Writer: Wassana Nanuam
Published: 7/02/2011
Bangkok Post
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon (pictured) has ordered 2nd Army commander Lt-Gen Tawatchai Samutsakhon to hold another round of talks with Cambodia and find a way to effectively end the border fighting, Defence Ministry spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng said on Monday.
But Lt-Gen Tawatchai made it clear he would not be rushed into talks until he felt the time was right and Cambodian leaders could enforce any agreement.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit was very worried about the situation along the border with Cambodia .
"In previous talks between military leaders, Cambodia agreed to a ceasefire. However, the agreement might not have been properly conveyed to field units, resulting in the firing continuing," he said. [Cambodia said it was the Thai side who did not adhere to the ceasefire by attempting to move in to occupy the disputed areas and therefore triggered the clashes].
Gen Prawit had ordered Lt-Gen Tawatchai to hold a new round of talks with Cambodia about adhering to the 2000 memorandum of understanding, to prevent any loss of territory and further damage.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit told him to make it clear Thailand does not invade other countries but also never lets other countries invade its territory. Thai military action was aimed at protecting national sovereignty, he said. [Under the 1907 treaty, 1908 maps and 1962 verdict of International Court of Justice, the so-called "disputed territory" fall under Cambodian sovereignty].
However, Lt-Gen Tawatchai said he would not rush to seek talks with Cambodian military leaders because it was clear they were not in complete control of their soldiers. [The Cambodian side claimed that it was the Thai side who tried to push in to occupy the so-called disputed territory which triggered the clashes].
"Therefore, I will not yet seek a new round of talks, not until they are ready. What we have to do now is to be prepared for any situation," he said.
A military source said Gen Prawit on Saturday talked to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Defence Minister Tea Banh on the telephone and both sides agreed to a ceasefire and not to bring more reinforcements to the border. [But Cambodian troops said Thailand still send more troops reinforcement to the areas after the agreement].
"But the Cambodia did not keep its word. Instead, the Cambodian soldiers continued to attack the Thai side, causing Gen Prawit to become very upset," the source said. [It was Thailand who did not keeps its word by pushing in due to its military might].
The source said a son of Hun Sen, Brig Genl Hun Manet, personally commanded the latest fighting around the Preah Vihear temple area .
It was Brig Gen Hun Manet who ordered retaliatory action because Cambodian soldiers suffered heavy casualties in previous clashes. The Cambodian soldiers were ordered to attack on Sunday night, the source said.
"Hun Sen wants the Cambodian people to be satisfied with his son.
"He wants his son to be an army chief despite he fact that Hun Manet is only 33 years old. Hun Manet graduated from the West Point military academy of the United States. He has been tipped to replace his father as the country's military leader in the future," the source said.
Col Chinkaj Rattanakitti, 2nd Army field spokesman, said that the old Don Tual temple near Mo Din Daeng cliff in Kantharalak of Si Sa Ket province is still in hands of Thai soldiers and has not be taken by Cambodian troops, as had been reported.
Col Chinkaj said we went to the area and took pictures of the damage caused by artillery fire for the Foreign Ministry to use in its argument to the United Nations that Cambodia attacked the temple and civilian targets.
He said 15 Thai soldiers and two villagers were wounded in the three-hour exchange of gun fire on Sunday night which lasted until 10pm.
A report that one Thai soldier was captured on Sunday night was not true, he said.
A field military source said the main reason for Cambodia to have violated the ceasefire agreement was the fact that as many as 64 Cambodian soldiers were killed on Friday. Cambodian soldiers tried to attack Thai bases near the 4.6 square kilometres disputed area, causing clashes to follow. [The source of the fighting on Friday was because Thai soldiers were building road into disputed territory and ignored Cambodian warning to stop. It was the cause of fight. Cambodian commanders claimed that 32 thai soldiers had been killed on Friday's fighting].
On Monday morning, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed again at Phalan Yao village west of Phu Makhua mountain for about 20 minutes but there were no reports of casualties, the source said.
But Lt-Gen Tawatchai made it clear he would not be rushed into talks until he felt the time was right and Cambodian leaders could enforce any agreement.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit was very worried about the situation along the border with Cambodia .
"In previous talks between military leaders, Cambodia agreed to a ceasefire. However, the agreement might not have been properly conveyed to field units, resulting in the firing continuing," he said. [Cambodia said it was the Thai side who did not adhere to the ceasefire by attempting to move in to occupy the disputed areas and therefore triggered the clashes].
