Thailand Troops Enter Cambodia

[Scott]

The problem with keeping a lot of troops on a border is that eventually they get bored and do something. Unless someone has some information as to why this sudden movement of people into Cambodia or disputed territory.

[ashacat]

Is this going to effect the Thai-Cambo border opening? I was planning to drive to the border on Friday, does anyone know how I can find out?

Cheers.

[rethaired]

Like a few others have stated, I believe that this is a convenient strategy to fill the front pages of newspapers with pictures of soldiers fighting, displacing pictures of Thai citizens losing their jobs.

[romulus]

The problem with keeping a lot of troops on a border is that eventually they get bored and do something. Unless someone has some information as to why this sudden movement of people into Cambodia or disputed territory.

I could hazard a guess...

... they were looking for unripe mangoes and got carried away?

[Dakhar]

Send in that mighty Cambodian Juggernaut army - arriving in Toyota pick up trucks. That will put the fear of God into them.

This headline is inflammatory and dumb. I get a TV Breaking News flash in the email, and immediately check the BKK Post and Nation websites, expecting to see some update on the situation. Instead, what do I find? Nothing, because is a non story.

Thanks Pierrot....Next time, just shout "Wolf Wolf Wolf" like you're supposed to.

People in pick-up trucks have done a pretty good job at showing how ineffective the US military machine is in Iran and Afghanistan for the last few years so I wouldn't be making judgments based on the mode of transport the Cambodians might use. That of course comes after a rag-tag group of people in pyjamas and flip-flops chased the same military machine out of Vietnam.

When the gloves come off.... there is a different storry to tell. Just ask Japan.

Edited March 25, 2009 by Dakhar

[greens]

Send in that mighty Cambodian Juggernaut army - arriving in Toyota pick up trucks. That will put the fear of God into them.

This headline is inflammatory and dumb. I get a TV Breaking News flash in the email, and immediately check the BKK Post and Nation websites, expecting to see some update on the situation. Instead, what do I find? Nothing, because is a non story.

Thanks Pierrot....Next time, just shout "Wolf Wolf Wolf" like you're supposed to.

People in pick-up trucks have done a pretty good job at showing how ineffective the US military machine is in Iran and Afghanistan for the last few years so I wouldn't be making judgments based on the mode of transport the Cambodians might use. That of course comes after a rag-tag group of people in pyjamas and flip-flops chased the same military machine out of Vietnam.

I wasn't aware that we were in Iran and they sure didn't chase us out of Vietnam.

[peecee]

As previously stated; the impending red shirt rally may well have influenced the military's decision to bring about this incursion. The Thai generals have for many years flexed their muscles to subdue the plebe'iens unrest.

[tranquillize]

Some people will never get the idea of diplomacy through their thick skulls. Nothing will come of this "situation".

[qualtrough]

Many years ago my wife and I were going to Ko Chang when we were stopped be Thai soldiers and advised to turn back because Cambodian soldiers were in the area and were known to stop cars and steal whatever they could lay their hands on. We turned back.

Thanks for the heads-up. I hadn't planned on going - but now I will certainly stay away.

What? Because many years ago some Cambodian soldiers were rumored to be in an area near Koh Chang?? It's all about timing. You can have a nice holiday in Cambodia and Vietnam now, not so much in 1975. Germany is a wonderful place to visit, not so much in 1945, and so on...

[qualtrough]

Is this going to effect the Thai-Cambo border opening? I was planning to drive to the border on Friday, does anyone know how I can find out?

Cheers.

I can't help but be reminded of the scene in the movie the Killing Fields where the US ambassador is packing up to leave as the Khmer Rouge are on the outskirts of PP and he reads aloud a letter from somebody asking advice about their upcoming HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA.

P.S. Hey, that would be a dynamite song title come to think of it!

[ham]

this is the temple area, kind of cliff, looking into Cambodia

(btw. this great temple was built about 100 years before Ankor Wat!)

[terrier123]

Does anyone else find it ironic that a dispute over claims of ownership of a BUDDHIST temple has the armies of both countries ready to start shelling each other?

Yes it is ironic. even more so that throughout history most wars have been fought in the name of religion but usually of different demoninations. Why not ask the United Nations to arbitrate and find a solution to this ongoing problem then the residents of Isaan once again can enjoy this beautiful area without fear.

[raro]

Does anyone else find it ironic that a dispute over claims of ownership of a BUDDHIST temple has the armies of both countries ready to start shelling each other?

that's a Hindu temple to start with and the land is owned by Cambodia according to a 1962 (?) court ruling. Undisputed by the rest of the world, just the Thai history books got it wrong.

