The ultimatum had expired. Where was Hun Sen's action ? Instead he has now turned to talking about the economic meltdown in order to divert the attention from the tough border issue.
On Wed, Oct 15, 2008 at 12:08 PM, Cambodia Watch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > *Thailand sends more troops to Cambodia border, heightening tensions* > > Thailand sent more soldiers to a disputed stretch of the Cambodian border > near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple on Tuesday, a Thai general said, > hours after a Cambodian general said Thai troops had pulled back. > > Troops from both sides had retreated slightly but were facing off about 100 > metres apart, said Vibulsak Neepan, commander of the Thai Eastern Region. > Bangkok was sending in reinforcements in case the dispute escalated, he > added. > > "The situation is quite tense at the front line," Lt.-Gen. Vibulsak told > Thai television station Channel 3. > > "We have mobilized more troops and heavy artillery to the area, just enough > to resist and retaliate." > > His comments came shortly after Cambodian commander Gen. Chea Mon, speaking > from the border, told Reuters by telephone that nearly 100 Thai soldiers > alleged to have made an incursion onto Cambodian soil had retreated. > > "The situation seems to have returned to normal," he said. "Our troops are > occupying the area where the Thai troops have pulled out." > > Vibulsak admitted Thai soldiers had entered a disputed "no-man's land" on > the border after getting permission from the Cambodian side, as is normally > required. But he said the Thai troops were only in the area to inspect > landmines. > > On Monday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened to turn the area > into a "death zone" unless the Thais retreated by midday local time on > Tuesday. > > The Thai military said it was ready for war and the Foreign Ministry told > Thais to "think twice" before visiting Cambodia. > > Singapore and Indonesia asked both sides to show restraint. > Tensions over area flare > > At the heart of the dispute is 4.6 square kilometres of scrub near the > Preah Vihear Hindu temple. The area's sovereignty remained unresolved > despite the International Court of Justice awarding the temple itself to > Cambodia in 1962, a ruling that has upset people in Thailand ever since. > > Tensions over the area's sovereignty flared again in July after UNESCO > approved Cambodia's bid to have the temple listed as a World Heritage site. > Cambodia sent 800 troops to the border, and Thailand sent about 400 > soldiers. > > Both sides had withdrawn most of their troops by August, but it was unclear > how many were still left in the area and other border regions. > > While there have been no reports of major armed conflict, a brief gunfight > broke out on Oct. 3, leaving one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded. > Both sides blaming the other for firing first and for being on the wrong > side of the border. > > Three days after that incident, two Thai soldiers lost their legs after > stepping on landmines in the area. > > http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/10/14/thailand-cambodia.html > > > > -- MR, Khlean + Khlao + Khlach = Khmer --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
