warnings in Khmer, in compliance with Article 11 of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, ratified by Cambodia in 2005.

The sub-decree came into effect on July 20 last year.

Sin Sovann, director of the technical bureau of the National Health Centre at the Health Ministry, said yesterday that the research was conducted in populous and economically developed areas in Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, and Battambang provinces.

“The research was done in 250 shops, 250 markets and 50 restaurants that sold cigarettes from local and foreign companies,” said Sin Sovann, adding that ongoing research was needed to monitor compliance with the sub-decree.

UAE direct flight push by tourism ministry

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:00Soeun Say

THE United Arab Emirates will review beginning direct flights between Dubai and Phnom Penh, according to Minister of Tourism Thong Khon.

The minister spent much of last week in Dubai, where Dubai Civil Aviation Authority President and Chairman of Emirates Airline Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum pledged to review a 2005 Memorandum of Understand to establish the flights, he said yesterday.

“They will review their MoU with us again, in order to push direct flights from Dubai to Cambodia as soon as possible,” he said, but declined to provide a timeline for the flights.

While direct flights would boost tourism, Thong Khon said that UAE-based firms were interested in business opportunities in the Kingdom, which would be facilitated by direct flights.

“[The UAE] is preparing to cooperate on trade and investment with Cambodia. UAE-based companies plan to buy rice, rubber, fruit and lumber from Cambodia,” he said.

Representatives from the UAE are to travel to Cambodia to study the opportunities in more detail.

Cambodian Association of Travel Agents President Ang Kim Eang said yesterday he welcomed direct flights from the UAE.

A number of countries have recently begun direct flights to Cambodia, including Air France, which resumed flights between Paris and Phnom Penh on March 31 after a 37 year hiatus.

PM points to alternatives as closed gates halt trade

A woman prepares to sell vegetables at a market near the Poipet border crossing last month. Photo by: Will Baxter

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:00Sieam Bunthy

PRIME Minister Hun Sen yesterday said Cambodia has alternatives to purchasing Thai goods, as officials claimed two closed border gates in Oddar Meancheay province have disrupted local commerce.

The premier said the Kingdom could easily look to other markets to supply its needs.

“If Thailand closes the border, Cambodia will stop purchasing all goods from Thailand,” he said in a speech yesterday at Phnom Penh’s Peace Palace.

“If it’s closed, how are goods to be imported? And Cambodia will stop using Thai products from now on.”

He said Cambodia could find ready suppliers in other nations with which it did business, such as Vietnam and China.

“They want to sell a lot of goods to Cambodia,” he said.

Neth Dara, chief of the Choam Sa-ngam international border crossing, said yesterday the gate had remained closed beginning on April 22 by authorities on the Thai side, allowing no bilateral trade to be conducted. Many locals had also left the area due to increased tensions, he added.

“This has extremely affected the living standards of the people, because they cannot exchange goods, and also have to flee from their jobs and houses,” he said.

O’Smach international crossing has also remained closed during the fighting, according to its Deputy Director Nguy Cheang. He echoed complaints that closed crossings have affected local commerce.

Commercial officials from the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh could not be reached for comment yesterday.

However, Thai businesspeople are calling for a quick resolution to border disputes with Cambodia, warning that continued clashes will hurt border trade and bilateral investment sentiment.

“Authorities need to be cautious concerning relations, because if they keep fighting, it will be difficult to negotiate,” said Thanit Sorat, vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries.

He added suggestions that businesses play a role in restoring the relationship between the two countries, as outside discussions can be arranged easily.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY TOM BRENNAN AND THE BANGKOK POST

Mobile markets: Vimpelcom expands in Vietnam

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:00Tom Brennan

THE parent company of mobile operator Beeline announced yesterday it would provide as much as US$500 million in financing for its Vietnamese joint venture, GTEL-Mobile Stock Co, through 2013.

Vimpelcom has already paid $196 million of the $500 million for newly issued shares from GTEL-Mobile, which is a partnership between Vimpelcom and Vietnam’s GTEL. At the close of financing, Vimpelcom will own 65 percent of GTEL-Mobile though the additional $304 million and the equity increase depend on conditions, according to a company statement.

“We look forward to relaunching our operations in Vietnam and to strengthening our position in the high-potential Southeast Asia cluster,” said Alexey Blyumin, General Director of GTEL-Mobile.

Vimpelcom is majority owner of Cambodia’s Beeline, and completed its acquisition of 78 percent of Millicom Lao Company last month.

Rare birds flock to flooded forests

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:00Roth Meas

RARE birds flocking to Tonle Sap lake’s flooded mangrove forests at Prek Toal are attracting bird watchers from all over the world to the Sam Veasna Centre for Wildlife Conservation.

Guide Duong Nara, 30, explains that while the flooded forests provided ideal breeding conditions for rare species such as the greater adjutant and spot-billed pelican, visitors from all over the world were keen to take a closer look at these endangered birds.

Their interest has helped provide a living for many villagers, who help guide tourists to the best nesting spots and cook for them while they are in the area.

The ecotourism benefits are enormous, as the Wildlife Conservation Society has collaborated with locals to ensure that no hunting takes place, thus protecting the flooded forest for future generations.