[raro]

this is the temple area, kind of cliff, looking into Cambodia

(btw. this great temple was built about 100 years before Ankor Wat!)

that's the other irony of the story....the land is more or less not assessable from the Cambodian side - unless you are a good mountaineer. But it belongs to Cambodia, the Thais just don't get it.

[Igor]

War is good for the economy.

Can we blame the UN?

Didn't they decide it was in Cambodian territory even though all the access was from Thailand? (Well, all the convenient access, anyway.)

[henryalleman]

From what I understand it's not Cambodian territory, it's a disputed area, Thais have as much rights to enter there as Cambodians who have been squatting there for years and even erected a temple.

Cambodian government has been regularly flaming up this issue, it looks like they want international community recognition of de-facto sovereignty over this disputed land.

Your assumption is very near the mark ! Go back to Cambodian incursions into Thailand over the centuries -- example when they kidnapped thousands of Thais around Korat to repopulate parts of Cambodia.

Everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath, and while you are at it, read a book on Southeast Asian history. It was only just over a century ago that the western concept of the "nation-state" was imposed upon Southeast Asia. Before then it was spheres of influence, best referred to in Thai as "Muangs". There were no borders per se and any one area could come under the influence of one kingdom, or princedom, and then yet another at a later date. As for regional wars, most of the wars over the centuries were fought for people and not for land. The entire region was relatively underpopulated, so one side would go out and battle the other side and the winner would take back the artisans and skilled labor, as well as some farmers to help build up food surpluses and to be used for future corvee labor, the major form of taxation prior to the modern age. So certainly if you go back far enough you will find Khmers bringing back Thais, but as Khmer influence waned, you are more likely to read of Thais or Burmese raiding and taking captives back to their bases. Today there are far more Khmer speakers within Thai soil than Thai speakers within Khmer soil. So careful with the historical references, these current events are simply modern political maneuvers being made for modern domestic consumption.

Correct observations. People should learn some history before they comment something.

[CMBob]

Does anyone else find it ironic that a dispute over claims of ownership of a BUDDHIST temple has the armies of both countries ready to start shelling each other?

Actually, no. Religious differences have been the basis for the killing of millions the last couple of thousand years. Same old, same old.

[henryalleman]

Send in that mighty Cambodian Juggernaut army - arriving in Toyota pick up trucks. That will put the fear of God into them.

This headline is inflammatory and dumb. I get a TV Breaking News flash in the email, and immediately check the BKK Post and Nation websites, expecting to see some update on the situation. Instead, what do I find? Nothing, because is a non story.

Thanks Pierrot....Next time, just shout "Wolf Wolf Wolf" like you're supposed to.

People in pick-up trucks have done a pretty good job at showing how ineffective the US military machine is in Iran and Afghanistan for the last few years so I wouldn't be making judgments based on the mode of transport the Cambodians might use. That of course comes after a rag-tag group of people in pyjamas and flip-flops chased the same military machine out of Vietnam.

When the gloves come off.... there is a different storry to tell. Just ask Japan.

Lucky for them they did won that war, otherwise they would have been convicted as war criminals and executed for throwing an A bomb on the head of innocent and defenceless unarmed civilians.

Edited March 25, 2009 by henryalleman

[snuggzzz]

When I first heard about this I thought what is happenning politically in Thailand, I didn't realise that the 'Red Shirts' were marching, has anyone got details of a time and place please......???

As for the Border incursion, one could perhaps believe that it's a cynical ploy to distract the media both Nationally and Internationally from those events the 'Red Shirts' are attending. Could this also be construed as close links between the Army and the PAD Govt..??.

[edwardmoulton]

When I first heard about this I thought what is happenning politically in Thailand, I didn't realise that the 'Red Shirts' were marching, has anyone got details of a time and place please......???

As for the Border incursion, one could perhaps believe that it's a cynical ploy to distract the media both Nationally and Internationally from those events the 'Red Shirts' are attending. Could this also be construed as close links between the Army and the PAD Govt..??.

.....that did occur to me too but then I thought anyone with common sense would never do that as it one more reason to scare tourists and trade away and cripple the economy as currently Thailand is on the front page of world news every second day and not for it's beautiful beaches, nice people or tasty food! I can see tomorrow's headline - "rioting in Bangkok and war on the border but no need to worry". Of course not!

