Gen. Chea Dara (r) and Gen. Niparn Wiboolsak met on 21st June to ease border tensions.PHNOM PENH, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Cambodia began a partial withdrawal of troops from its disputed border with Thailand on Thursday, a move likely to ease tensions between the two over a 900-year-old Hindu temple.
"This shows the positive position of Cambodia, that we want to live in peace, and is something the two nations will benefit from," said General Chea Dara, deputy commander in chief of Cambodia's armed forces.
"At the same time, we still have enough troops to defend our own territory," he told Reuters by telephone from the border.
The regional commander on the Thai side of the border said there were no plans to follow suit.
"There will be no withdrawal from this side," Major-General Chawalit Chunprasan told Reuters.
The Preah Vihear temple, which is perched on an escarpment that forms a natural border between the two Southeast Asian neighbours, has for decades been a source of tension and nationalist fervour.
The two countries have been embroiled in a series of standoffs over the temple in the past year, resulting in border skirmishes that claimed the lives of seven troops.
Thailand is challenging a United Nations decision to make the temple a world heritage site under Cambodia's sole jurisdiction.
Cambodia was awarded Preah Vihear in a 1962 international court ruling, but the court did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins.
Thailand wants joint development and supervision of the temple, which could one day become a lucrative tourist site.
The two countries are also in dispute over parts of the Gulf of Thailand, where oil and gas deposits have been found.
Military representatives from both sides agreed on Monday to exercise restraint at the border. The Cambodian pull-back is due to end on Sunday.
(For a Q+A on the Preah Vihear temple dispute, click [ID:nBKK227352]). (Reporting by Ek Madra in Phnom Penh and Panarat Thepgumpanat in Bangkok; Editing by Martin Petty)
"This shows the positive position of Cambodia, that we want to live in peace, and is something the two nations will benefit from," said General Chea Dara, deputy commander in chief of Cambodia's armed forces.
"At the same time, we still have enough troops to defend our own territory," he told Reuters by telephone from the border.
The regional commander on the Thai side of the border said there were no plans to follow suit.
"There will be no withdrawal from this side," Major-General Chawalit Chunprasan told Reuters.
The Preah Vihear temple, which is perched on an escarpment that forms a natural border between the two Southeast Asian neighbours, has for decades been a source of tension and nationalist fervour.
The two countries have been embroiled in a series of standoffs over the temple in the past year, resulting in border skirmishes that claimed the lives of seven troops.
Thailand is challenging a United Nations decision to make the temple a world heritage site under Cambodia's sole jurisdiction.
Cambodia was awarded Preah Vihear in a 1962 international court ruling, but the court did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins.
Thailand wants joint development and supervision of the temple, which could one day become a lucrative tourist site.
The two countries are also in dispute over parts of the Gulf of Thailand, where oil and gas deposits have been found.
Military representatives from both sides agreed on Monday to exercise restraint at the border. The Cambodian pull-back is due to end on Sunday.
(For a Q+A on the Preah Vihear temple dispute, click [ID:nBKK227352]). (Reporting by Ek Madra in Phnom Penh and Panarat Thepgumpanat in Bangkok; Editing by Martin Petty)
6 comments:
Cambodia should not let down its guard just because the tensions between Thai and Cambodian are easing. Cambodia should know what are Thailand's strength and weaknesses. Thailand strengths are military, economic, and dishonest politic. On the other hand, Cambodia should be very cautious about being too open and straight forward about any deal making with Thailand. Thailand is very good at manipulationg the system to their advantage, that is how Thailand became what it is today.
3:01 PM, totally agree with you. Cambodia has to be much more cunning and far sighted in dealing with these two face siems. It is well known that in their psyche that they absolutely don't trust us because deep down inside their conscience they know what they've done to us and are afraid that karma is catching up with them. The strangest thing is at the same time they are in an absolute self-denial in accepting the truth. Cambodia got to stop being too jovial. It hasn't served her too well with anyone up until now.
It is easy to say than done. I feel sorry for Cambodian gov. As you all know there are cost involve every time you make troop movement. The gov. is poor and lack the support from the international community (financial support). I am living in US and I do not see the media talking about Thai Democracy. If I remember correctly, the country has military coup every two years or so. What do you think that is ? the media and the gov. talked alot about Burma but not Thailand. The reason is the US has military base in Thailand therefore it doesn't matter what kind of gov. they are running there as long as the base is safe, the US will be quiet. Democracy is just the label, not even in your own family, either the husband or wife is running the family but not both.
29 August 2009 1:22 PM, You have the point and I agree with you about the U.S. However, I beg to disagree with you that the Cambodian gov. lacks international financial supports. As you are well aware, every year the international community provided Cambodia with $600-$700 million. Without corruption, which cost Cambodia $500 million per year as quoted by U.S ambassador, and if all revenues and taxes are collected from companies having links to Mr. Hun Sen, Cambodia can survive without even the supports of the international community. It is the corruption and the mismanagement that makes Cambodia very poor like we've seen today.
Yes, it is like you are scratching my back and I'm scratching yours kind of thing. The attitude and atmosphere appears to be changing a bit now since thailand is not as useful as before and rather a stumbling block in the region. But the troop matter instead of moving them every time there is an incident, place them in strategic positions where they can provide mutual supports along or close to the stretch of the border. That would not incur too much of a cost. Keeping them at big bases still costs money nevertheless. Also the reaction time would also be lessened in an event of a problem with the intruders. Also these active troops need to stay sharp and cohesive at all times by going through training exercises more often. Otherwise they are bored and become indiscipline. Yes, that would cost a bit of money but well worth it. You see, Cambodia thought that were no more enemies around her only understanding neighbors. How wrong she was. She let her guard down. Her military, although small, should be more professional, efficient, and modernized. Not advocating to cause problems with anyone but to protect her own self. Two years no one had thought that thailand would do this to Cambodia. Cambodia was in essence got caught with her skirt down. And that is bad!
Thailand is the whorehouse of the west. Cheap beers, lots of clubs bars, and plenty of beautiful women and prostitutes. It's the ultimate exotic Asian vacation destination. Thailand proclaimed to be the only country in Southeast Asia not colonized by European, I found that to be false. Thailand has been kissing the feet of the rich and the powerful of the west long enough to allows itself to be rich and strong, not to mention, a major player in ASEAN. With this status, Thailand feels it can get away by violating international rule of another nation's sovereignty. Thailand had provoked, inflamed, and attacked Cambodia with a minor issue of Preah Vihear. This minor issue of the past had been resolved in the international court, yet Thailand ignored the ruling and attempted to take Preah Vihear by military forces. There seems to be little or no attention given to Thailand aggressive behaviors toward its weaker and smaller neighbor of Cambodia, which is still recovering from a prolong wars that had torn the country to pieces.
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