“Many kinds of fish flourish in Tonle Sap lake,” says Duong Nara, “which is ideal food for the birds. And the flooded forests provide shelter for them, especially the species which scavenge in the shallow water such as the greater adjutant, milky stork or painted stork.”

However, the plains surrounding the Tonle Sap lake are only flooded in the wet season. In the dry season, which usually ends around May, flocks of migratory birds congregate at the Prek Toal sanctuary.

With more than 100 bird species having been sighted in the area, there are plenty for twitchers, as bird watchers are sometimes known, to tick off their lists of sightings, but most visitors are particularly keen to see the storks, adjutants, pelicans, sarus cranes and comb ducks, says Duong Nara.

And when the rains come, that’s a signal for the birds to fly off to other pastures, because the water level becomes too deep for waders to fish.

But in the dry season, all these bird species return to their old shelters at Prek Toal, where they nest in colonies in trees to lay and hatch their eggs between October and February.

That’s the best time to see these species in all their glory, says Duong Nara, who knows all the best hidden nesting spots in the area.

These birds are rare because species like the greater adjutant lay only one or two eggs in each season, he explains.

About 520 visitors a year come to the Prek Toal centre, with another 200 visiting bird reserves at Ang Tropang Thmor, about 56 kilometres from Banteay Meanchey town, says the Sam Veasna Centre’s booking manager Seng Raksa.

That’s where bird watchers go to see the rare sarus crane, which prefers living on grass fields near water, according to Duong Nara.

“It’s rare because the typical clutch is one or two eggs laid just once a year,” he explains.

Many clients spend one or two weeks photographing birds during their visits, with the best time between December and May, says Seng Raksa.

“And if we can’t get close to the birds, we have telescopes for visitors, but most of the time they carry their own bird-watching equipment.”

Art the homefinder's spot of the week

Photo by: WILL BAXTER

The living room has plenty of space, two sofas, a coffee table and TV.

The bedrooms all have good beds and three have cupboards.  WILL BAXTER

The kitchen has plenty of storage space.  WILL BAXTER

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 15:00Art Hong Ly

This four-bedroom villa is well fitted out and great value for a family or to share

Atmosphere:

★★★★★

There are some nice shady trees in the yard, which is tiled, the street is quiet and the house is well laid out with windows giving natural light to all four bedrooms.

Utilities and service:

★★★★★

Standard charges apply for electricity and water. The owner, however, provides free cable television and a high-speed internet connection is available at a standard rate.

Security:

★★★★

There are no security guards, but the house is very close to a major police station and the area is considered to be very safe. The fact that there are policemen going by all the time is an added security feature.

Location:

★★★★

This lovely villa is in a quiet street just west of Monivong Bourlevard. The long arm of the law is very close by, so there are never any problems on the street, and it is not far from supermarkets, restaurants and shops.

Value:

★★★★★

This villa is great value. The owner is only asking for US$700 per month, which is quite cheap for a villa of this size and quality.

Furnishings:

★★★★★

The villa boasts four good beds, and cupboards in three of the four bedrooms. Three of the bedrooms also have air-conditioning, the dining table is solid timber with six matching chairs, there are two large, soft sofas, a small refridgerator and a gas stove in the kitchen as well as plenty of storage space. The living roomis large enough to entertain and there are also small coffee tables and a timber sideboard.

Maintenance:

★★★★★

The owner has just had all the appliances checked and everything is in fine working order. If anything breaks down or stops working the owner has tradesmen on call to come and make repairs. This owner takes pride in his place and any repairs get done quickly.

As always, my rating system is based on an innovative five Star rating system.

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Art Hong Ly works independently as a home finder in Phnom Penh. If you want to look at the spot of the week or other available apartments, villas or offices, he can be reached during standard business hours by calling 012422126 or email arthongly@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For other questions related to this column send an email to newsroom@phnompenhpost.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

From Peoples To Abhi...SHIT

Anonymous said...



Cambodia said it was ready to talk, so why don’t they stop shelling? ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA

- I personaly would like to say to AbhiSHIT that the Cambodian army will stop their shelling whenever your troops stay still and do not move into Cambodia territory, It must be an idiot if you don't know what to do Mr. Prime Minister of Siame, Abhi....SHIT?

- Did Cambodian Army go into your territory now? or they invade your country right now? Your minister of defence said "Thai did not lost any land even a centemeter to Cambodia". If your country did not lost any land why are you fighting for?

- The Preah Vihear is belong to Cambodia and the whole world know about it... Did Cambodia needs to fight with your siame people to gain what?

- Stop using your political gain for your party and yourself to remain in power by using troops to fight with Cambodian innocent people ok Mr IDIOT AbhiSHIT.

- Use your idiot brain to think about people life in both side, those innocent civilians in both side needs peace and freedom.

- Cambodia is such a small country and poor as your siamese people are very look down on them and your siamese accusing them of invading your territory, my question is Does it happen? You think the whole world is stupid and idiot  to believe you Mr AbhiSHIT? did a small nation and poor having gut to fight with a big and having modern arms like your country Mr Abhi....SHIT?

__

Anonymous said...


Bravo war lover !


Dear Mr.Abhishit!

You are very good at acting as a good guy. what you have said is not reflect from what you have done to the Thai people. You are only care about your ambition to be a next Prime Minister to please your majesty. Do you realise that how much people living along the Thai-Khmer border suffer in term of lose their income and stress?

