Thai soldiers stand guard near a pagoda close to Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia. Thai troops have pulled back from a hotly disputed border area after an ultimatum from Cambodia, military officials said Tuesday, calming fears of armed conflict between the neighbours.
Kazakhstan News.Net
Tuesday 14th October, 2008
Thailand's Government has said it will strongly defend itself if Cambodia engages with Thai troops in a disputed border area.
Cambodia had demanded that a group of Thai troops near the Preah Vihear temple in the country's north-west leave the area, with Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, warning the area could turn into a “death battle zone.”
While a Cambodian introduced deadline has passed, Thai army officials have reported their soldiers are still in the area.
In a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Thailand said it would protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
But Cambodia has claimed Thai troops withdrew at the deadline and their places have now been filled by Cambodian soldiers.
At the heart of the dispute is 4.5 square kilometres of land near a temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962.
In July this year, tensions came to the surface when around 1,000 soldiers on both sides faced off against each other in dug-out trenches.
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