Somchai seeks talks with Hun Sen, says external mediation not necessary

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he would seek face-to-face talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen after the recent border clash near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

"I am looking for the right time to talk with him. We should have an opportunity to talk," Mr Somchai told reporters after visiting Thai troops stationed along the border yesterday.

The Thai leader echoed Hun Sen's comments on Friday that outside mediation was not necessary to solve the dispute.

"This is between Thailand and Cambodia. We should not let other countries get involved," Mr Somchai said.

Both sides have tried to ease tensions since at least two Cambodian soldiers were killed in Wednesday's 40-minute firefight.

Two Cambodians and seven Thais were wounded.

Both leaders were expected to attend an Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Beijing next week to discuss the global financial crisis, but it was not clear whether they would meet on the sidelines.

Thailand's Second Army commander Lt-Gen Wibulsak Neepal said border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia are likely to ease soon as Cambodia is expected to be more willing to enter talks with Thailand.

He said military officers from both sides have been in regular contact and have worked closely together over the past two days.

"The situation should improve. Both sides have had lunch. We have been coordinating all the time," he said.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak, however, admitted that as long as Thai and Cambodian troops are stationed face-to-face, clashes at the border are possible.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak said army commander Gen Anupong Paojinda had given him full authority under the "Chakkri Phuwadol" national defence plan to take retaliatory measures in the event that Cambodian forces fired artillery across the border.

He said Thai troops would retaliate within reason but would try to prevent any small skirmishes from escalating.

Meanwhile, a Thai soldier patrolling at Phu Ma Khua was accidentally killed by a bullet from his own gun yesterday.

Private Winyu Polpruek, who was attached to the Second Infantry Battalion, suffered a gunshot wound to his head. He was taken to hospital in Ubon Ratchathani, where he was pronounced dead.

source bangkok post

Cambodia claims new border clash with Thailand

Cambodian officials were quoted by news wire services that Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged gunfire along a disputed border for about 10 minutes on Wednesday afternoon.

The firefight took place at Kantalak district, Si Sa Ket province.

"Cambodian and Thai troops are opening fire at each other now," Cambodian Brig Gen Bun Thean told AFP from the scene.

Reuters photographer Chor Sokunthea at the scene was also quoted that he heard gun fire. "One rocket flew from Thailand over my head and landed. Now you can hear the fighting. They've opened fire," he was quoted as saying.

Preab Tan, governor of Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province, also confirmed the fighting. "I can confirm there was fighting between Cambodians and Thais. The Thais fired at us first," Preab Tan told Reuters.

source bangkok post

Govt to protest to Cambodia over battle

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will invite Cambodian charge d’affaires to Thailand Ouk Sophoin to receive an official protest, following the armed confrontation between troops from the two countries, Information Department director-general and Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Tharit asserted Thai soldiers did not start the shooting, but the gunfight was acted in self-defence, as stated in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations (UN).

As for the evacuation plan for the Thais living in Cambodia, he said his ministry already coordinated with Thai Airways (THAI) to bring them home. Three THAI flights were available to the neighbouring country.

Approximately 1,000 Thai people lived in Phanom Penh and about 400 to 500 Thais were in Siem Reap.

Meanwhile, both sides accused one another for inciting the brief gunfight on Wednesday. Four Thai soldiers were wounded and one Cambodian soldier was killed in the gunfight, according to army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

source bangkok post

An ill wind?

Mounting tensions between Cambodia and Thailand over their overlapping border area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple could be used by those in power to unite Thais and lower Thailand's internal political temperature.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ultimatum on Monday for Thai troops to immediately withdraw from the disputed temple area dealt a personal blow to Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat who was visiting Phnom Penh for talks with the Cambodian leader.

If there hadn't been a crackdown on anti-government demonstrators, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his deputy Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who has already resigned, would have led the Thai delegation to Cambodia in place of Mr Sompong.

On Oct 9, Gen Chavalit, who has done many favours for Mr Hun Sen and other Cambodian leaders in the past, said he had already discussed on the phone solutions to the border disputes with the Cambodian prime minister.

