By Wassana Nanuam and Saritdet Marukatat
Bangkok Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen looks set to lead his Cambodian People's Party to another victory. But he could lose credibility during the last lap of the campaign if the Cambodian military withdraws from the overlapping zone, the source said.
Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niempradit and Cambodian Defence Minister Teah Banh are heading to Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province for talks starting Monday, aware that they will not bring an immediate end to the Preah Vihear temple row.
The meeting, coordinated by the Thai Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC), will for now focus on easing military tensions on the border.
A 4.6-sq-km area surrounding the temple is being contested by both Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province. Cambodia officially has sovereignty over the temple, which this month was granted World Heritage status.
The GBC is chaired by the defence ministers of both nations, but Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej has assigned Gen Boonsrang to lead Thai negotiators.
"The government wanted people who are on the same page to attend the meeting," a government source said of Mr Samak's decision.
One issue complicating today's muchanticipated Aranyaprathet meeting is the Cambodian general election due on Sunday.
Prime Minister Hun Sen looks set to lead his Cambodian People's Party to another victory. But he could lose credibility during the last lap of the campaign if the Cambodian military withdraws from the overlapping zone, the source said.
The temple is currently closed to the public and the Cambodian military is guarding the entrance from the Thai side.
Gen Boonsrang admitted the coming election is a point which the two countries have to consider in the meeting.
"We have to allow Cambodia time [to solve the problem]," he said.
An army source said there will be further talks shortly after the election.
Gen Boonsrang indicated that the focus of the talks will be on ensuring the military stand-off at the border does not escalate into a full-blown conflict.
"We need to follow the rules of engagement to avoid military conflicts," he said.
"Growing tensions make the situation extremely vulnerable."
Thailand has about 2,400 soldiers on its side of the border. The number of Cambodian troops on the opposite side is estimated by Thailand to be at least 2,000.
The two countries also have a total of about 500 soldiers inside the disputed zone.
A military officer said close defence ties between the two countries have helped contain the situation.
"If the other side were anybody other than Cambodia a war might already have broken out," he said.
Mr Samak acknowledged in his weekly televised address on Sunday that resolving ownership of the "no man's land" would take time.
The GBC meeting was scheduled after Phnom Penh complained about the Thai intrusion into its territory to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday in New York.
But Gen Boonsrang and Cambodian Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the complaint would not damage attempts to solve the problem by negotiation.
"It was simply a diplomatic tactic, which will not affect the meeting. The Foreign Ministry should also explain the situation to other countries," Gen Boonsrang said.
The Cambodian government submitted the letter to the UN to "draw their attention to the current situation on the Cambodian-Thai border", Khieu Kanharith told the Associated Press.
"Cambodia is not asking for UN intervention.
"We still stick to Prime Minister Hun Sen's instructions to try to solve the problem peacefully," he said.
Suranaree Task Force commander Kanok Nettarakawaysana said he did not expect any definite answers to come out of today's meeting and said the army is prepared for a long stand-off until a solution is reached.
Sgt Jongrak Thanprom of the 23rd unit of the paramilitary rangers guarding the border in the northeastern province echoed the view of Maj-Gen Kanok. "We are prepared to be here for months or even years," he said.
But Wilaiwan Kayachart, a vendor at the border market near the temple, is hoping for a swift end to the dispute so that Preah Vihear temple can be reopened to tourists, whom she relies on for trade.
Bangkok Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen looks set to lead his Cambodian People's Party to another victory. But he could lose credibility during the last lap of the campaign if the Cambodian military withdraws from the overlapping zone, the source said.
Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niempradit and Cambodian Defence Minister Teah Banh are heading to Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province for talks starting Monday, aware that they will not bring an immediate end to the Preah Vihear temple row.
The meeting, coordinated by the Thai Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC), will for now focus on easing military tensions on the border.
A 4.6-sq-km area surrounding the temple is being contested by both Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province. Cambodia officially has sovereignty over the temple, which this month was granted World Heritage status.
The GBC is chaired by the defence ministers of both nations, but Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej has assigned Gen Boonsrang to lead Thai negotiators.
"The government wanted people who are on the same page to attend the meeting," a government source said of Mr Samak's decision.
One issue complicating today's muchanticipated Aranyaprathet meeting is the Cambodian general election due on Sunday.
Prime Minister Hun Sen looks set to lead his Cambodian People's Party to another victory. But he could lose credibility during the last lap of the campaign if the Cambodian military withdraws from the overlapping zone, the source said.
The temple is currently closed to the public and the Cambodian military is guarding the entrance from the Thai side.
Gen Boonsrang admitted the coming election is a point which the two countries have to consider in the meeting.
"We have to allow Cambodia time [to solve the problem]," he said.
An army source said there will be further talks shortly after the election.
Gen Boonsrang indicated that the focus of the talks will be on ensuring the military stand-off at the border does not escalate into a full-blown conflict.
"We need to follow the rules of engagement to avoid military conflicts," he said.
"Growing tensions make the situation extremely vulnerable."
Thailand has about 2,400 soldiers on its side of the border. The number of Cambodian troops on the opposite side is estimated by Thailand to be at least 2,000.
The two countries also have a total of about 500 soldiers inside the disputed zone.
A military officer said close defence ties between the two countries have helped contain the situation.
"If the other side were anybody other than Cambodia a war might already have broken out," he said.
Mr Samak acknowledged in his weekly televised address on Sunday that resolving ownership of the "no man's land" would take time.
The GBC meeting was scheduled after Phnom Penh complained about the Thai intrusion into its territory to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday in New York.
But Gen Boonsrang and Cambodian Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the complaint would not damage attempts to solve the problem by negotiation.
"It was simply a diplomatic tactic, which will not affect the meeting. The Foreign Ministry should also explain the situation to other countries," Gen Boonsrang said.
The Cambodian government submitted the letter to the UN to "draw their attention to the current situation on the Cambodian-Thai border", Khieu Kanharith told the Associated Press.
"Cambodia is not asking for UN intervention.
"We still stick to Prime Minister Hun Sen's instructions to try to solve the problem peacefully," he said.
Suranaree Task Force commander Kanok Nettarakawaysana said he did not expect any definite answers to come out of today's meeting and said the army is prepared for a long stand-off until a solution is reached.
Sgt Jongrak Thanprom of the 23rd unit of the paramilitary rangers guarding the border in the northeastern province echoed the view of Maj-Gen Kanok. "We are prepared to be here for months or even years," he said.
But Wilaiwan Kayachart, a vendor at the border market near the temple, is hoping for a swift end to the dispute so that Preah Vihear temple can be reopened to tourists, whom she relies on for trade.
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