more fighting

The ongoing border tensions between Thai/Khmer flared up again, over ten people dead due to the fighting  over the weekend near the Preah Vihear temple. Read more from ABC here, or on KI media here , or on the Phnom Penh Post here.

Troops will stay reports Thailand

So the Bangkok Post seems to report something different to the Phnom Penh Post. They still say the border is opening, but not so big on troops withdrawal, as you can read here.

Troops withdraw reports Phnom Penh

From the Phnom Penh Post, click to go to the site and read in full:


Cambodia and Thailand have begun a coordinated withdrawal of troops from Preah Vihear temple in preparation for the reopening of the temple’s international border crossing next week.

The crossing has been closed since July 2008, when the disputed temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, triggering a military build-up along the border.

Soeun and the students walked up to the temples, most people hire a moto I think. It took them an hour and a half!

Temple on the cliff- Preah Vihear!

Recently Soeun and some students went to Preah Vihear Province and visited Preah Vihear temple. In July last year UNESCO declared it World Heritage.

Since then this entrance has been blocked. There are troops on both the Thai and Cambodia side of the border here. Both countries claim it as their own. Else where on this blog you can read about the Khmer/thai relations and the tensions that were at their height in October last year.





Cambodians here worship DaDy, a local spirit to ask for protection. He was a General who lived here many years ago.




The photo above is taken from the edge of the cliff that the temple is built on. You can see the roads and the village at the bottom of the hill on the Khmer side.

If you have read about Pol Pot time you may have read about some Khmer refugees being pushed back into Cambodia by Thai people. I think this is the area where these Khmer people who had fled their country to the safety of Thailand were taken back and pushed off a cliff.


Want to know more? See Journey to the top of Cambodia

Recent events in the border dispute (this used to be in the side bar)

July 2008: UNESCO awarded a temple in Cambodia World Heritage status. Some Thais were angered as they claim it belongs to their country. Both Thai and Khmer troops were sent to the border, but in August they reduced the number.October 3:Border shooting, both sides blamed each other. Two Thai and one Khmer wounded.

Oct 3-13 Tensions and troops at border grow

Oct 13 Prime Minister says Thai troops must retreat by tomorrow or face war.

Oct 14th It is announced that Thai troops retreat, but they didn't really.

Oct 15th Fighting erupts. 3 Khmer die, Khmer take Thai POWsOct 16th Talks held. Since then I've been hearing conflicting pieces of news, and challenging Aussies to try to use "girt"in a sentence this week.F

ind out more here:YOUTUBE link

“Khmer/Thai relations”

KI Media and sometimes this other blog has something to say: FA

For the latest, see our other blog Kronicle Extra> Topic Province of Preah Vihear

What is happening now?

Photos: Border photos from the weekend

Well, since I last wrote about the border stuff there have been a few talks, and there are more planned for later this week. I heard mixed reports about the talks so far, some sounded good, some not good. Some third parties, such as Malaysia have offered to help, but I don't think that offer has been taken up.

Border talks pushed back, troops dig in
This headline was in yesterdays Phnom Penh Post, here are some quotes from it:

Negotiations to be held Friday as soldiers from both sides prepare for a protracted standoff over disputed border territories

They are on alert and the number of troops is increasing on each side.

Things people have been talking and thinking about

“Over the past century its (Cambodia’s) life has been grossly tampered with by many outsiders. By France…By Japan… By the United States…By China…By Vietnam…By the Soviet Union…” (pge 251)

From Cambodia: Report from a Stricken Nation, Henry Kamm, Arcade Publishing, 1998

Pray that doesn't happen again.

"The country's precise area -- 181,035 square km -- is drummed into every schoolchild, and any perceived squeezing of its borders is taken as a personal affront by many of its 13 million people.

"You have to defend your house," said 48-year-old motorbike taxi driver Chea Sokean, 48. "If the Thai troops want to steal our house, we have to chase them away.""

From this article

Conflict over the conflict

I listened to the 7pm news on the radio. We get Radio Australia and BBC World service. I flipped between the two of them so I got to hear both. They both said that both sides had agreed to patrol the border so there would be no more fighting. But I'm hearing very very different things around me. Not sure what is happening up in Preah Vihear, but this headline reflects some peoples feelings.
Stung Cambodians say ready to take on Thais

Remains of fallen Khmer soldiers

Some photo links

Remains of fallen Khmer soldiers

Civilian evacuation from Preah Vihear (don't forget to read the comment!)

So yesterday there was some fighting, and from what people said it sounded like Khmer was winning and captured some Thai soldiers. Then the Thais wanted to negotiate, but some Khmer don't trust them, why do they want to do that now, when they didn't before? But last night on TV they said they will be having talks today.

Just found out that a 3rd Khmer has been found dead. Third Cambodian soldier found dead

KI Media might be able to fill you in.

3 Khmer dead from fight yesterday

Fighting in Preah Viheah You tube link
I haven't watched it yet Soeun just recommended it, and here is a link to a blog Soeun has been reading about why it might be happening , from both sides Cambodia Thai war and the hidden agenda

Two dead in fighting on Cambodian border this article has a summary of the background, so I'll post is here:

The background in a nutshell (taken straight from AFP on KI Media)

"The stand-off between the neighbours first flared in July after Preah Vihear was awarded World Heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO, angering some Thai nationalists who still claim ownership of the site.