"I spoke to both Hun Sen and Gen Tea Banh, the defence minister, that we'd better forget all the issues, turn back the clock to July 15 and start it all over again," Gen Chavalit said.

He apparently wished to see both sides return to the point where Thai troops had not approached the Preah Vihear temple and the adjacent 4.6 sq km overlapping area. That implied the withdrawal of Thai troops from the area.

"I have made all the arrangements and we are only waiting for Prime Minister Somchai to strike a deal with them," Gen Chavalit said. All the arrangements collapsed when he resigned from his post following the Oct 7 crackdown on unarmed demonstrators.

"Cambodia may be trying to raise the stakes on the issue for international backing as it has repeatedly tried to advance its claim on the border area," said Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the Thai Army spokesman.

The government's fatal crackdown on demonstrators on Oct 7 has intensified calls for Army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda to intervene and bring down the Somchai administration.

But the calls have made Gen Anupong uncomfortable as he realises that post-coup issues would be too heavy for him to deal with, not to mention the risks involved in trying to overthrow an elected government.

In response to Mr Hun Sen's ultimatum, Gen Anupong and the other Armed Forces chiefs held an urgent meeting with Supreme Commander Songkitti Chakkabatr yesterday.

They resolved not to pull out Thai troops from the overlapping area in Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, and plan more troop deployments there to protect the country's sovereignty.

A war with Cambodia would encourage Thais to turn away from internal divisions and unite them to fight the external enemy. But the threat that the Thai government may be left to fight on two fronts simultaneously, Cambodia and the PAD supporters, cannot be ruled out either.

source bangkok post

Gunfire at the border

Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat urged Thai nationals in Cambodia to leave for home immediately after a Wednesday afternoon military battle along the disputed border left two Cambodian soldiers dead.

"Thai businessmen who have no need to be in Cambodia now, please rush back to Thailand," Sompong told reporters.

"We have our evacuation plan ready," he added.

In the Northeast, officials told residents of the border to be ready to move out quickly in case hostilities resume and escalate.

Thai and Cambodian troops fired rockets and small arms at each other for about 10 minutes at the border of Kantalak district, Si Sa Ket province at around 2.30pm.

The incident reportedly occurred three kilometres from Phreah Vihear temple, and at the site of an Oct 3 clash which left two Thai soldiers and one Cambodian wounded. Thailand issued an official protest to the Cambodian government over that alleged border incursion.

Cambodian army commander Brig Gen Yim Pim said fighting had "paused" after the battle, as commanders tried to negotiate a cease-fire.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said the two countries' foreign ministers were talking. Both sides said they wanted a peaceful resolution. "Cambodia is a good neighbor. We will use peaceful means. If there is violence, we have to negotiate," he said.

Cambodia’s Preah Vihear governor Prieb Tan claimed that Thailand started shooting at the Cambodian army first. Thai army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd, meanwhile, claimed that Cambodian soldiers started the shooting first by firing about seven to eight shots onto the Thai soil so Thai soldiers had to defend themselves by firing them back using small weapons.

According to Col Sansern, four Thai army rangers were wounded while one Cambodian soldier was killed in the incident.

On Tuesday, Col Sansern reiterated that Thailand would not shoot first, but warned that Thai troops were ready if Cambodian forces encroach into Thailand. The Thai army is ready to confront any incident to protect the country’s sovereignty, he said.

Meanwhile, Thailand put air force fighter jets and C-130 transport planes on alert. The C-130s have been used in a previous operation to bring Thais back home from Phnom Penh.

"Normally we have fighter jets on stand-by at various regional headquarters ready for operation within five minutes, but under the current circumstances we have increased our readiness," Grp Capt Montol Suchookorn was quoted by the AFP news agency.

source bangkok post

Conflict looms as troops deploy

Thailand yesterday shrugged off Phnom Penh's ultimatum for its soldiers to leave disputed areas near the Preah Vihear temple and accused Cambodia of laying new landmines on the border.

The decision to maintain troop levels in readiness for a confrontation to defend the country was reached in talks between supreme commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabat, army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda, navy commander Adm Kamthon Phumhiran and air force chief ACM Ithaporn Supawong.