I can see there are many people cry everyday in Surin, Burrirum, Si Sa Kit and my heart drop to the floor. If I were you I wouldn't dear to visit in these areas. shame on you Mr.AbhiSHIT

FROM Poor Thai

__
Anonymous said...


You can actually tell who are the invaders and who are the defenders. there is no way in hell, an invading army goes out to invade having to wear flip-flops and t-shirts. Siams are clearly the invaders.

Thai-Cambodia clash toll climbs to 15

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28 April 2011

Bangkok. Heavy weapons fire rocked the Thai-Cambodian border for a seventh day on Thursday as officials confirmed a 15th death in the bloodiest fighting between the neighbours in decades, AFP reported.

"One Thai soldier died during a clash this morning and four were wounded," Major Sukit Subanjui, deputy spokesman for northeastern region Thai army, told AFP.

Eight Cambodian and six Thai troops have died since fighting began on Friday along their shared border, prompting growing diplomatic pressure on the neighbours to end the conflict.

Bangkok has said a Thai civilian has also been killed.

Thailand Cancels Ceasefire Talks with Cambodia

Daniel Schearf, VOA
Bangkok Wednesday, 27 April 2011

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Photo: AP

A man walks through rubles at the destroyed silk factory following the clash between Thailand and Cambodia in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, April 27, 2011.

"They refuse to accept the presence of Indonesian observers along the border. They always reject and then they start to fight us and they accuse us to fight them first."

Thailand has canceled plans for ceasefire talks with Cambodia, scuttling hopes for an early end to the worst fighting along their disputed border in decades. Each side blames the other for the breakdown and clashes that have killed 14 people since Friday, including at least one civilian.

The abrupt pull-out deflates hopes for a truce to end a deadly border fight.

Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was to meet in Phnom Penh with his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh to discuss ending a week of clashes between their militaries.

But, as shelling between the two sides continued in the early morning, Thai authorities canceled the negotiations.

Thai media reports quote an army spokesman saying they called off the talks after Cambodian media claimed victory over a defeated Thailand.

However, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Prawit had conflicting meetings in China and blamed Cambodia for not creating the right atmosphere for talks.

He says Cambodia wants to talk but does not stop attacking, so it is difficult to negotiate. He says Thailand’s defense minister had to go to China for scheduled meetings and is there now. He says Thailand wants to hold talks, but Cambodia must first stop its attacks.

Abhisit’s comments were made to reporters while traveling Wednesday in the border province, Surin, to visit the wounded.

Thai authorities say the first Thai civilian was killed overnight in this latest round of clashes.

Wednesday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called again for peace talks.

Cambodia says Thai troops are responsible for the ongoing hostilities, which have sent tens of thousands of villagers on both sides fleeing the border.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong says the border is still tense because Thai troops keep attacking Cambodia. He says Thailand should honor an agreement to allow Indonesian observers to be sent to the border.

"They refuse to accept the presence of Indonesian observers along the border. They always reject and then they start to fight us and they accuse us to fight them first," said Kuong.

Indonesia brokered an agreement to send its observers to help restore peace, but the process has stalled because of objections from the Thai military.

Cambodia wants international assistance to end the conflict while Thailand says it must be resolved bilaterally.

The fighting began Friday when Thai and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire near disputed temples along the border.

Clashes also erupted Tuesday, near a 900-year-old Khmer Hindu temple called Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Phra Viharn in Thailand.

The two countries fought there for four days in February, killing several people on both sides.

It is not clear what started the skirmishes, but each side blames the other.

The border between Cambodia and Thailand is poorly defined and both claim territory around the temples.

Politicians on both sides have been accused of using the dispute to raise nationalist sentiment.

Live from Battlefield (Cambodia-Thailand)

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Thursday, 28 April 2011 03:01 By Soy Sopheap

-At 6:00 AM Thai and Cambodian troops change fire at Ta Krabey, then Thais shells to Cambodia’s Ta Moan, Ta Krabey and Thmor Daun of Cambodia. Till 8:00 Thais shells heavy guns to Cambodia. So, Cambodian troops would not wait and see Thai fire their territory.

By 8:04 AM the exchange fire of Thai and Cambodian troops, Thais may be killed as Cambodian troops have no causalities.

-After Cambodian troops fire back a Thai military commander retreats the battle field.

-After the exchange of gunfire today, it leaves Thai soldiers killed and wounded especially at Ta Krabey, there is no Cambodian troop killed or wounded.

-Thailand’s fire hit a Cambodian village, and leave three Cambodian civilian wounded in Banteay Ampil district of Oddor Meanchey.

-Cambodia’s Religion 4 Military Commander Chea Mon and Thailand’s Religion 2 Sowat Chai could meet at 10:30 today at O’smach.

-At 10:20 Thailand stops firing artillery to Cambodia.

7th day of Cambodian, Thai fighting still going on: Cambodian gov't

http://english.people.com.cn/

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April 28, 2011 

Gunfire exchanges between Cambodian and Thai troops over the border area at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province is still going on until 8 a.m. Thursday morning, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The statement said that throughout Wednesday's night, Thai troops have fired artillery shelling on Cambodian troops' positions at Ta Mon temple and Ta Krabei temple and at 3:55 a.m. ( local time) early Thursday morning, Thai troops have increased their artillery shelling onto the two temple areas, and spread to the base of Cambodian Royal Armed Force in the west of O'smach area.

