Kasit (R) shook hand with Hun Sen during his visit to Cambodia in January 2009.31st March, 2009
PHNOM PENH, (AFP) Tuesday: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen today warned neighbouring Thailand that it would face fighting if its troops again crossed their disputed border.
The premier made the remarks a week after Cambodian officials said some 100 Thai troops briefly entered contested territory near an ancient temple where a deadly gun battle broke out last year.
“I tell you first, if you enter (Cambodian territory) again, we will fight.
The troops at the border have already received the order,” Hun Sen said at a ceremony to open a road named after him in the seaside resort of Sihanoukville.
“I am the leader of Cambodia who was elected by the will of the people, not by robbing power,” he added, in an apparent reference to Thailand’s current political instability.
Hun Sen also told his audience that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will visit Cambodia on April 18, but blasted the Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya for allegedly insulting him.
“He insults me — he has called me a gangster,” he said of the foreign minister.
“What if I insult your king? What would you say if insulted your prime minister and your ancestors? I’m not angry with you, but please use dignified words.”
Tensions over the long-disputed territory flared in July last year after the 11th century temple was granted United Nations world heritage status.
Soldiers clashed in the area in October, leaving four troops dead.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute. Thai officials denied that any of their troops had crossed the border last week.
A spokesman for the Thai foreign ministry, Tharit Charungwat, said it had not received an official report on Hun Sen’s speech, but added that there had been a “misinterpretation” of earlier comments made by Kasit regarding Hun Sen.
“Thailand wants to avoid using force and supports using border mechanisms to solve problems. The border mechanism is working well,” Tharit said.
The premier made the remarks a week after Cambodian officials said some 100 Thai troops briefly entered contested territory near an ancient temple where a deadly gun battle broke out last year.
“I tell you first, if you enter (Cambodian territory) again, we will fight.
The troops at the border have already received the order,” Hun Sen said at a ceremony to open a road named after him in the seaside resort of Sihanoukville.
“I am the leader of Cambodia who was elected by the will of the people, not by robbing power,” he added, in an apparent reference to Thailand’s current political instability.
Hun Sen also told his audience that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will visit Cambodia on April 18, but blasted the Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya for allegedly insulting him.
“He insults me — he has called me a gangster,” he said of the foreign minister.
“What if I insult your king? What would you say if insulted your prime minister and your ancestors? I’m not angry with you, but please use dignified words.”
Tensions over the long-disputed territory flared in July last year after the 11th century temple was granted United Nations world heritage status.
Soldiers clashed in the area in October, leaving four troops dead.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute. Thai officials denied that any of their troops had crossed the border last week.
A spokesman for the Thai foreign ministry, Tharit Charungwat, said it had not received an official report on Hun Sen’s speech, but added that there had been a “misinterpretation” of earlier comments made by Kasit regarding Hun Sen.
“Thailand wants to avoid using force and supports using border mechanisms to solve problems. The border mechanism is working well,” Tharit said.
The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
1 comment:
Dear Khmerization,
In regards to Kasit Piromya called Mr. Hun Sen a " Gangter or Nak Leng". I think it is the fact that Kasit Piromya deliberately insulted Mr. Hun Sen. Kasit knew exactly what's the meaning of this word means, the closest word to English would be a Gangster as this word was adopted from our Khmer word and is used in the same context and meaning. And yes of course this word does to a certain extend t indicating a person character as being tough as well but in a rather negative manner than positive, because we're living in civilized society now so to use this word to call someone just means
of implying rather negativity... like the person is a trouble maker. What Kasit can rather use instead of is " Jai Nak leng" or in Khmer" Jet Nak leng" is more dignified.. Further more it is unacceptable for Thai to insult Khmer in this way and particularly he is the foreign minister.... is this Kasit'sforeign policy?
with regards,
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