They met after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an ultimatum on Monday for Thailand to withdraw its troops by yesterday or risk a "large-scale armed conflict".

Prior to the meeting, the military leaders also held talks with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat, both stressing the importance of using dialogue to solve the problem.

Security sources said Gen Anupong approved two military operation plans, Chakkri Phuwadol and 512, under which troops from the 6th Infantry Division would be used as the main force.

The navy has despatched its ships to patrol Thai waters off Trat province while the air force has put jet fighters and C-130 aircraft on stand-by.

"The military leaders insist the armed forces are prepared in terms of troop deployment in the areas, back-up forces and weapons capabilities to protect our sovereignty," army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

Second Army commander Lt-Gen Wibulsak Neepal has been assigned to take charge of the border situation and cooperate with Suranaree Task Force chief Maj-Gen Kanok Netrakhavesana.

Col Sansern said the military was ready to evacuate Thai nationals in Cambodia, but any such decision would be made by the government.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday urged Thai travellers to Cambodia to closely monitor the situation and advised Thai nationals already there to contact the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh for advisory and situation updates.

Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat also sent a stern warning to Cambodia, saying: "If Cambodia does resort to the use of force in accordance with its so-called ultimatum, Thailand will exercise its right of self-defence to protect our de-mining personnel and Thailand's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The spat is over a 4.6 sq km disputed area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and the Preah Vihear temple.

The latest border incident occurred on Oct 6 when two Thai paramilitary rangers stepped on landmines while patrolling at Phu Ma Khua, about 2.5km west of the ancient Hindu temple.

Phu Ma Khua, which is in the overlapping area, was the spot where Thai soldiers on patrol clashed with Cambodian troops on Oct 3.

The ministry said Thai de-mining personnel had found Russian-made PMN2 landmines in the area, which the Thai armed forces have never used or possessed.

"The royal Thai government believes that the landmines were planted after the incident [on Oct 3]," the ministry said in a statement. "Thailand views this development with great alarm."

source bangkok post

Border business as usual

The resurgence of the Preah Vihear land dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in Si Sa Ket province has not affected cross-border trade in other eastern provinces. Cambodian traders from Koh Kong province were still entering Thailand through the checkpoint at Ban Hat Lek in Khlong Yai district of Trat province to buy goods, immigration officer Pol Lt Thawee Chob-riabroi said yesterday.

It was also business as usual in Chanthaburi province yesterday, as Cambodians entered Pong Nam Ron and Soi Dao districts to buy food and household items and continued looking for work on Thai fruit farms.

Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district similarly did not see any downturn in business at the Talat Rong Kluea border market .

And movements in the other direction also continued as normal, with Thai gamblers heading to casinos in Cambodia's Poipet township.

source bangkok post

Thailand to defend itself from Cambodian "use of force"

Thailand on Tuesday said the country would defend itself from any Cambodian "use of force," while expressing "surprise" at Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ultimatum to remove its troops from a disputed border area or face a "large-scale conflict."

"If Cambodia does resort to the use of force in accordance with its so-called ultimatum, Thailand will have to exercise its right of self-defence as provided under the Charter of the United Nations," said the Thai Foreign Ministry in a statement issued to the press.

After meeting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat in Phnom Penh on Monday, Hun Sen told reporters that he had warned the Thais to withdraw their troops from a disputed area around the Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border or face fighting.

"They must move tonight or tomorrow. If they don't, there will be fighting," he said.

Thailand's foreign ministry expressed "surprise" at Hun Sen's fighting words, noting that it went against the "sprit of neighbourliness" between fellow members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Although Thailand and Cambodia are fellow members of ASEAN, the two neighbours have a long history of animosity.

Thailand and Cambodia nearly came to blows over the Preah Vihear temple in July this year, shortly after UNESCO named the ancient Hindu temple a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.

The temple, the object of disputed claims between Thailand and Cambodia since the 1950s, was granted to Cambodia by a ruling of the International Court of Justice in 1962.

But land adjacent to the temple compound, including its main entrance on the Thai side, remains under dispute.

