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Posted: 04 Feb 2011 04:42 PM PST

PRESS RELEASE
FEBRUARY 2, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNPO Celebrates 20 Years of Nonviolent Struggle
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The Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of the International Court of Justice, plays host to Vice President of Zanzibar and Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Republic of Abkhazia during commemorative activities marking 20th anniversary of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.

A variety of events taking place on 11th February 2011 in The Hague, City of Peace and Justice, will mark UNPO's 20th Anniversary, recognizing the organization's crucial role in giving voice to marginalized nations and peoples around the world. An international group of Founding Fathers will gather alongside current Members and honorary guests from around the world to share in the successes of the previous two decades.

The anniversary remains a bittersweet reminder of the critical situation of minority populations, indigenous peoples and occupied or unrecognized territories in the world today since rather than reduce in its scope and mandate, UNPO has instead grown from 15 founding members to more than 50 today. Whilst the aims and objectives of each Member differ, they are united by the commonplace curtailment of their cultural, religious, linguistic and political rights.

A conference at the Peace Palace, the seat of the International Court of Justice, entitled "Tracing the Past to Look Forward" will investigate the evolution of understanding the terms Self-Determination and Autonomy over the previous two decades. Key speakers and honorary guests include, His Excellency Seif Sharif Hamad, First Vice President of Zanzibar, Maxim Gundjia, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, Lodi Gyari-Special Envoy to his Holiness the Dalai Lama, Emma Bonino, Vice President of the Italian Senate (TBC), Member of the International Court of Justice (TBC), Harry van Bommel, Member of Dutch Parliament from the Socialist Party and the Honourable Ambassador of Bolivia to The Netherlands. The International Policy Advisor of the City of The Hague will read a statement on behalf of the Mayor of The Hague.

Khmer Krom Buddhist monk Venerable TT Dhammo at a protestation place for asking to Vietnamese government respect the Khmer Krom right who are living in Kampuchea Krom (Southern in Vietnam).

The anniversary will also see the opening of a Photo Exhibition entitled "Unhidden Faces" at the City Hall of The Hague, which will run until March 2, 2011. The exhibition will showcase images depicting UNPO's Members, their diversity in ethnicity, culture, religion and politics which remain largely unknown to world. It will be opened on 11th February 2011 at 4p.m. by a prayer chant led by Khmer-Krom Buddhist Monks, followed by a welcoming address by Marjolein de Jong, Vice Mayor of The Hague.
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For more information: UNPO
Caroline de Bruin | +31 (0) 703646504 | cdebruin[@]unpo.org
Photo Exhibition: The Hague Municipality, Spui 70, 2511BT, The Hague.
Feb 11 2011 – March 2 2011
Note: The conference requires registration however the photo exhibition is free and open to the public. UNPO looks forward to welcoming the general public during its celebrations.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:42 PM PST
(All photos: CEN)
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:25 PM PST
Saturday, February 05, 2011
AFP

WASHINGTON — The United States on Friday urged Thailand and Cambodia to show "maximum restraint" after soldiers exchanged fire on the two countries' border, leaving at least two people dead.

"The United States urges both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary steps to reduce tensions and avoid further conflict," a State Department spokesperson told AFP.

"We are closely monitoring the situation," she said.

Thailand and Cambodia each accused each other of starting the skirmishes near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which has long been a source of dispute between the Southeast Asian nations.

Cambodia said it planned to take the incident to the UN Security Council.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:08 PM PST
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:07 PM PST
Five Thais detained in two-hour border battle

5/02/2011
Bangkok Post

An uneasy ceasefire was holding at the border with Cambodia after fierce fighting left two dead and resulted in the capture of five Thai rangers.

The two-hour clash between Thai and Cambodian troops near Phu Ma Khua area of Si Sa Ket yesterday killed at least two people - one Thai villager and one Cambodian soldier - and left several people injured.

Troops in nearby border provinces were placed on high alert as the capture of the five Thai rangers raised fears that the conflict could widen.

The five soldiers, who were based near Cambodia's Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda, were detained by Cambodian troops.


The fighting included artillery exchanges and small arms fire, and partially destroyed communities on Thai soil.

The cross-border flare-up erupted about 3.15pm, a few hours after Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong met in Siem Reap and pledged to avoid violence in resolving border disputes.

Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith claimed the fighting erupted when Thai troops ignored warnings to stop crossing into its territory.

He said the Cambodians shot into the air and the Thai soldiers returned fire.

But Thailand disputed that account.

Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the clash was triggered by artillery rounds from the Cambodian side that fell on Thai territory.

"Cambodia didn't stop and started firing. We had to return fire," said Col Sansern shortly before the ceasefire.

Cambodia's artillery shells landed at Ban Non Chaeng and Ban Phum Saron villages, setting fire to four houses.

Charoen Pahom, a resident of Ban Phum Saron, was killed by artillery shells. Thai troops responded with heavy fire.

In Cambodia, privately owned Bayon TV reported that one Cambodian soldier was killed and five were wounded.

Shelling also damaged the roof of Ban Phum Saron school and the office of the tambon Sao Thong Chai administrative organisation. It also set part of the Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda on fire.

Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha said last night the shelling had now ceased and both sides are maintaining their positions.

Second Army Commander Lt Gen Thawatchai Samutsakhon, who is in charge of the border area, said: 'I don't want to say who started it because it will only prolong the issue. Let's say we both are doing what we're supposed to do."

Gen Prayuth said the fresh violence is likely to affect the World Heritage Committee's meeting called for June to discuss the development plan for the Preah Vihear temple, which is close to where the clash occurred.

