A foreign military attache takes a photo at Pha MorI Dang, a cliff close to the Cambodian border and the Preah Vihear temple, during an army-organised trip to inspect the damage caused by clashes between the two countries from Feb 4-7. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROYAL THAI ARMY
Published: 22/02/2011
Writer: Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post
Thai troops are sceptical of a proposed truce with Cambodia holding any weight, with the Suranaree Task Force claiming Cambodia has broken 121 agreements relating to a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 aimed at avoiding border disputes.
Thai troops have raised concerns whether their Cambodian counterparts would keep their promise on any truce.
Army chief-of-staff Dapong Rattanasuwan led a team on Saturday in ceasefire talks with Maj Gen Hun Manet, the deputy army chief of Cambodia. An eight-point agreement was reached.
The Suranaree Task Force said yesterday Cambodia had violated border and military agreements over the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre site 121 times in the 11 years since the two countries signed a memorandum on surveying and demarcating the boundary in an effort to avoid disputes.
The violations allegedly include construction and renovation of Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svara, building roads to Preah Vihear temple, building shops and markets near Preah Vihear, building accommodation in the area, building military shelters, erecting a ladder to Preah Vihear, the construction of a telephone signal pole and building a cable car on Phu Makhua mountain, west of Preah Vihear.
Cambodia also built 935 steps to Phu Makhua in breach of the agreements, the task force said.
The 2000 memorandum and military agreements bars the two countries from building or making geographic or landscape changes in the area.
"Cambodia's proposal for the unilateral listing of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site also broke the agreement because of the unsettled demarcation," the task force said in its statement.
The Suranaree Task Force reached an agreement with the Cambodian forces to reduce troop levels at Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svara and the nearby area to 30 each but Cambodia gradually reinforced its troops to about 1,000 at the temple and at Preah Vihear, the task force said.
Thai and Cambodian troops also reached an agreement on Oct 27 last year to adjust their forces to ease tensions in the disputed area.
"The Thai army adjusted its forces as requested but the Cambodian side hid its troops and heavy arms in disputed areas and refused Thai requests for examination," the task force said.
The Thai army yesterday took military attaches from 14 countries to see the damage caused by Cambodian shelling during the fighting from Feb 4-7.
Army deputy chief-of-staff Sirichai Dithakul took the attaches to Ban Phum Srol in Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district, which was worst hit by the cross-border fire.
One villager was killed and others were wounded. Tens of thousands of villagers along the border were evacuated.
The attaches taking part in the border visit represented the US, France, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. The Cambodian military attache did not join the group.
"Thai soldiers want the conflict to be solved through negotiation and peaceful means," Lt Gen Sirichai told the attaches. "We don't want to invade any country but only to protect our sovereignty."
A military source said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya asked Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon to invite the military attaches to the border.
Published: 22/02/2011
Writer: Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post
Thai troops are sceptical of a proposed truce with Cambodia holding any weight, with the Suranaree Task Force claiming Cambodia has broken 121 agreements relating to a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 aimed at avoiding border disputes.
Thai troops have raised concerns whether their Cambodian counterparts would keep their promise on any truce.
Army chief-of-staff Dapong Rattanasuwan led a team on Saturday in ceasefire talks with Maj Gen Hun Manet, the deputy army chief of Cambodia. An eight-point agreement was reached.
The Suranaree Task Force said yesterday Cambodia had violated border and military agreements over the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre site 121 times in the 11 years since the two countries signed a memorandum on surveying and demarcating the boundary in an effort to avoid disputes.
The violations allegedly include construction and renovation of Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svara, building roads to Preah Vihear temple, building shops and markets near Preah Vihear, building accommodation in the area, building military shelters, erecting a ladder to Preah Vihear, the construction of a telephone signal pole and building a cable car on Phu Makhua mountain, west of Preah Vihear.
Cambodia also built 935 steps to Phu Makhua in breach of the agreements, the task force said.
The 2000 memorandum and military agreements bars the two countries from building or making geographic or landscape changes in the area.
"Cambodia's proposal for the unilateral listing of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site also broke the agreement because of the unsettled demarcation," the task force said in its statement.
The Suranaree Task Force reached an agreement with the Cambodian forces to reduce troop levels at Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Svara and the nearby area to 30 each but Cambodia gradually reinforced its troops to about 1,000 at the temple and at Preah Vihear, the task force said.
Thai and Cambodian troops also reached an agreement on Oct 27 last year to adjust their forces to ease tensions in the disputed area.
"The Thai army adjusted its forces as requested but the Cambodian side hid its troops and heavy arms in disputed areas and refused Thai requests for examination," the task force said.
The Thai army yesterday took military attaches from 14 countries to see the damage caused by Cambodian shelling during the fighting from Feb 4-7.
Army deputy chief-of-staff Sirichai Dithakul took the attaches to Ban Phum Srol in Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district, which was worst hit by the cross-border fire.
One villager was killed and others were wounded. Tens of thousands of villagers along the border were evacuated.
The attaches taking part in the border visit represented the US, France, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. The Cambodian military attache did not join the group.
"Thai soldiers want the conflict to be solved through negotiation and peaceful means," Lt Gen Sirichai told the attaches. "We don't want to invade any country but only to protect our sovereignty."
A military source said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya asked Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon to invite the military attaches to the border.
3 comments:
Obviously, those visiting soldiers don't know how treacherous those Siamese soldiers are--they lied about everything. They can't be trusted ,truce or no truce agreement.
Oh, please save us this ridiculous bullshit. It's The Siamese bastards that are doing the invading. Fucking lying to high heaven here!!! since when a Siamese bastard can be trusted, not in our lifetime.
US trying to help pin point the target..?
Post a Comment