Both sides beefed up their troops in the area, situated about 400 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, after some ultra-nationalist Thais crossed into the disputed zone in a show of protest against the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s ruling.

The border conflict was calmed in late August when both sides agreed to settle the matter through bilateral talks held by a joint border committee.

The talks have been hampered by repeated claims of incursions into Cambodian territory and by Thailand's chaotic domestic political situation.

Thailand's current government under the People Power party (PPP) has had four different foreign ministers in four months - Noppadon Pattama, Dej Bunnag, Saroj Chawanavira and the current one, Sompong.

Cambodia has been pressing to have the border spat settled by a regional or international body, but Thailand has insisted it could be handled bilaterally.

The Thai Foreign Ministry acknowledged that Thai troops had undertaken a "de-mining effort" in the disputed area around Preah Vihear, which the Thais call Phra Viharn.

"We are also conducting investigations to verify whether the landmines in the area are old mines or recently deployed in the violation of the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention," said the ministry in a statement.

source bangkok post

Minister: Thai troops won't leave disputed border

Thai soldiers will not withdraw from the disputed border area near the Preah Vihear temple despite an ultimatum from Cambodia to withdraw by midday Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said Tuesday morning.

"We are in our homeland. How can they expect us to leave our home?" he told reporters.

His statement came after a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who said Thai soldiers could face being fired upon by Cambodian troops.

"If they cannot withdraw tonight, they must withdraw tomorrow," Hun Sen said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat called an urgent meeting with chiefs of armed forces and Foreign Ministry officials at 2pm Tuesday to assess border row.

He said in the morning that troops of both countries should withdraw from the disputed area.

"We would not have any problems if both countries withdraw their troops to avoid confrontation," Mr Somchai said. "I would like the bi-lateral committee that has been formed to state clearly the distance that the troops should stay away from the disputed land."

He insisted that the Thai government is ready to discuss the problem with Phnom Penh.

source bangkok post

Anupong, PM call urgent meetings on border row

The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Anupong Paochinda, on Tuesday morning held an urgent meeting with relevant army officials to discuss the deepening border row between Thailand and Cambodia. The meeting was held at the Royal Thai Army Headquarters.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat, meanwhile, called another urgent meeting with armed force commanders and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess the situation after Cambodia told Thailand to withdraw troops from the disputed border area before noon Tuesday.

On Monday, the Cambodian authority said a "large-scale" armed conflict may happen, if Thai troops fail to be withdrawn from the border area near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear immediately.

In the meantime at Khao Phra Wihan (Preah Vihear) National Park, many Cambodian soldiers with full arms were dispatched near the temple and most of them were former troops of Khmer Rouge who were very familiar with the border surroundings and environment.

Thai armed forces consequently had tightened security around the national park.

However, the Commander of the Second Army Region, Lt-Gen Wiboonsak Neeparn, on Tuesday morning claimed that the situation at Preah Vihear had returned to normal, as troops from both sides engaged in more talks and shared a better understanding.

The Thai soldiers will do their best to protect the country’s sovereignty, Lt-Gen Wiboonsak added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat affirmed that Thai soldiers were patrolling with the Thai border and did not trespassed into Cambodia's territory.

He said Thai troops will not abandon the border area despite the neighbouring country's threat to launch an offensive attack.

"We are in our homeland. How can they expect us to leave our home," Mr Sompong told the reporter.

The minister believed the border dispute can be alleviated through dialogues between Prime Minister Somchai and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

source bangkok post

Cambodia ratchets up border row

Cambodia yesterday told Thailand to immediately withdraw troops from the disputed border area near the Preah Vihear temple or risk a "large-scale armed conflict".

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters in Phnom Penh that he had warned Thailand's visiting Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat that without a quick pullout, Thai soldiers could face being fired upon by Cambodian troops, in a further escalation of long-simmering tensions.

"If they cannot withdraw tonight, they must withdraw tomorrow," said Hun Sen.

"We have tried to be patient, but I told the Thai foreign minister today that the area is a life-and-death battle zone."

His comments came after talks with Mr Sompong in Phnom Penh.

