Tuesday, 28 October 2008

World can see through Khmer's hidden agenda : Thai FM

Mon, October 27, 2008
By The Nation

Thai FM spokesman says the international community has no problem seeing through their hidden agenda

The Thai Foreign Ministry has strongly denied Cambodia's allegation that Thai troops had damaged the ancient Preah Vihear Temple during the border shootout middle of this month.

"The Thai army reiterated to us that in accordance with strict orders, Thai troops have not used heavy firearms or rocket launchers near the temple of Pra Viharn (Preah Vihear) and never fired at the temple," the ministry said in the statement.

On the contrary, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry statement, the rocketpropelled grenades, or RPG, were launched by the Cambodian side near the Twin Stupas and landed in the Pra Viharn National Park on the Thai side of the border.

The Thai side has kept for evidence two unexploded Cambodian rocket rounds that two unexploded Cambodian rocket rounds had been kept for evidence.

The Thai Foreign Ministry's statement came one day after Phnom Penh lodged a complaint with the Unesco, accusing Thai troops of damaging the ancient Preah Vihear Temple during the border shootout, which killed one Thai soldier and two Cambodian troops.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said on Sunday that a staircase and a sculpture of the mythical Naga creature were damaged by rocket fire at the 11thcentury Khmer ruins.

Phy Siphan said, "The temple was intentionally damaged by Thai troops, because we found remnants of grenades... near the temple and there were no Cambodian soldiers stationed nearby."

Cambodia made the accusation just days after Prime Minister Hun Sen met his Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on the side of the Beijing's AsiaEurope Meeting, or Asem. The outcome of the bilateral meeting in Beijing was billed as a positive forward.

Thai FM's spokesman Tharit Jarungwat described the latest accusations, which came just days after the two leaders met, as Cambodia's political ploy. He said the international community has no problem seeing through their hidden agenda.

Every time when Cambodia responded positively, they usually said differently a day later, Tharit said.

However, he said the Thai side has clear evidence about the incident and is ready to clarify all issues relating to the ThaiCambodian border dispute on any stage.

Meanwhile, Thailand's UN Ambassador Don Pramudwinai, meanwhile, said he was not informed about Cambodia's plan to accuse its neighbouring country of damaging Preah Vihear to the United Nations (UN).

No comments: