Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Summary: Cambodia-Thai Troops Exchange Fire Near Ancient Temple


www.camnews.org


Cambodian, Thai troops exchange gunfire at border area
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has asked for a U.N. ‘buffer zone’ at the disputed 11th century temple where fighting is in its fourth day and at least five people have died. Thai officials deny ‘bullying an inferior neighbor.’ Both sides say the other shot first. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Cambodian and Thai troops have exchanged fire in a disputed border area for a third successive day, breaking a truce agreed by commanders.
The troops exchanged artillery and mortar fire in the area around the disputed Preah Vihear temple.
The fighting has so far claimed five lives since Friday and thousands of villagers have been evacuated
Sunday’s flare-up reportedly involved mortar, rocket and artillery fire and began at about 1835 local time (Source: BBC News)

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Following is a timeline of tensions on the frontier since July 2008: July 8, 2008: The 11th-century Preah Vihear temple is awarded World Heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO, angering Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the site. The temple was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962
July 15, 2008: Three Thai protesters are arrested for jumping a barbed-wire fence to reach the temple, prompting a military build-up of hundreds of troops from both sides. A Thai army ranger loses his leg after stepping on a landmine nearby
August 3, 2008: Cambodian and Thai soldiers exchange fire for ten minutes, injuring one Cambodian
August 16, 2008: Cambodia and Thailand draw down troops on the border, leaving about 40 soldiers stationed from each side
October 3, 2008: Cambodian and Thai soldiers exchange gunfire on the border
October 6, 2008: Two Thai soldiers are injured in a landmine blast at the border, prompting Thailand to accuse Cambodia of recently planting the device
October 15, 2008: Troops again exchange gunfire, leaving three Cambodians and one Thai soldier dead
October 16, 2008: Thailand and Cambodia agree to introduce joint patrols in disputed areas following the deadly clashes
October 24, 2008: Thai and Cambodian prime ministers meet in Beijing and agree to prevent any more armed clashes
April 3, 2009: Officials say two Cambodian soldiers and one Thai trooper killed in heavy gunbattle on the border. A clash earlier in the day causes no casualties
July 7, 2009: Cambodians celebrate the first anniversary of the UN’s world heritage listing of the temple
August 30, 2009: Cambodia says it has halved the number of troops around the ancient border temple
September 19, 2009: Dozens of people are wounded as Thai “Yellow Shirt” protesters clash with local police and villagers near the temple, demanding that the Thai government push Cambodian forces out of the disputed area
September 28, 2009: Cambodian premier Hun Sen says he has ordered his troops to shoot anyone from neighbouring Thailand who crossed onto land around the temple
September 29, 2009: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insists that Thailand still wants to find a “peaceful” solution to the dispute over the temple through a joint border commission set up by the two countries
December 21, 2009: A Cambodian soldier dies after stepping on an old landmine near the temple
January 24, 2010: Cambodian and Thai troops exchange fire some 15 kilometres southeast of the temple during a speech there by Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, in which he urged troops to be brave defending their territory
January 29, 2010: Cambodian and Thai troops engage in a brief shootout on their disputed border, according to a Cambodian defence ministry spokesman
February 6, 2010: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife visit the temple, attracting some 100 protesters on the Thai side
February 9, 2010: Internet giant Google promises Cambodia in a letter that it will review a map of the temple after Cambodian authorities said Google Earth depicts nearly half of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple as being in Thailand
June 8, 2010: Cambodian and Thai troops briefly exchange fire on their border, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) away from Preah Vihear temple, no casualties reported
August 8, 2010: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen writes to the United Nations accusing Thailand of violating UN rules by threatening to use military force against Cambodia
August 9, 2010: In reaction to the letter, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says: “Cambodia wants to give an image of Thailand as an intruder or using force, which is not true”
August 14, 2010: Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Hor Namhong appeals to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for help in resolving the dispute, “in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict”
September 24, 2010: Hun Sen meets with Abhisit on the slidelines of an ASEAN-US meeting in New York and says they both agree to avoid further border clashes
January 31, 2011: Thailand demands that Cambodia remove its flag from Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is built in the disputed border area. Cambodia refuses
February 1, 2011: A Cambodian court hands two Thais, including a high-profile nationalist activist, a lengthy jail sentence for spying and illegally entering Cambodia. The pair were inspecting disputed border territory when they were arrested
February 4, 2011: Thai and Cambodian troops exchange heavy fire on the border, leaving one Cambodian soldier and a Thai civilian dead and several soldiers injured on both sides
February 5, 2011: Troops on both sides exchange fire on the border for a second day, killing one Thai soldier
One Thai soldier was killed and four others injured in the fresh round of border fighting between Thai and Cambodia troops near a disputed ancient temple Saturday morning, said the spokesman of Thai Royal Army.
Bangkok Post online quoted Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd as saying that one soldier, Sergeant Wuthicharin Chartkamdee, was killed and four others injured in the gun-battle, which started at about 6.20 a.m. and ended about 7 a.m..
The commander of Army Region 2 of Thailand and the one of Cambodia’s Army Region 4 were holding talks to find ways to prevent future military clash, said Sansern.
The latest round of clash came after the crossfire between Thailand and Cambodia troops Friday afternoon saw at least six Thai military personnel injured and seven civilian houses severely damaged. Three thousand civilians residing along the border area had to be evacuated, according to a Statement of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
One villager in Khantalalak district of eastern Si Sa Ket was reported to be killed in Friday’s clash. (Source: Xinhua)
———————
A Thai Army spokesman said one soldier was killed in the latest round of gunfire, and four others were injured. That brings the weekend death toll to two people. Earlier, the country’s health minister told the MCOT news agency that one Thai villager was killed by artillery shells fired by Cambodian troops. (Source: CNN)
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Cambodian police said two Cambodian soldiers had been killed and two wounded. Both sides accused each other of firing first in the heavily militarised area near the Preah Vihear temple, which is claimed by both Southeast Asian countries and saw fighting last year (Source: Reuters).
——
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith says the fighting erupted when Thai troops ignored Cambodian warnings to stop crossing into their territory. He says the Cambodians fired warning shots into the air and the Thai soldiers returned fire (source: AP).
————-
Source: Bangkok Post:
Two or three Thai soldiers were wounded in an exchange of fire with Cambodian troops on Friday afternoon on the Thai-Cambodian border, and artillery rounds landed on Thai soil well inside the frontier, an informed military source said.
The clash started about 3.20pm near the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area around the Preah Vihear temple.
Fighting was continuing, the source said. Heavy weapon rounds had landed on the Thai side of the border,
Lt-Gen Tawatchai Samutsakhon, 2nd Army commander, said it was Cambodian troops who started the fire.
Many artillery shells landed at Huay Thip village in tambon Rung of Si Sa Ket’s Kanthararak district, north of the Preah Vihear temple and about 1km from Phu Makhua mountain, which is part of the disputed area.
Two or three Thai soldiers were reported wounded. Casualties on the Cambodian side were not known.
———–
Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan says the fighting broke out at around 3 pm Friday near the Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia. Thailand claims a small patch of land near the temple. (AP)
—————-
Bangkok (EarthTimes) – Cambodian forces Friday fired artillery rounds into in Thailand near the disputed Preah Vihear temple site on the Thai-Cambodian border, military sources said.
An estimated 20 shells landed on Thailand’s side of the border in Kantalarak district in Si Sa Ket province, 350 kilometres east of Bangkok, Thai radio reports said.
“We can confirm that there has been a clash, but we are still checking the details,” army spokesman Colonel Sansern Keowkhamnerd said.
The army was reportedly bulldozing a road in the border area, which has been the subject of numerous spats over the past two and a half years.
Thai and Cambodian forces have faced off along the mountain range around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple since July 2008, when UNESCO declared the edifice a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.
Although the World Court on 1962 ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, Thailand claims a 4.6 kilometres plot of land adjacent to the temple, and has blocked Cambodian’s efforts to turn the site into a tourism attraction until the border dispute is settled.