Mr Sompong also met with his counterpart Hor Namhong in a bid to resolve the dispute over the area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The Cambodian foreign minister said yesterday's talks failed to end in agreement because his Thai opposite number "could not sign anything".

Hun Sen and Hor Namhong both told reporters that Cambodia could choose to take the border dispute before an international court if it was not resolved soon.

The comments made by the Cambodian prime minister and foreign minister surprised Mr Sompong and Thai officials, who were adamant that the meetings had not been a failure.

Mr Sompong said the tone during the meetings between the two countries had been different as the Cambodian leaders agreed that both sides had to be patient in resolving the border spat.

He said no Thai troop withdrawals would be made from the 4.6 sq km overlapping area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and Preah Vihear province of Cambodia until the dispute over ownership is cleared through negotiations in the Joint Boundary Commission that was set up to demarcate the land border.

Thailand reiterated its ownership over the area, Mr Sompong said in Bangkok and rushed to report the talks to Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

Suranaree Task Force commander Maj-Gen Kanok Netrakavaesana will hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart tomorrow on the border issues and the Thai and Cambodian defence ministers will meet next Tuesday , according to Mr Sompong.

Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister Gen Neang Phat said more Cambodian troops were heading to the area after up to 500 Thai soldiers had tried to cross the border near an ancient Hindu temple that is claimed by both countries.

"We are building up our troops at the border in response to Thailand, but I cannot reveal the number," he told reporters.

Maj-Gen Srey Deok, who oversees the Cambodian military in the disputed area, said: "Thai troops have already entered the area. They are confronting our troops."

But Maj-Gen Kanok denied that more troops had been sent to the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand and Cambodia have 10 soldiers each at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda near the Preah Vihear temple and 45 around the compound on joint patrol, according to the agreement between the two countries to ease border tension.

The two countries also have back-up troops near the border.

The number of soldiers there remained unchanged, Maj-Gen Kanok said.

Maj-Gen Kanok slammed Cambodia for distorting information and taking advantage of the political crisis in Thailand to launch an offensive move for its own political benefit.

The Suranaree chief, his patience wearing thin, called for a quick solution to the border spat and a clear direction to be provided by the government as it could become an armed conflict if it was left unsettled.

"I want the government to solve this problem and make it clear what to do. If it is left this way, nobody knows what is going to happen," he said.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia first flared in July after the Preah Vihear temple was awarded World Heritage status by the World Heritage Committee.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the surrounding land remains in dispute.

Tensions escalated into a military confrontation in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.

The two countries have swapped accusations of violating each other's territory in the dispute.

US navy helping Cambodian’s get healthy

Hundreds of Cambodians have flocked to visit a free US military clinic set up during the visit of the destroyer USS Mustin, officials said Wednesday.

The 155-metre-long USS Mustin (DDG-89), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, arrived with its crew of nearly 300 to embark on a six-day goodwill mission Saturday and its medical crew is expected to have treated nearly 1,000 people by Wednesday, the US navy said.

The clinic includes free dental treatment and general medicine and has set up in a Buddhist pagoda in a poor fishing area called Prey Nop, which also has a high number of ethnic Muslim Cham.

"It's been very rewarding and diverse," said US naval doctor Mike Banforth, who said most patients were presenting with conditions easily treated with medication that they were just too poor to afford.

The goodwill visit - the third since war stopped US naval visits in 1975 - will also feature training programmes with Cambodian naval personnel and demonstration operations, including disaster rescue.

US-Cambodian relations are at a high not seen for decades, and the US has pledged continued humanitarian aid as well as non-lethal military assistance to the country's armed forces.

For Vong Bok, 45, part of a community where 40 per cent of the 5,000-strong population live under the poverty line, free medical care has won him over to the US, which many Cambodians still resent for its secret bombing raids of the 1970s and the subsequent rise of the Khmer Rouge, under which up to 2 million Cambodians died.

"I could never afford this. I welcome the US ship back anytime," said Bok after receiving medicine for a chest infection.

Prey Nop, a district of the southern seaport of Sihanoukville, is 240 kilometres from the capital Phnom Penh.