"The fighting still continues until 8 a.m. (local time) today," it said. "And our soldiers are still in firm and full control of the Temple of Ta Moan and the Temple of Ta Krabei."

Immediate report on casualties in Thursday's fighting is not available yet.

The fighting marks the seventh straight days of armed clashes between the two countries' troops.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed on Wednesday for truce talks, saying that the border conflict at Ta Moan temple, Ta Krabei temple and areas could be bilaterally negotiated, except border disputed area near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, which need the presence of the third party.

The last six days of clashes has killed eight Cambodian soldiers, five Thai soldiers and one Thai civilian, caused several dozens injured, and forced tens of thousands of the two countries' people flee home for safe shelters.

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated. Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. But Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand had a border conflict, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

Source: Xinhua

Fighting resumes along Thai-Cambodian border, spreads to new area

Cambodian soldiers inspect a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, 26 April 2011. Border clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops after four days of fighting killed and injured soldiers on both sides and forced thousands of civilians to evacuate their villages near two disputed temples. Both sides blame the other for instigating the fighting. EPA/MAK REMISSA

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/
 

via CAA

Phnom Penh/Bangkok - Cambodia said fighting between its forces and Thailand had resumed in four places along their disputed border as of early Thursday.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said the clashes, which started the previous evening, involved heavy artillery and small arms fire, and were focused on the border around the contested temples of Ta Moan and Ta Krabei in north-west Cambodia, as well as a village called Thmar Doun, which lies between the two temples.

Phay Siphan said fighting had also broken out at the border crossing town of O'Smach further east.

Hundreds of civilians fled O'Smach town late Wednesday, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported Thursday.

Phay Siphan said Bangkok had not replied to the proposal by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that the nations' two leaders meet at the May 7-8 regional summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

'We don't hear anything,' he said. 'Thailand's response has been fighting with us.'

Fighting between the two ASEAN members broke out on Friday and has left at least 13 soldiers and one Thai civilian dead, and about 60 people wounded on both sides.

Overnight the European Union said the clashes were 'very worrying.'

Late Wednesday Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi suggested Bangkok would like to resolve the conflict before the ASEAN summit.

The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had said talks could start once Cambodia stopped shooting at Thailand.

Each side has blamed the other for the fighting.

On Wednesday, Thailand pulled out of ceasefire talks scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh after Cambodian media reported that Bangkok had only agreed to talks because it was losing.

Indonesia, as the current chair of ASEAN, has tried unsuccessfully to mediate between the two nations, and proposed putting observers along the contested border. The plan was welcomed by Cambodia, but rejected by Thailand.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya was scheduled to meet his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa in Jakarta on Thursday to discuss the issue further.

Cambodia said Wednesday that more than 31,000 of its citizens had fled the border region, while Thailand said a similar number of its civilians had been evacuated from their villages.

Thailand has blamed UNESCO for escalating the tensions with its decision in 2008 to list the 11th-century temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site, despite Thai claims that a 4.6-square-kilometre area near the temple is still the subject of a five-decade border demarcation dispute.

Thai-Cambodia artillery duels continue for 7th day

Thai soldiers, left, stand at the site of a destroyed house following the clash between Thailand and Cambodia in Surin province, northeastern Thailand Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Officials said Thailand and Cambodia have traded fire for a sixth day as an increasingly bloody border dispute drags on. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

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By The Associated Press

PHANOM DONGRAK, Thailand — Artillery fire is booming across the Thai-Cambodian border for a seventh day as clashes continue between the two neighbours.

An Associated Press reporter says explosions from the fighting resumed before dawn Thursday.

In Cambodia, field commander Col. Suos Sothea says the fighting is centring again around the ruins of two crumbling stone temples from the Khmer Empire at Ta Moan and Ta Krabey, which have been caught in crossfire since Friday.

The fighting over contested territory has killed 14 people and forced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides to flee their homes.

Cambodian, Thai troops exchange gunfire for 7th straight day

http://news.xinhuanet.com/

via CAAI

English.news.cn  

2011-04-28

PHNOM PENH, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Gunfire exchanges between Cambodian and Thai troops over the border area at the Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province broke out again Thursday morning, said a field military commander.

"The fighting started again this early morning around 3:50 a.m. at the two temples, Thai soldiers triggered the attack first," Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone from the battle fields.

"In fact, Thai troops have fired artillery shelling on our troops almost throughout tonight and they have increased shelling in early Thursday morning," he said.

"Thai forces have fired both small guns and heavy artilleries on our troops over the areas, they have ambitions to fight and capture the temples," he said. "We have also exchanged some small guns to defend our territory, we do not use heavy guns to fight back yet," he said.

The fighting marks the seven straight days of armed clashes between the two countries' troops. No immediate casualties are available for Thursday fighting.

The last six days of clashes has killed eight Cambodian and five Thai soldiers, and one Thai civilian.

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated. Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. But Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand had a border conflict, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

Editor: Xiong Tong

Seven Days in Cambodia

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If you only have a week in Cambodia, we have an itinerary for you.

