Posts Tagged ‘Preah Vihear’

Cambodia rejected Thai border allegation

Cambodian embassy in Bangkok sent letter dated Tuesday to the Thai foreign ministry by rejecting Thai accusation of the repair work which had been constructed entirely at a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple within the Cambodia’s territory.

Last month, Thai foreign ministry sent a not to Cambodian embassy to Thailand by saying that the repair on the monk’s quarters at the pagoda within their territory.

The embassy’s letter followed a similar communiqué written last Friday, in which it denounced accusations that a construction project near the Ta Krabey temple in Oddar Meanchey province had impinged on Thai territory, reported the Post.

Srey Doek, commander of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Division 3 in Preah Vihear province, said repairs on the dilapidated dormitories at the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda began about six months ago and took only a few days, according to the Post.

Armed clash between Cambodia and Thai troops

The armed confrontation occurred the earlier Sunday between Cambodian and Thai soldier near the two bordering countries disputed area, Preah Vihear temple. The troop clash was caused by the misunderstanding. The both soldiers returned to their bases in order to wait for the official meeting between the both countries.

Col Thanet Wongcha-um, chief of staff of the commander for the Suranaree Task Force and Col Thawatchai Changprachak, commander of a special unit from Thailand’s Ranger Forces Regiment 23 on Sunday met Maj-Gen Srey Doek, commander of Cambodia’s 3rd Reinforcement Division at an operation base in Kantharalak district following the clash, in which two Thai soldiers wounded, reported Xinhua.

Lt-Col Nut Sri-in, commander of Suranaree Task Force Unit 163, earlier Sunday said the fighting took place while a group of Thai Army Rangers were patrolling and confronted Cambodian soldiers who were felling trees in Kantharalak district, SI SA KET province, which borders Cambodia, the news continued.

Thai planned military action against Cambodia

Following the fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was appointed as advisor to prime minister Hun Sen and to Cambodia’s government on October 27, the diplomatic ties between Cambodia and Thailand occurred and the both countries recalled their ambassadors to their own countries.

Recently, the leak of the secret information revealed that the Thai government developed a contingency plan for military action against Cambodia near the disputed areas near Preah Vihear temple.

According to the Nation newspaper, Puea Thai party lawmaker Jatuporn Prompan circulated the document to reporter Saturday, claiming that Thailand was preparing for military action against Cambodia.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya sent document dated on Nov 16 to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, reported the Nation.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodia Foreign Ministry, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying that he had only heard of the leaked document through media reports and on the internet.

“Cambodia is ready to solve the problems by all means: politically, legally, bilateral negotiations,” added he. (more…)

Cambodia voted as member of World Heritage committee

It is the first time Cambodia have been voted to one of 21 permanent member of World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in 17th general assembly in Paris from Oct 23 to 28, 2009, representing 186 countries in the world.

Speaking in graduation ceremony of a university in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s prime minister Hun Sen said that “it is a new pride for our country that became fully permanent member of the World Heritage Committee,” adding that “it will promote the image and prestige of the Kingdom of Cambodia on the world arena.”

Membership to the committee allows Cambodia a vote in deciding which cultural and historic sites make the annual World Heritage List, and also gives the country a say in how the World Heritage Fund allocates money for the preservation of historic sites, according to the Daily.

Chuch Phoeung, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and chairman of the Preah Vihear Authority, said that committee membership would make it easier for Cambodia to get its national treasures recognised as World Heritage sites, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

“Thailand stated again that to elect Cambodia as a member of the World Heritage Committee will ignite and instigate the conflict between the two countries,” according to the Council of Ministers’ Friday statement.

This is the first time Cambodia has sat on the committee since it joined UNESCO in 1951.

The Angkor temple complex was listed as a World Heritage site in 1993. Preah Vihear temple, on the border with Thailand, was awarded the status in July 2008, triggering a yearlong military standoff between Cambodia and Thailand, which claims the territory around the temple, according to the Post.

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