——————-
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) — Cambodian and Thai troops clashed near the 11th century temple in a border area on Friday afternoon, said a close military source standby at the area.
“Thai bulldozers made the way to enter Cambodia territory and our troops banned them from moving into Cambodia at Beehive area in front of Preah Vihear temple, but they did not listen to us, so military clash happened to protect our territory,” he said.
There were no immediate report of casualties in the clash that happened around 3:15 p.m. local time.
The incident was the latest in a long-festering dispute over the cliff-top Preah Vihear temple.
The incident coincided with the visit of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in Cambodia to attend the 7th meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation. Kasit is now in Phnom Penh to visit two Thai detainees.
The re-tension between Cambodia and Thailand over the border started on Jan. 27 after Thailand asked Cambodia to remove a national flag over Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svarak pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, claiming that the pagoda is on the disputed area, but the Cambodian side rejected it.
Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, 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.
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Cambodian and Thai border troops exchanged fire on Friday near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear, military sources said.
The fighting started at around 3 p.m. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the crossfire.
The re-tension between Cambodia and Thailand over the border started on Thursday last week after Thailand asked Cambodia to remove a national flag over Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svarak pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, claiming that the pagoda is on the disputed area, but the Cambodian side rejected it, saying that it is situated in Cambodian territory according to the map produced by the Franco-Siamese commissions between the period of 1905 and 1908.
Since then, military forces from both sides have been reinforced; tanks, fighting vehicles, missiles and ammunition have been dispatched to their respective border areas.
A close military source said that the tension at the border near Preah Vihear temple was heated up on Thursday afternoon and ” both side’s troops were on high alert.”

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សរសេរបញ្ចេញមតិរបស់អ្នក

សូមមេត្តាកុំប្រើពាក្ស អសុរស់ មតិរបស់អ្នកសំខាន់ណាស់ សំរាប់អ្នកអានផ្សេងៗទៀត អ្នកអានគ្រប់ៗគ្នាមិនត្រឹមតែធ្វើការសិក្សាដោយ អានតែអត្ថបទនេះទេ គេគ្រប់គ្នា តែងតែអាន និង សិក្សាមតិរបស់អ្នកផងដែរ។ មតិរបស់អ្នក នឹង ចុះផ្សាយលើទំព័រនេះក្នងរយះពេល ឆាប់ៗបំផុត។
  1. KmengWatt* Feb 9, 2011
    សៀមឈ្លានពានខ្មែររាប់អាទិត្យហេីយ
    ទេីបនឹងអេីតមកថ្លែងការថ្កេាលទេាស!
  2. Sdach Koch Feb 9, 2011
    ទម្រាំតែឮពាក្យថ្កោលទោសពីស្ដេចខូចនិងស្ដេចស្រីនោះ ព្រះវិហារឡើង
    ទ្រោមបាត់ទៅហើយ។ ហើយ​ចុះស្ដេចខូចឯងគិតធ្វើយ៉ាងម៉េចដែរ
    ពេលនេះ?
    I don’t know where to post article from the Nation (Thai newspapre). So, i decide
    to paste it here. Please have your say about FM Kasit.
    Hun Sen bully boy: Kasit
    By The Nation
    Kasit labels Cambodian PM as bully boy, expresses suspicion Russia, India, China behind Cambodia’s aggressiveness
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    http://www.Groupon.com/BostonThai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya Wednesday called Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen a bully boy who launched attacks against Thailand with hope to seize control of the disputed plot near Preah Vihear Temple.
    Kasit was speaking at a seminar on Thai-Cambodian relationship at Parliament held by the Senate committee on foreign affairs.
    Kasit told the seminar that the conflicts between the two countries happened because the Cambodian government incited hatred among its people towards Thailand.
    Kasit said the Cambodian government told its people that Thailand had been bullying Cambodia during the past 600 and 700 years.
    “Cambodian people were told that Thailand has been hitting Cambodians’ head throughout 600 or 700 years,” Kasit said.