By Eli Blue

Apr 27th, 2011

Cambodia is arguably the most underrated country in Southeast Asia. Long Thailand's shadow, Cambodia has emerged as a historian's paradise with a growing infrastructure and services industry, shuffling tourists to its epicenter, the Angkor Wat and its hot spots Siem Reap, the floating villages of Battambang, and the quiet refuge of Sihanoukville Beach.

If you have seven days in Cambodia, be sure to check out the following sights.

Angkor Wat and Siem Reap - Angkor Wat is the largest piece of religious architecture in the world. This temple complex was the backdrop to the Tomb Raider series and spans over a 15 mile radius with Angkor itself and smaller structures like the TA Prohm temple and the Angkor Thom monuments with the rocky faces of past god-kings staring at you. Revel in its more than one kilometer of art along walls and its majestic rise above the sunrise. Dawn is the best time to visit this complex.

Floating Villages - Entire villages are built on 6 m long sticks on the water. Everything from small pharmacies to markets bob above the water with everyone dependent on catching fish for a living. The most popular floating village is Chong Kneas and Kompong Phhluk with a special shout out to the Prek Toal floating village bird sanctuary that is home to some of the rarest birds in the world.

Battambang - Battambang is Cambodia's second largest city after capital Phnom Penh and is a rural paradise, with a mix of wetlands, mountains, and Angkor inspired temples. It is not highly trafficked and is predominantly a colonial themed farmer outpost with dirt-cheap accommodation. When you're here, check out Phnom Sampeau, a killing spouted during the Khmer Rouge during the Pol Pot period now lined with Buddhist statues in caves, and Wat Banan, a miniature version of Angkor Wat.

Sihanoukville - For relaxation, head to the beaches of Sihanoukville. Although not as picturesque as a Ko Lanta or Ko Phi Phi with its grainy sands, Sihanoukville is a blow to the senses with dive bars and large sprawl. However, this area is a bustling sex tourism spot with large amounts of unfinished construction around. Look to the out islands for as close to turquoise waters as you can get.

All in all, Cambodia has taken countless strides towards becoming an ideal tourist destination after the Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970’s.

Calm Needed In Camboodian Border Row

Fighting has flared again along the border dividing Cambodia and Thailand, displacing thousands of residents and heightening tensions in an already tense region.

04-27-2011

via CAAI

Photo: AP

A Thai soldier injured in a fighting with Cambodia is helped by his comrades and a nurse after arriving at a hospital in Phnom Dongrak district of Surin province, northeastern Thailand, Friday, April 22, 2011. Thailand and Cambodia exchanged artillery and gunfire for several hours along their disputed frontier Friday in a new flare-up of their long-running conflict. It was the first skirmish reported since the two Southeast Asian countries battled for four straight days in February at the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

The U.S. takes no side in the dispute and supports any resolution process that is acceptable to both parties.

Fighting has flared again along the border dividing Cambodia and Thailand, displacing thousands of residents and heightening tensions in an already tense region. The United States is deeply troubled by the ongoing clashes, and is closely monitoring the situation. We are in close communication with both nations, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary steps to cease hostilities and avoid further conflict and needless tragedy.

The latest fighting occurred around Ta Moan and Ta Krabey, religious sites that are hotly disputed by the two neighbors. A third temple complex in Preah Vihear has been the focus of armed tensions and military buildup since 2008, when the United Nations listed it as a World Heritage site under Cambodian administration. At least a dozen people have been killed and thousands of people uprooted on both sides of the border over several days of dueling artillery and small weapons fire.

Larger issues surrounding the dispute date to the era of French colonization, so grievances have had many years to fester. Regional and international efforts to mediate the crisis have produced dialogue, but so far no resolution. As the standoff continues, so does the human tragedy.

The U.S. takes no side in the dispute and supports any resolution process that is acceptable to both parties. We applaud the efforts of Indonesia, as chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations, to work with both countries. We urge the governments of Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their disputes peacefully to strengthen the stability of this vital region of the world.

Thailand and Cambodia: The Endgame?

http://blogs.cfr.org/

via CAAI

Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2011

by Joshua Kurlantzick

Thai soldiers are seen during a visit by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, following armed clashes on a disputed border area between Cambodia and Thailand, at a makeshift camp in Surin province, 30 km (19 miles) from the Thai-Cambodia border, April 27, 2011. (Sukree Sukplang/Courtesy Reuters)

As the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia over the Preah Vihear temple spirals out of control, with fighting now spreading to new locations, outside observers have desperately been trying to cool tempers. Not only Indonesia but also other ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, have been putting pressure on the two sides to back off from the brink. China apparently has applied pressure as well. ASEAN as an organization fears that the continuing dispute will only make it look more feckless than it is often perceived to be – and so Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva apparently will discuss the conflict with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in May in Jakarta.

Do not expect any miracles. Key constituencies in both nations are benefiting too much from the border dispute to allow it to die out completely now. As I mentioned yesterday, the Thai army clearly sees the dispute as a way to rally nationalist sentiment and also, most importantly, to entrench the armed forces at the center of national security and political life. In the run-up to what is expected to be a hotly contested national election, keeping in the center of politics will be crucial for the military, and so they are unlikely to abandon the dispute.

