Where is the Thai-Cambodian border dispute to go?

by Chinese media Writer Ling Shuo

Khao Preah Vihear, Sri Sa Ket Province, Thailand, July 24 (Chinese media) -- The

Thai-Cambodian border dispute on the controversial area around the Preah Vihear

Temple, an 11th-century-built Hindu temple which was historically claimed

sovereignty by both countries, is now puzzling the outside, though it is never a

new issue between the two countries.

On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council, at the request of

Cambodia, will discuss the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in its

emergency session. However, the Thai government also has sent a letter to the

UN, expressing the wish to discuss and solve the problem in a bilateral way.

With the soldiers of both countries now engaged in a stand-off at the

border around the Preah Vihear mountain, is the situation dangerous to the

extent of an "imminent state of war" as claimed by Cambodian Foreign Minister

Hor Namhong?

"I don't think a war could happen, since we believe both the countries

could solve the problem in a peaceful way," Apichart Bunsak, a Thai army captain

based in the disputed area, told Chinese media outside a camp.

Now, fearing possible military confrontation, the Cambodia authority has

closed the temple, which the International Court of Justice in 1962 ruled to

belong to Cambodia. While the Thai military men has sealed off the area below

the temple, which is the only practical access to the temple since the Cambodian

side of the temple is a cliff.

Reports said there are an estimated 2,000 troops, from each side, stationed

at the border around the temple, about 500 kilometers north-east of Bangkok. But

according to some Thai local media reports, rumors now circulating among

Cambodians by cellphone short SMS messages said that up to 10,000 Thai soldiers

have gathered, patrolling and beefing up security along the Thai-Cambodian

border. Local newspaper also showed some pictures of heavy weapons which have

been dispatched to border by the Thai army.

A Thai military official who asking not to be named dismissed the rumors

about the number of Thai soldiers along the border. He said Thai army only sent

several hundreds of soldiers there, while the Cambodia has a total of several

thousands soldiers along the border.

However, a Cambodia military officer told Chinese media that the Thai soldiers'

number now based in the disputed area is more than that of Cambodia.

Anyway, in the disputed area, no signal of intensity was found on Thursday,

though armed force of both sides were stationed there and heavy weapons such as

rocket launchers were also seen from both side. They sometimes smiled or chat

with each other despite different languages.

Gen. Jiradaj Kotcharat, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai

Army, who is during a visit to the disputed area on Thursday, said the number of

soldiers is not a main issue since both sides have already promised not to use

force to solve the border dispute during Monday's special meeting of the

Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC), though the meeting failed to

reach any breakthrough except for the oral no-force promises. Therefore, both

the countries have to maintain the force along the border, waiting for future

assignments.

The dispute over Preah Vihear flared up again earlier this month after

Cambodia applied the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO) for listing the temple compound, without the disputed 4.6

square kilometers around it, as a World Heritage Site. The application was

approved on July 7, despite Thai opposition.

Thailand has suggested Cambodia apply for listing the temple and some

surrounding establishments as a World Heritage Site under the names of both

countries, but Cambodia was awarded the honor on its own as the UNESCO based its

judgment on the ruling of the International Court.

Shortly after that, three Thais, including a Buddhist monk, were briefly

detained by Cambodian soldiers after surreptitiously crossing into the disputed

border area on July 15. The trio were released the same day but refused to leave

the disputed area adjoining the temple complex.

During Monday's border meeting, both countries cited legislation and legal

technicalities as main obstacles in reaching any agreement on the issue. But

local analysts said they need more time as both the governments are now at a

sensitive time as Cambodia is having a general election on Sunday, and

Thailand's coalition government is preparing a reshuffle if not an step-down

under pressure.

After the newly-fixed governments of both sides are born, more talks are

expected to be held between them. Then, the military stand-off could be eased.

But another possibility is that the Cambodia government could pass the

issue to the International Court again as it did 46 years ago. As to it,

Thailand's Supreme Commander Boonsang Niampradit on Wednesday called on Thai

leaders to consider that scenario carefully.

He said the Thai leaders should be extra careful about this as there were

lessons learned in the past. But he hinted that Thailand has the right to decide

whether to go to the court.

Moreover, Thai ambassador to the UN Don Pramudwinai said earlier that the

government would wait and make its new plan to solve the issue after the

decision of the 15-member-meeting of Security Council on Thursday.