Thailand Might Close Cambodian Border

[george]

Cambodians buy food, oil over Thai border fearing border closure

SA KAEO: -- Anxieties regarding an imminent border closure by Thailand over a disputed zone near an ancient temple led to over one thousand Cambodians to cross the border Saturday to stock up on dried foodstuffs and oil from a market in Aranyaprathet district opposite Cambodia's Poi Pet.

The Cambodians bought daily essentials to keep in reserve on worries that the Thai authorities might close the border following military reinforcements and tensions building in Thailand's Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket, where Preah Vihear temple is located.

Tensions in the area have increased in recent days as both countries have reinforced their troops near the disputed temple.

A Cambodian villager who crossed the border and bought food supplies said Cambodians in Poi Pet feared that fighting could break out.

He said Poi Pet residents believed that negotiations between the two neighbours' military leaders, scheduled for Monday and aimed at defusing the tensions, would be fruitless after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had demanded that Thailand withdraw its troops.

Cambodians believe that Thailand would not follow the Cambodian leader's request, said the villager.

Meanwhile, Thai Army soldiers and Rangers have set up a checkpoint at a border outpost in Aranyaprathet and are also patrolling the shared border to prevent Cambodians from entering Thailand illegally.

-- TNA 2008-07-19

[george]

60 vendors evacuated down from Phra Wiharn Park for fear of clash

SI SA KET: -- Soldiers Saturday ordered some 60 vendors to move out of the Phra Wiharn National Park for fear of clash following the building up of troops along the disputed border near Preah Vihear.

The vendors were instructed to move their belongings down from the Mor I-daeng Cliff, which is part of the Phra Wiharn National Park within Saturday.

-- The Nation 2008-07-19

[george]

Thailand, Cambodia halt military moves pending Monday talks

BANGKOK: -- Thailand and Cambodia agreed to temporary suspend all armed forces movements along the Thai-Cambodian border at Si Sa Ket province which is adjacent to Cambodia's Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, and Thailand's Second Army Area Command is on round-the-clock alert, according to a senior Thai military official.

The Second Army Area Command is responsible for overseeing the northeastern provinces which includes Si Sa Ket.

Meanwhile, Pol.Lt-Gen. Vichienchot Sukchokrat, a Thai government spokesman, said he was informed by Don Pramudwinai, Thailand's Permanent Representative to the United Nations that Cambodia has asked for UN help in dealing with the border dispute.

The content of the Cambodian petition is not known to the Thai govenment, and Thailand is awaiting the details, he said.

Gen. Vichienchot said the pressure by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) earlier this week forced Cambodia to ask for help from the United Nations.

He added that Thailand's image was tarnished from the dispute, so he appealed to the PAD and other groups to stop their movement.

Thai News Agency reporters on the scene at Si Sa ket said that both sides of the border in the vicinity of the 11th century temple are quite tense after the two countries built up their armed forces along the border.

Second Army Area Deputy Commander Maj-Gen.Weewalit Jornsamrit said he was assigned by Second Army Area Commander Lt-Gen. Sujit Sitthiprapa to inspect the area and discuss the situation with Cambodia's Preah Vihear province deputy governor.

He said after meeting with Cambodian authorities that both sides agreed to suspend military movements that may cause further tension, but the military officials would remain stationed at strategic points pending the result of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meetng to be held in Sa Kaeo province on Monday.

Thailand's Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit would lead Thai delegates to meet Cambodian Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh.

Gen.Weewalit said the situation at other Thai provinces bordering Cambodia was normal.

Meanwhile, Gen. Sujit said he has ordered military officers under his command to be on alert for 24 hours as Cambodian troops had built up their troop numbers at Preah Vihear temple border side.

He believed that the GBC border meeting could find a joint solution to ease the tension.

The military standoff between Cambodia and Thailand entered its fifth day Saturday after the tension build up after UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site.

Thai activists fear the new status will undermine Thailand's claim to nearby land since the border has never been properly demarcated.

-- TNA 2008-07-19

[Nampeung]

Is this where ALL the Thai/Cambodia stuff will now be discussed? There seem to be too many threads to keep up

[Chang_paarp]

So if the border is closed, will that apply to the trade in endangered species, drugs and humans, or is it just for legitimate commerce?

Not to mention the trade in border runs from Pattaya and environs. This will add significantly to the time and cost of a border run.

[retiredusn]

If they close the border, folks may have to fly elsewhere for a visa.

[george]

PREAH VIHEAR

Border tensions rise

Commerce ceases, residents prepare for evacuation; Army says talks will ease temperatures

Cambodian anti-riot police stand guard yesterday at the Preah Vihear temple near the Thai border in Preah Vihear province. Cambodia and Thailand further increased their forces in the fifth day of a tense standoff on disputed land near an ancient Hindu tem

Some 60 shop owners have been ordered by the Army to remove their stock and leave their shops around Preah Vihear temple.

Tensions along the Thailand-Cambodian border continue to rise and fears of a military confrontation are increasing.

Shop owners from Mor-e-daeng market were told early yesterday morning to close their shops and remove stock, as the Army set up checkpoints preventing tourists, protesters and local and foreign journalists from getting close to the disputed temple compound.

Evacuation plans for residents have been drawn up and the area can be cleared in 30 minutes, soldiers say.

Shops cleared

A Ranger division was mobilised early yesterday morning and went shop to shop explaining it cannot be responsible for stock left on shelves in any engagement. The Army is checking and recording names of those moving out and others travelling routes in the area.

One Si Sa Ket kamnan, Veerayuth Duangkaew, says armed troops have entered the area and a lot of people have left the vicinity of the temple.

Local residents are fearful clashes with Cambodian troops are imminent. Shop owner Thonglar Cham-song, 43, doesn't expect the situation to improve anytime soon.

Police are on alert and are preparing for an evacuation. Bueng Malu superintendent Lt-Colonel Tippong Tipayakaset is worried about looting during an evacuation. "What's worrying is that in a war, while an evacuation is taking place, there will be looting. We are preparing for that."

Supreme Commander Gene-ral Boonsrang Niumpradit is confident no clashes will ensue. He says everything will be done to avoid a conflict at tomorrow's bilateral negotiations with Cambodia's General Tea Ban. "Talks will be mostly about military matters and will touch on other subjects later. We already have the General Border Committee, which is composed of representatives from various organisations with the lead from the Defence Ministry.

"[Tea Ban] doesn't want an incident. Neither do we. So I reckon we can talk. The commanders on each side must try to reduce the temperature, because it's easy to lose tempers. We must carefully control that."

-- The Nation 2008-07-20

[bazmlb]

If they close the border, folks may have to fly elsewhere for a visa.

Must be the airlines behind this in some elaborate scheme to get more people to fly now with the rising price of oil.

[Pattayatony]

So if the border is closed, will that apply to the trade in endangered species, drugs and humans, or is it just for legitimate commerce?

Not to mention the trade in border runs from Pattaya and environs. This will add significantly to the time and cost of a border run.

If you lived in Cambo Chang you would not have any more border runs to worry about.

sihanoukvilleonline dot com

Cheers Tony

[seagull]

Is this where ALL the Thai/Cambodia stuff will now be discussed? There seem to be too many threads to keep up

Yeah you're right. And I just saw this topic pops up on my screen. And I am relying on TV for news updates rather than going directly to those on-line news like BP and The Nation.

Couldn"t TV like group all under something like "Thai/Cambodia Border Tensions" and not under news clipping forum ? Am I making sense. I guessed not. As usual eh ?