Cambodia’s key constituencies have just as much reason to prolong the dispute, even though citizens may suffer. (But then, having citizens suffer has never been a major problem for policymakers in Cambodia.) The dispute allows Hun Sen’s oldest son, Hun Manet, to play a larger role in military policymaking, potentially positioning him one day to take over running the country from his father. And the dispute, by fanning nationalist flames in Cambodia as well, distracts from other pressing problems, such as the pending eviction of thousands of poor Cambodians from central Phnom Penh to make way for a development given to a close associate of the prime minister. With Cambodia’s domestic troubles unlikely to disappear, the Preah Vihear dispute probably will not either.

More troops sent to Thai-Cambodian border as fighting goes on

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

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Peace talks cancelled and prime ministers of both countries engage in war of words

William Lloyd George

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 27 April 2011

Cambodian villagers forced to leave their village near the Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province on Wednesday. Photograph: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP/Getty Images

Military reinforcements, including heavy artillery and trucks packed with soldiers, poured into the area along the Thai-Cambodia border as fighting between the two countries entered into its sixth day with neither side showing signs of backing down.

Shelling and mortar fire between the two sides has led to tens of thousands of refugees evacuating to border camps with at least one civilian and 13 soldiers reported killed in the firefight.

The conflict is the most serious fighting between the two nations in decades and stems from a demarcation carried out in the 1950s by an international court which left the 12th-century Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples and surrounding jungle areas in Cambodian territory.

Early on Wednesday morning mortar fire could be heard near the temples after fighting broke out at 5.15am and lasted nearly an hour. The fighting destroyed seven homes and injured more than 40 civilians.

"We are preparing for fighting in the early evening," Thai military spokesman Colonel Prawit Hookaew said from his busy makeshift headquarters. "This is the worst fighting we have had for a very long time."

In Thailand, heavy artillery and trucks packed with well-equipped soldiers could be seen travelling along empty highways towards the frontline. On the Cambodian side, truck-mounted rocket launchers are reportedly being deployed to the border.

In order to protect civilians from the mortar fire, more than 50,000 refugees on both sides of the border have been moved to camps away from the fighting. Cambodian military have reported villages being hit by mortar nearly 20km from the border.

Previous hope for an end to the fighting was lost when planned peace talks between Cambodia and Thailand were cancelled on Wednesday.

At a surprise visit to Koke Klang temporary refugee camp – home to more than 3,000 villagers who have escaped the fighting – Thailand's prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, blamed Cambodia for the postponed meeting.

"We are ready to have talks with Cambodia, they said they wanted to, but then they continued to attack Thai troops so we had to cancel the meeting," he told refugees as they sat around on straw mats in the school-cum-camp. "Thailand will not invade Cambodia but if they attack us then we are prepared to fight back in order to save the country."

Cambodia said on Tuesday it would refuse bilateral talks until the meeting of Asean countries in Jakarta in May and are seeking international mediation.

Making some of his first comments on the conflict, Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen said in a speech to a women's group on Wednesday that Abhisit was to blame. "The current Thai leader likes war, provokes war," he said. "Cambodia is a small, poor country and has fewer forces, but don't you forget that an ant can make an elephant not get any sleep," he said. "Cambodian's weaponry is not just slingshots."

Despite the official line of conflict over sovereignty, experts believe domestic politics in both countries are to blame for the conflict. The Thai army is said to be dragging on the conflict by rejecting Indonesian observers, in order to exert its power and retain relevance in Thai politics.

In Cambodia, some believe Hun Sen is attempting to wield nationalist sentiment to gain support for his son. It is also believed that he could be attempting to discredit Abhisit and therefore boost support for opposition parties in the forthcoming elections.

Thai Hospital Staff Flee Border Fighting on Cambodian Border

http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2011-04-27

Thai hospital staff run to escape shelling as fighting on the Thai-Cambodia border enters its sixth day.

Shaken and emotional, at least 30 medical staff and 20 patients were forced to flee to a nearby bunker.

Shelling occurred at least 100 meters from the hospital.

One Thai villager was killed in the latest clashes bringing the number of dead to at least 14.

Over 50,000 people have been moved to evacuation centers.

These Thai army tanks traveled near the border in the Surin province following the recent heavy artillery fire.

Talks between Thai and Cambodian defense ministers to end the border dispute were abruptly cancelled.

Many experts say the fighting over territory and sovereignty is fueled by political interests.

Sovereignty over the ancient stone-walled Hindu temples and the land surrounding them has been in dispute since the 1950s when France withdrew from Cambodia.

House panel warns about risk of war

http://www.bangkokpost.com/

via CAAI

Published: 28/04/2011 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

The House committee on foreign affairs yesterday warned the government against escalating the Thai-Cambodian border conflict to the point where it could become a state of war.

The chance of war breaking out was discussed in parliament.

Committee chairman and Pheu Thai MP for Udon Thani Tophong Chaiyasan said he did not understand why the lower House raised the issue of a "war announcement" for discussion.

The committee was worried the current confrontation would escalate and prompt one of the two countries to declare war.

It called on Bangkok and Phnom Penh to return to the negotiating table to solve the long-running dispute.

The request is part of the committee's eight-point announcement unveiled after it met Foreign Ministry officials and representatives from the army.

