Cambodians Barred From Ta Moan Thom

Ta Moan Thom temple.

By Reporters, VOA Khmer Original reports from Cambodia and Washington 13 August 2008

Khmer audio aired 11 August 2008, by Nuch Sarita (1.18 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 11 August 2008, by Nuch Sarita (1.18 MB) - Listen (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 13 August 2008, by Heng Reaksmey (862 KB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 13 August 2008, by Heng Reaksmey (862 KB) - Listen (MP3)

Thai soldiers continued to bar Cambodians from entering Ta Moan temple Wednesday, declining to take down two wire barricades they had earlier planned to remove, a military official said.

Thai soldiers occupied the temple, in a complex on the border of Oddar Meanchey province, last week, as a continued standoff over Preah Vihear temple went unresolved.

Both sides are expected to meet in Thailand Monday to diffuse the Preah Vihear standoff, but Cambodia will add Ta Moan Thom to its agenda, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, at least 50 Cambodian-Americans demonstrated in front of the Thai Embassy in Washington Monday, demanding the Thai government withdraw troops from areas surrounding Preah Vihear temple.

"We demand the Thai army build-up to pull out from Preah Vihear territory because this can escalate to brutal war and bloodshed," said Tom Keo, a member of the Angkor Association, a group of Cambodian-Americans in Maryland, Virginia and Washington. "We want peace, and we want the Thai government to accept the mediation of the UN and Asean countries."