[BAZZAT]

Does anyone else find it ironic that a dispute over claims of ownership of a BUDDHIST temple has the armies of both countries ready to start shelling each other? welcome to the real world ever since man has began Wars have been over religion in some form or other and its not going to stop untill this world has decided to kill off the whole human race and then some stupid idiot will come up with the million dollor qoute (where did we go wrong) THIS WORLD HAS GOT TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!! we have all got to give and take,for something that can get out of hand because of a few so called patriotic people over a piece of land that can be shared and holds no value to any country involved, would not mind if they were fighting over the biggest oil strike in the world.

[WISteve]

When I first heard about this I thought what is happenning politically in Thailand, I didn't realise that the 'Red Shirts' were marching, has anyone got details of a time and place please......???

As for the Border incursion, one could perhaps believe that it's a cynical ploy to distract the media both Nationally and Internationally from those events the 'Red Shirts' are attending. Could this also be construed as close links between the Army and the PAD Govt..??.

Big rally for the Red Shirts at Sanam Luang in the next days.

Didn't they use the same border dispute to stir-up nationalist feelings the last time? If they didn't have this issue, the Powers that Be would have to invent one to distract the papers and the masses from national politics.

Rather predictable actually. Just hope no one has to die over it.

~WISteve

[RigPig]

I have only one word to say about this (with an explanation) OIL

If my memory serves me correct and others can research this on the net, the boundary lines that were drawn up by the French also included the sea between Thailand and Cambodia. The disputed area in the sea is rich in.....

Chevron and other major companies have confirmed this and have tried to do deals but it is difficult as the area is in dispute. If Thailand accepts the boundaries of the temple in dispute they will also have to accept the OIL rich areas in the ocean as belonging to Cambodia.

I don't think the greater population of Cambodia will benefit from the oil (but there are those who will, and some deals have already been struck, I believe).

Thailand would be less dependent on imports and would benefit also.

So here we go again.

[andliz]

Time to burn it !

(with the pope inside maybe ?)

;-)

Why is there always one no brain remark like this????

[dseawarrior]

Time to burn it !

(with the pope inside maybe ?)

;-)

:D

[Somchai2500]

Frickin children the lot of them, why dont they just toss a coin and be done with it forever.

Whose coin and who is going to flip it....

[snuggzzz]

When I first heard about this I thought what is happenning politically in Thailand, I didn't realise that the 'Red Shirts' were marching, has anyone got details of a time and place please......???

As for the Border incursion, one could perhaps believe that it's a cynical ploy to distract the media both Nationally and Internationally from those events the 'Red Shirts' are attending. Could this also be construed as close links between the Army and the PAD Govt..??.

.....that did occur to me too but then I thought anyone with common sense would never do that as it one more reason to scare tourists and trade away and cripple the economy as currently Thailand is on the front page of world news every second day and not for it's beautiful beaches, nice people or tasty food! I can see tomorrow's headline - "rioting in Bangkok and war on the border but no need to worry". Of course not!

Whilst I tend to agree, only a few months ago the Thai Airports were closed, so the thought of damaging trade and tourism didn't come into the equation.

In the UK headlines today (25th) it gave the report on the Yachtsman tragically Murdered on his Yacht off of the coast of Thailand. The promptness of the Thai Authorities and in particular the Thai Police in apprehending the culprits was favourably reported, it must give any tourist thinking of coming to Thailand some reassurance as to Security.

I didn't know about the oil aspect and can understand the reasoning. Only time will tell....????

[sassienie]

If this incident does turn into war, than I`ll just go and live in which ever country is winning.

[henryalleman]

I wasn't aware that we were in Iran and they sure didn't chase us out of Vietnam.

I presume you are a teenager or only look Fox news.

Indeed, in Iran the US so called elite corps showed total incompetence in their military action to liberate the American hostages in the American embassy in 1979. The Iranians kept them for 444 day's.

All the world witnessed the chaos on the rooftop on the US embassy in Saigon when desperate people tried to get in the last helicopters while the Vietcong troops entered the city. I can still remember how the US Navy pushed several helicopters over the side into the sea because there was no more place left for them, because the deck was packed with fugitives.

The Vietcong not only chased the US out of their country they humiliated them by their poorly armed army on flip-flops

May I add Somalia and Lebanon as 2 country where they chased away after a military debacle.

[frankthetank]

Time to burn it !

(with the pope inside maybe ?)

;-)

:D

And why is there always someone that has questionable brain power to find it funny??