By AP & The Mekong Times
Cambodian military officials said yesterday that Thai soldiers are occupying a second temple site along their border, an escalation of an ongoing armed standoff that nearly led to clashes between the neighbors last month.
Major Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border protection unit deputy commander, said about 70 Thai soldiers on Thursday occupied the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple, Oddar Meanchey province in the northwestern border region of Cambodia.
Thailand contends the temple is located in disputed territory.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied the Cambodian report of troop movements.
The temple is several hundred miles west of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff for three weeks in a dispute over nearby land.
Sim Sokha said Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.
“They (Thai troops) said they will pull back only when the issue near Preah Vihear temple is resolved,” Sim Sokha said yesterday by telephone from Oddar Meanchey province.
He said the Cambodian soldiers have been given orders to exercise restraint and wait for the government to try to resolve the issue with Thailand.
Pich Sokhen, governor of Banteay Meanchey province, said that Cambodian soldiers are being deployed at the temple but have not yet arrived as the access roads are in a poor state, adding that the situation there remains normal.
He also said the Commanders-in-Chief of the bordering provinces had met to discuss the issue. “Cambodian solders are being patient and adhering to orders from the top not to resort to violence.”
Other officials from the local authority said that the region had been occupied by Thai soldiers for years, but that troop levels had risen in recent days.
Var Kimhong, director of the Cambodian Border Committee, said he had no detailed information on the situation at the temple, but added: “If Thai soldiers have occupied the vicinity of Ta Moan Thom temple, it is illegal as Thailand recognizes the temple is located in Cambodian territory.”
Khieu Kanharith, Cambodian government spokesman, said he was aware of the new troop movement but was unable to give details. He said the government will try to solve the issue through peaceful means.
Although it is not as well known as the Angkor or Preah Vihear temples, Ta Moan Thom is part of the architectural wonders of the ancient Khmer empire.
It was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is currently northeastern Thailand, said Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.
Var Kimhong said Cambodia has sufficient documentation to prove that Ta Moan Thom and the adjoining Ta Moan Touch temples belong to Cambodia, and that Thailand will have to hand over ownership of the temples to Cambodia when the border is demarcated in the near future.
“We have official documents demarcating the border which were agreed between France and Thailand in 1907-08. The Ta Moan temples are located near Cambodian-Thai border marker No. 23 planted during the French colonial era and are situated on Cambodian soil.”
About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand remain at a pagoda near the Preah Vihear temple complex, despite a tentative agreement reached by foreign ministers last Monday to redeploy them in an effort to ease tensions.
Cambodian military officials said yesterday that Thai soldiers are occupying a second temple site along their border, an escalation of an ongoing armed standoff that nearly led to clashes between the neighbors last month.
Major Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border protection unit deputy commander, said about 70 Thai soldiers on Thursday occupied the 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple, Oddar Meanchey province in the northwestern border region of Cambodia.
Thailand contends the temple is located in disputed territory.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat denied the Cambodian report of troop movements.
The temple is several hundred miles west of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been locked in a standoff for three weeks in a dispute over nearby land.
Sim Sokha said Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.
“They (Thai troops) said they will pull back only when the issue near Preah Vihear temple is resolved,” Sim Sokha said yesterday by telephone from Oddar Meanchey province.
He said the Cambodian soldiers have been given orders to exercise restraint and wait for the government to try to resolve the issue with Thailand.
Pich Sokhen, governor of Banteay Meanchey province, said that Cambodian soldiers are being deployed at the temple but have not yet arrived as the access roads are in a poor state, adding that the situation there remains normal.
He also said the Commanders-in-Chief of the bordering provinces had met to discuss the issue. “Cambodian solders are being patient and adhering to orders from the top not to resort to violence.”
Other officials from the local authority said that the region had been occupied by Thai soldiers for years, but that troop levels had risen in recent days.
Var Kimhong, director of the Cambodian Border Committee, said he had no detailed information on the situation at the temple, but added: “If Thai soldiers have occupied the vicinity of Ta Moan Thom temple, it is illegal as Thailand recognizes the temple is located in Cambodian territory.”
Khieu Kanharith, Cambodian government spokesman, said he was aware of the new troop movement but was unable to give details. He said the government will try to solve the issue through peaceful means.
Although it is not as well known as the Angkor or Preah Vihear temples, Ta Moan Thom is part of the architectural wonders of the ancient Khmer empire.
It was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is currently northeastern Thailand, said Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture.
Var Kimhong said Cambodia has sufficient documentation to prove that Ta Moan Thom and the adjoining Ta Moan Touch temples belong to Cambodia, and that Thailand will have to hand over ownership of the temples to Cambodia when the border is demarcated in the near future.
“We have official documents demarcating the border which were agreed between France and Thailand in 1907-08. The Ta Moan temples are located near Cambodian-Thai border marker No. 23 planted during the French colonial era and are situated on Cambodian soil.”
About 800 troops from Cambodia and 400 from Thailand remain at a pagoda near the Preah Vihear temple complex, despite a tentative agreement reached by foreign ministers last Monday to redeploy them in an effort to ease tensions.
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