All of its points called on all parties, including soldiers and reporters, not to further expand the conflict, which has already resulted in heavy fighting since last Friday.

The committee accepted international calls for a ceasefire between the two countries after the Thai army said it needed to strike back against Cambodian troops who allegedly first opened fire at Thai soldiers at the Ta Kwai temple near the border in Surin province.

Phnom Penh was using every possible means to bring peace talks to a multi-lateral level, especially in the United Nations Security Council, Mr Tophong said.

He warned the move could benefit Cambodia because France, which has a good relationship with Cambodia, will assume the presidency of the Security Council next month."The president can guide the result of the talks, so Thailand too should seek an ally, especially China," Mr Tophong suggested.

He did not think China would want to see an armed conflict in the region.

Hun Sen urges ceasefire (They will stop shelling when your SIAM stop move your troops into cambodian territoty your idiot. Your dog trick could show the world that your Siamese are very good with liars)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/

via CAAI

Abhisit says fighting must stop before talks


Published: 28/04/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Cambodia must stop firing before negotiations can be held to solve the border dispute, says Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Cambodia said it was ready to talk, so why don’t they stop shelling? ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA

(They will stop shelling when your SIAM stop move your troops into cambodian territoty your idiot. Your dog trick could show the world that your Siamese are very good with liars)

 A war of words between the two country's leaders broke out yesterday, dimming hopes for ceasefire talks.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen accused the Abhisit government of being war-happy, in a manner he had not seen under previous Thai governments.

''Cambodia is appealing for a ceasefire,'' Mr Hun Sen said in a speech in the capital Phnom Penh, adding that he was ready to hold talks with his Thai counterpart.

He said in his first remarks since border fighting began last Friday that he welcomed talks with Mr Abhisit at a meeting planned for Indonesia early next month.

But Mr Abhisit struck back in his response. ''Cambodia said it was ready to talk, so why don't they stop shelling,'' he said.

Each side accuses the other of firing first. Shelling continued for a sixth day yesterday. Cambodia opened fire into Surin for 15 minutes late last night, but Thai troops did not return fire. There was no immediate report of casualties.

Mr Abhisit said Thailand was doing its best to resolve the situation but it could not end the dispute without Cambodia's cooperation.

Cambodia is appealing for a ceasefire. HUNSEN

Mr Abhisit said the easiest way to enter negotiations was for Cambodia to hold fire, noting that a framework for talks was already in place.

Mr Abhisit yesterday travelled by an army plane to Surin province to visit soldiers injured in the fighting at the provincial hospital, and to meet displaced civilians at an evacuation centre.

Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon plans to meet his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh after returning on Saturday from a visit to China, on condition that the border skirmishes have ceased, said Gen Noppadon Inthapanya, Gen Prawit's secretary.

He said Gen Prawit was not scheduled to meet Gen Tea Banh yesterday because he was supposed to leave for China and had no plan to postpone it.

Earlier, army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Gen Prawit refused to talk to his counterpart in Phnom Penh as suggested by Cambodia because he was frustrated about Cambodian media reports which said Thailand had accepted defeat.

Gen Noppadon said Gen Prawit's plan to talk to Cambodia did not suggest a defeat. Gen Prawit still wanted to resolve the dispute at the bilateral level.

Gen Prawit declined to discuss the conflict, saying he would rather wait until he is back from China.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will meet Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa today during an Asean culture meeting in Jakarta.

They are likely to discuss the dispute issue as Indonesia is Asean chairman.

Meanwhile, field reports yesterday said one villager was killed and two others wounded in a cross-border clash in Surin's Phanom Dong Rak and Kap Choeng districts on Tuesday night.

The casualties were allegedly inflicted by Cambodian gunfire during the clash which started in the afternoon and continued until about 10.30pm.

A woman stands guard over the artillery-damaged house of a relative, the village head of Ban Noi Rom Yen village in Kap Choeng district, Surin, on the border with Cambodia yesterday. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

The Public Health Ministry said the fighting had so far resulted in 94 Thais being wounded and six killed _ five Thai soldiers and one civilian.

The ministry said the border violence has forced nine state hospitals in Buri Ram and Surin to suspend all but emergency services.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department director-general Wibul Sanguanpong said 142 villages in Phanom Dong Rak, Kap Choeng and Prasart districts of Surin have been declared emergency disaster zones caused by outside forces. Altogether, 29,677 people living along the Thai side of the border with Cambodia have been relocated to 22 evacuation centres in four districts of Surin, Mr Wibul said.

Cambodian media report eight soldiers killed. They include a colonel, a major, two captains and two sub-lieutenants, Thai intelligence said.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered the army to set up a front operation centre along the border in either Surin or Si Sa Ket provinces, a military source said.

The front operation centre will act as a coordinating centre between the army and soldiers in the border area.

Meanwhile, Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda yesterday urged Thais to give moral support to troops at the border. Asked if the miliary has done its best to solve border conflicts, Gen Prem said the military always does it best. ''I pray for them every day. Thai soldiers are strong and we should give them support,'' he said.