    Kasit said Thailand should have learnt a lesson from Cambodia winning the world court’s ruling related to the Preah Vihear temple.
    He added that although Cambodia may seek another ruling of the world court over the disputed 4.5 kilometre plot near the temple, the problem would not end “because Cambodia is using Thailand as a political tool”.
    Kasit said Cambodin now aimed only at completing the world heritage registration process of the ancient Hindu temple and seeking ownership of the 4.6 square km plot.
    “But he may think that the Thai government is too slow to act on the dispute because the Thai government must first win approval from Parliament before carrying out any action. He may think that the prime minister is collaborating with Parliament to drag feet on the issue,” Kasit said.
    “So a way to push for what he wants fast is to start a severe battle like what happened on 4 February. And he did it successfully probably with help from other countries like Russia, India and China. Then, Cambodia filed a complaint with the UN Security Council,” Kasit said, adding that he will travel to explain the issue to the council on February 14.
    “I am ready to defend Thailand in all venues. We should not forget that we have the US a true friend.
    “Although Cambodia created perception that it was harassed by Thailand and tried to win sympathy from the International Community, Thailand would not allow Hun Sen, a bully boy, to bully Thailand,” Kasit said.
    “Now, we have a bully boy harassing us near out house but we are a kind-hearted adult and allow Cambodians to enter our country without the need to get visa first.”
  3. KmengWatt* Feb 10, 2011
    No wonder why his FUNCINPEC, which was
    very big and popular, was perished -ror leay.
    How can he restore what was lost? What
    an efficient and dumb a leader he is!
  4. ខ្ញុំគិតថាទោះជាយ៉ាងណាក៏គ្រាន់ជាងមិនបានថ្លោលទោសដែរ
    ចំពោះខ្ញុំវិញខ្ញុំសប្បាយចិត្តណាស់នៅពេលដែលឃើញខ្មែរ
    ចេះសាមគ្គីគ្នាចេះជួយគ្នាក្នុងគ្រាមានអាសន្តអីចឹង
    ហើយខ្ញុំក៏ឆ្ងល់ណាស់ដែរចំពោះមនុស្សខ្លះពេលឃើញគេ
    ធ្វើមិនត្រូវចិត្តក៏ជេរដល់តែឃើញគេធ្វើល្អហើយក៏នៅតែទិតៀន
    ចាំតែមើលបំណាំចាំតែចាប់កំហុសទៅវិញ
    ខ្មែរគេគ្រប់គ្នាមិនថាបក្ខរដ្ឋាភិបាលបក្ខប្រឆាំងគណបក្ខន
    យោបាយគ្រប់និន្នាការសង្គមស៊ីវិលមន្តីរាជការប្រជាជន
    គ្រប់ទិសទីទាំងក្នុងនិងក្រៅប្រទេសគេត្រេកអរនៅពេល
    ដែលឃើញខ្មែរសាមគ្គីគ្នាជាធ្លុងមួយ
    តែក៏នៅមានខ្មែរខ្លះគិតថាខ្លួនឯងឆ្លាតមកអង្គុយចាំមើល
    បំណាំទៅវិញ​
    យ៉ាប់មែនទែនហើយ
  5. KmengWatt* Feb 10, 2011
    Some Khmers like me will criticize
    anyone who hurts and harms Khmer
    people in general. I don’t care a damn
    if he/she conducts his/her own business.
    But, some ever-yes Khmers don’t criticize,
    and that’s good, because we are mixed
    with pro and con which lead us towards
    whatever it may be.
  6. Mnkutbory Feb 10, 2011
    I don’t think this is the time for us to criticize, this is a time that Khmer need to hold hands and supporting each other. If you are a real khmer, you won’t hasitate to help one anothers.
    khmer need help, especially the people who are living close to battle field.
  7. Grandma Feb 10, 2011
    Better late than never.
  8. OoyHee Feb 10, 2011
    Don’t worry. Hun Sen does not need
    anyone to help him. He’s the most strong
    man on this planet earth. Read his name!

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