The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.

Tensions flared again this week after failed talks on Monday aimed at cooling the months-long standoff.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen then issued an ultimatum to the Thai side after he accused more than 80 Thai soldiers of entering one of a handful of disputed areas -- telling Bangkok to leave or risk conflict.

Cambodian officials insisted that the troops did leave before the Tuesday mid-day deadline, but Sompong said they were standing their ground.The Cambodian-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia."

Fighting

Fighting erupts along Thai Cambodian border
and for the latest I'm checking the KI Media site, it gets news from a few different places, and you can read the comments from khmer ppl too

Cartoon

To recap, on Monday the PM of Cambodia Hun Sen said that if the Thai troops didn't move back by Tuesday (yesterday) he would start fighting. When I posted yesterday afternoon the on lone news said that the troops had moved back, but people here and the Bangkok post said they hadn't. And when I came online just now (its about 9am wed)this is what I found:
Death zone cartoon (Soeun pointed out features in here I didn't notice at first)
and heaps of articles on KI Media here is one:

Phnom Penh announces Thai pullout , Bangkok denies
and another one
Thai sends more troops to Cambodian border

and don't forget to read the comments on KI media articles.

Later the same day...

Some background to this issue is posted here. That was written in July, you can read about what's been happening this month is my last few posts.

Well since I posted this morning, according to some reports Thai soldiers have moved back! This is good news as last night the Prime Minister said if they didn't move today there would be war.

Here is a link to an article and some comments Troops retreat from disputed border
And to find out the latest have a look on the KI Media site

I checked the Bangkok Post and it had an article for today saying that they wouldn't retreat. I can't see a time on this, its just under "breaking news". Thai army ready to defend sovereignty

And now the Phnom Penh Post has an article about it, but if you read the headlines in my previous blog post its nothing new. Cambodia warns of war after border talks

I guess I'm posting all these links and headline because I don't want to put any sensitive info on my blog, but by reading the headlines and the people's comments you might get an idea of what people here are talking about. I think in these situations its easy for rumours to start, so i'm not sure who or what to believe. This article has about 88 comments, you can see what I mean : Thai troops pull out from Veal Entry

On a different note, here is something we often talk about, Free education costs a fortune

Thai/Khmer relations update

More headlines from KI Media from yesterday and today, as well as peoples comments at the end of the articles. I can't write about the rumours I'm hearing, so I'll just give you some headlines, some of these articles are similar, KI collects thems from various sources. If you just read down throught the headlines you'll get the gist of what's going on, if you want to know more you can click on a headline to read the article, and have a look at the comments!

From yesterday:

Thai , Cambodian ministers in border dispute talks, this article is short and gives some background

Cambodia, Thailand resume talks on border spat

Thai, Cambodian ministers fail to solve border row

Cambodia, Thailand set timeframe to resolve border disputes

Last night we watched the news and the Prime Minister was talking about this: Hun Sen asks Thailand to pull out its troops from Veal Entry within 24 hours...otherwise war will be waged

Cambodia warns Thailand again in border dispute
Cambodia warns Thai over border

Cambodian PM gives border ultimatum this one has some comments which reflects the nationalistic feeling. As an Aussie, border disputes are totally foreign to me as our home is girt by sea.

Cambodian PM tells Thailand he will fight more nationalistic comments. "Yuon"is what Khmers sometimes call Vietnamese.

Cambodia warns Thailand to stop trespassing

Cambodia warns Thailand its patience wearing thin over border spat (lots of comments)

And from today so far (I'm posting at about 10am, so no doubt KI Media will add some more later on today)....

Thai border talks produce no results

Leave disputed area or face "death zone" Cambodia tells Thailand this one has a photos and heaps and heaps of comments

War threat [Sompong; no Thai troops will be withdrawn as of now]


And here is a link to some photos that were taken in July of the troops and the temple. : John Vink

Border update

KI Media posted some more on the border issues over the weekend. And for each story there are lots of comments, in English, by Khmer and others.
Also there are some photos of Khmer people protesting in Germany and Austria outside the Thai embassies, but I only put links for the other posts:
Thailand increased troop deployments along the borders
Military confrontations between Khmer and Thai troops are increasingly tense
Thai, Cambodian foreign ministers resume talks on lingering border dispute

and today the Thai FM visits Cambodia

Border crisis

Today's Phnom Penh Post has this photo and caption A new front line, as well as this article called : Border crisis a call to arms.

Back in the news- Border issue

In July you may remember hearing about Thai and Khmer troops at the border because of a dispute about land. It seems like this issue has been around for ages, maybe almost 1000 years.

In the last few days people have been talking about it more. Some links if you want to find out more:

KI Media has this: "Thailand intent to go to war with Cambodia?" and earlier on this one.

This blog brings together border news from different sources.

Some Cambodian news online (links).

Today

Today in Cambodia... click to find out more.

Elections today, border issue talks tomorrow.