Thai inteview on Preah Vihear issue with subtitle in Khmer

Thai-Cambodia border clash kills 14

ANALYSIS: Domestic issues drive Thai-Cambodian border clashes

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

via CAAI

By Mick Elmore and Robert Carmichael
Apr 27, 2011

Bangkok/Phnom Penh - In the absence of credible information on why Thai and Cambodian forces started fighting along a disputed stretch of the border last week, the rumour mills are working overtime, but the message seems aimed at domestic audiences.

Since Friday, at least 14 people have been killed and more than 50 injured in on-and-off clashes near several disputed temples.

One question is the timing. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva plans to dissolve parliament in early May and call an election, fuelling speculation that some political faction might try to gain from the conflict. Another is that the military wants to control the poll's outcome and the fighting is their way to be in charge. And those are just the least outlandish takes on the situation from Bangkok.

Lawmaker and political observer Kraisak Chohoven said he believes motives other than election considerations had to be behind the conflict. But as so often in recent years, Thai domestic politics muddy any examination of the border strife.

The close relationship between former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, for example, has been a thorn in the side of the current government in Bangkok.

Thaksin was toppled in a 2006 coup and lives in exile to avoid a Thai jail sentence for corruption. Last year, he served as an advisor to Hun Sen's government, which ignored Thai extradition requests.

Thaksin's supporters say Abhisit's government has no legitimacy because it was not elected, and hope to return to power.

The People's Alliance for Democracy, a nationalist movement, has vowed to topple Abhisit for his poor handling of the border crisis. In December, seven nationalists were arrested for illegally crossing into Cambodia. The tussle about their release further soured bilateral relations.

The Thai Foreign Ministry insists the current situation benefits no one in Thailand and accuses Cambodia of having kicked off the most recent spat.

The main conflict surrounding Preah Vihear, an 11th-century Hindu temple, goes back decades. A spat in 1958 prompted the suspension of diplomatic ties, but can be traced back to 1904 when France demarcated the border and put Preah Vihear inside its colonial territory.

Back then Thailand had more pressing concerns, such as not being colonized itself. But many Thais never accepted a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice that said the temple compound belonged to Cambodia.

Bangkok says UNESCO escalated the conflict in 2008 by designating Preah Vihear a world heritage site, over its objections.

In Cambodia, the opinion prevails that Thai domestic politics, currently 'very strained' with rumours of a coup seldom far from the surface, drive the conflict.

'Thailand's national elections are coming soon and the government would want to get the border issue in order before the election, because doing so would mean a likelier chance that the current government would win,' said Chhaya Hang, executive director of the Khmer Institute of Democracy, a non-governmental organization.

He said Cambodia, a much weaker player than Thailand, is looking to boost its image in the region and trying to show it can stand up to its more powerful neighbour.

On the domestic front, the ruling Cambodian People's Party regularly trumpets that it brought peace to the country after years of war.

With local elections due next year and a general election scheduled for 2013, Chhaya Hang said the border conflict has provided the government with the chance to show the electorate that it can defend the country.

But too strong a focus on the borders could backfire. Cambodia is currently demarcating its eastern border with Vietnam, and some farmers claimed to have lost their land in the process.

The risk for the ruling party is that accentuating the border issue could rebound when it is time to vote in 2013.

Indonesia, as the current chair of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), has failed to mediate between the neighbours.

Chhaya Hang said it was difficult to say whether that lack of leverage would damage the body, but suggests ASEAN should at least be able to employ a 'red card' should a member stand in the way of a solution.

'And if cancelling membership isn't (in the charter), then something for the agenda of the next ASEAN meeting could be: How much should we ASEAN members put up with this?'

With tensions high and rhetoric being ratcheted up over the past days, Chhaya Hang believes the situation remains dangerous.

'One can only hope it won't be more serious than at present because that will have a huge impact on people on both sides, and we don't want that,' he said.

Thai-Cambodian Border Clashes Continue As Talks Stalled

http://www.rttnews.com/

via CAAI

4/27/2011

(RTTNews) - Clashes between security forces along the Thai-Cambodia border continued on Wednesday, as Thailand's Defense Minister canceled his planned trip to Cambodia for ceasefire talks.

Thai Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Keowkamnerd told reporters that Thailand pulled out of the ceasefire talks with Cambodia in protest against comments in Cambodian media that the Thai government agreed to talks as it was losing the five-day-old border clash

Thai Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan was scheduled to meet his Cambodian counterpart in Phnom Penh on Wednesday to discuss ways to put an end to border skirmishes.

Thai, Cambodian border forces have been engaged in renewed clashes since Friday over the ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometer territory around the Preah Vihear temple.

Eight Cambodian and five Thai soldiers have been killed and more than 60 others wounded in exchange of fire and artillery at the disputed sites around the 11th-century Hindu temple. It forced tens of thousands of residents at the border to flee their homes. The fighting continued on Wednesday afternoon, reports said.

Reports quoting a Thai Army spokesman said a civilian was killed overnight in Thailand's border province of Buriram.

Cambodia said Army troops on both sides of the border exchanged shots early on Wednesday at two sites along the disputed border.

Cambodia and Thailand share an 800-kilometer land border. Their claims over the cliff-top Preah Vihear temple, which is on the Cambodian side of a vague boundary, has been a cause for a long-standing feud between the South East Asian neighbors.

Both sides built up military forces along the border when the shrine was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in July 2008, making it a regular flashpoint between the two nations.

by RTT Staff Writer