Gen Prawit had ordered Lt-Gen Tawatchai to hold a new round of talks with Cambodia about adhering to the 2000 memorandum of understanding, to prevent any loss of territory and further damage.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit told him to make it clear Thailand does not invade other countries but also never lets other countries invade its territory. Thai military action was aimed at protecting national sovereignty, he said. [Under the 1907 treaty, 1908 maps and 1962 verdict of International Court of Justice, the so-called "disputed territory" fall under Cambodian sovereignty].
However, Lt-Gen Tawatchai said he would not rush to seek talks with Cambodian military leaders because it was clear they were not in complete control of their soldiers. [The Cambodian side claimed that it was the Thai side who tried to push in to occupy the so-called disputed territory which triggered the clashes].
"Therefore, I will not yet seek a new round of talks, not until they are ready. What we have to do now is to be prepared for any situation," he said.
A military source said Gen Prawit on Saturday talked to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Defence Minister Tea Banh on the telephone and both sides agreed to a ceasefire and not to bring more reinforcements to the border. [But Cambodian troops said Thailand still send more troops reinforcement to the areas after the agreement].
"But the Cambodia did not keep its word. Instead, the Cambodian soldiers continued to attack the Thai side, causing Gen Prawit to become very upset," the source said. [It was Thailand who did not keeps its word by pushing in due to its military might].
The source said a son of Hun Sen, Brig Genl Hun Manet, personally commanded the latest fighting around the Preah Vihear temple area .
It was Brig Gen Hun Manet who ordered retaliatory action because Cambodian soldiers suffered heavy casualties in previous clashes. The Cambodian soldiers were ordered to attack on Sunday night, the source said.
"Hun Sen wants the Cambodian people to be satisfied with his son.
"He wants his son to be an army chief despite he fact that Hun Manet is only 33 years old. Hun Manet graduated from the West Point military academy of the United States. He has been tipped to replace his father as the country's military leader in the future," the source said.
Col Chinkaj Rattanakitti, 2nd Army field spokesman, said that the old Don Tual temple near Mo Din Daeng cliff in Kantharalak of Si Sa Ket province is still in hands of Thai soldiers and has not be taken by Cambodian troops, as had been reported.
Col Chinkaj said we went to the area and took pictures of the damage caused by artillery fire for the Foreign Ministry to use in its argument to the United Nations that Cambodia attacked the temple and civilian targets.
He said 15 Thai soldiers and two villagers were wounded in the three-hour exchange of gun fire on Sunday night which lasted until 10pm.
A report that one Thai soldier was captured on Sunday night was not true, he said.
A field military source said the main reason for Cambodia to have violated the ceasefire agreement was the fact that as many as 64 Cambodian soldiers were killed on Friday. Cambodian soldiers tried to attack Thai bases near the 4.6 square kilometres disputed area, causing clashes to follow. [The source of the fighting on Friday was because Thai soldiers were building road into disputed territory and ignored Cambodian warning to stop. It was the cause of fight. Cambodian commanders claimed that 32 thai soldiers had been killed on Friday's fighting].
On Monday morning, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed again at Phalan Yao village west of Phu Makhua mountain for about 20 minutes but there were no reports of casualties, the source said.
5 comments:
This stupid report said contradict each others
Don't talk with these bastards.
I don't want to be involved in politics!! But, we (Cambodians & outsiders) all know very well the situation btw Cambodia & Siam (Thailand)!!! Siam only uses Cambodia (Preah Vihear temple) as a pretext for the sole purpose of their own internal political fighting. Those PAD labels themselves as strong nationalism but the real truth is to gain Power, to be the King!! While Abisit has had no choice but to provoke the war again & again to keep himself hanging to power, won't be long!! What a pity, I really feel sorry for him with all the intense pressure working as a puppet PM!!
He is too much obsesses with power losing all the virtues, integrities, qualities,...as a well-educated man!!! All Siamese people know well about the situation!!! How could Cambodia, a less developed or honestly weaker country, try provoking war with Siam? All the nations in the world could easily sees this. However, ASEAN, USA,...they all just looking for the more profitable side. Finally, foreign relation is all about geopolitics = either economic or power reason! The ASEAN & USA is having a much greater benefits with Siam thus give up justice, Cambodia. Sick!
correction: otherwise she will plead insanity.
The report did not contradicts each other. The highlighted sentences are added by Khmerization to present the Cambodian version of event as the Bangkok Post report is one-sided.
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