Left: Songkram Tongchompoo with Thai embassy officials after released and (bottom) with Cambodian police before released.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 8 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodia on Tuesday returned to Thailand a Thai soldier who was captured amid border clashes over the weekend, a Cambodian Defense Ministry official said.
Songkram Tongchompoo, a 22-year-old army conscript, was captured Saturday at Mt. Phnom Troap, one of the three main areas of fighting between the two countries' troops between Friday and Monday.
Lt. Nem Sowath, director general of Policy and Foreign Affairs of Cambodia's defense ministry, said the Thai soldier was returned following a request from Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.
He was turned over to the Thai Embassy's military attache at the Defense Ministry in Phnom Penh, in the presence of a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Thai Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai, who was also present at the handover ceremony, thanked the Cambodian government for his quick return.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over their rival claims to 4.6 square kilometers of land near Cambodia's ancient temple of Preah Vihear.
According to a 1962 World Court ruling, the temple belongs to Cambodia. Since it was registered as World Heritage Site in 2008, several rounds of border clashes have occurred.
The latest round has left five Cambodians dead and 45 others injured.
Songkram Tongchompoo, a 22-year-old army conscript, was captured Saturday at Mt. Phnom Troap, one of the three main areas of fighting between the two countries' troops between Friday and Monday.
Lt. Nem Sowath, director general of Policy and Foreign Affairs of Cambodia's defense ministry, said the Thai soldier was returned following a request from Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.
He was turned over to the Thai Embassy's military attache at the Defense Ministry in Phnom Penh, in the presence of a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Thai Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai, who was also present at the handover ceremony, thanked the Cambodian government for his quick return.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over their rival claims to 4.6 square kilometers of land near Cambodia's ancient temple of Preah Vihear.
According to a 1962 World Court ruling, the temple belongs to Cambodia. Since it was registered as World Heritage Site in 2008, several rounds of border clashes have occurred.
The latest round has left five Cambodians dead and 45 others injured.
No comments:
Post a Comment