Foreign Minister Kasit said the ministry will send a letter to Unesco and its member countries today calling on them to suspend any work involving the Thai-Cambodian border because any actions could intensify the conflict.

Mr Kasit said he held talks with senior Cambodian authorities after the clashes broke out, and both sides agreed to stop fighting.

'Both sides have agreed that we will try our best to avoid creating problems, but when a problem occurs, we have to end it as soon as possible," he said.

An army source said reinforcements of three battalions and heavy arms would be sent to the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area at the border. About 3,000 troops were deployed before the flare-up.

A source in the border area said the army's construction of a route and a bridge across a brook east of Pha Mor E-Daeng cliff has upset Cambodia.

Thai troops entered the area around noon yesterday.

Cambodia has claimed the area is in its territory and told the army to halt work, said the source.

The source said Cambodia is concerned that the route and the bridge will provide the Thai army with access to the Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda and other sensitive areas.

The source said the area is part of the disputed territory and that Thai troops had occupied the area previously, but withdrew on Dec 1 last year.

According to the source, Cambodia had proceeded with construction of a 3.6-kilometre access road to Preah Vihear temple despite protests from Thailand that the work intruded on Thai soil.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh yesterday accused the Thai side of encroaching on Cambodian territory and violating an agreement.

An agreement reached by the Joint Boundary Commission states that construction cannot take place without a joint agreement.

"They [Thais] are saying that Cambodia started the shooting. We shouldn't focus on who started it, but on who violated the agreement," he said.

Thai army spokesman Col Sansern said the detention of the Thai soldiers might have stemmed from a misunderstanding.

"Those soldiers were sent to stand guard at a joint station with the Cambodians," he said.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:02 PM PST
February 05, 2011
AFP

THAI and Cambodian soldiers exchanged heavy fire on the two countries' shared border on Friday, killing one soldier and a civilian, as tensions between the neighbours boiled over.

One Cambodian soldier died in the skirmishes near the disputed ancient Preah Vihear temple, a Cambodian military commander on the scene who did not wish to be named told AFP by telephone.

A Thai villager was also killed by artillery shelling and five Thai soldiers were injured, Thai public health minister Jurin Laksanawisit said.

Both Thailand and Cambodia accused the other of starting the fighting, the deadliest since April 2009 as the United States urged "maximum restraint".

Chhum Socheat, a spokesman for the Cambodian defence ministry, said that four Cambodian soldiers had been injured and four Thai soldiers had been captured in fighting that lasted for nearly three hours.


The area around the temple is claimed by both sides and Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Phnom Penh planned to complain to the United Nations over what it termed the "Thai invasion".

"We will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council on Saturday," he told AFP, adding that Thai soldiers had fired artillery shells 18-20 kilometres (11-12 miles) into Cambodian territory.

But Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon played down the significance of the incident. "We are negotiating now and I am sure that everything will be fine," he said.

A US State Department spokeswoman said: "The United States urges both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary steps to reduce tensions and avoid further conflict.

"We are closely monitoring the situation," she added.

A Thai army official at the border said fighting broke out at 3:10 pm local time (7:10pmm AEDT) at Phu Makuea, near the 11th-century temple.

Residents in several villages along both sides of the border were evacuated, officials said.

Ties between the two countries have been strained since July 2008 by a series of deadly border clashes over land surrounding the temple after it was granted UN World Heritage status.

Thailand and Cambodia have both been talking tough on the border issue, which some observers say serves nationalist goals at home on both sides.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear itself belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute.

The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Another border spat has focused on the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is built in the disputed area. Thailand on Monday demanded that Cambodia remove its flag from the pagoda, which it said was "situated on Thai territory" - a claim Cambodia vehemently rejects.

The fighting erupted just hours after Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held talks with his counterpart in Cambodia.

Tensions between the two countries have flared in recent weeks in the wake of the arrest of seven Thai nationals for illegal entry into Cambodia in late December.

Five of the group were given suspended sentences and have since returned to Thailand. The other two, high-profile nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid and his secretary, were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for spying, in a case that has caused outrage among Thailand's "Yellow Shirts".

Hundreds of Yellow Shirts have camped out around Government House in Bangkok since last week, demonstrating against its handling of the border dispute, and the group plans a larger rally on Saturday.

Yellow Shirts are a force to be reckoned with in Thailand's colour-coded politics and have helped to claim the scalps of three governments in under five years, including that of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:00 PM PST
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 12:53 PM PST
Thailand and Cambodia both claim rights to the land surrounding the 900-year-old Hindu temple [Reuters]

Two people killed as troops battle on disputed border, threatening to escalate tensions between the two countries.

04 Feb 2011
Al Jazeera

At least two people have been killed in clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces on their disputed border, in some of the fiercest fighting seen between the two sides in years.

A Cambodian soldier and a Thai villager were killed, and five Thai and four Cambodian soldiers injured, officials said, during a two-hour artillery exchange on Friday.

The fatalities are the first since a Thai soldier was killed a year ago, and could threaten to exacerbate tensions between the two countries over land surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Hor Namhong, Cambodia's foreign minister, said his country would file a complaint with the UN security council, accusing Thailand of invading its territory.


Cambodia's information minister said the clashes began when Thai troops ignored warnings to stop crossing into Cambodia and then sought to remove a Cambodian flag from a small temple in the disputed territory.

"We don't want to say that it was intentional. It could have been caused by a misunderstanding," he told the AP news agency.

A Thai TV station showed villagers fleeing for safety during the clash.

Spying sentences

The area around the Preah Vihear temple, a UN World Heritage site, is claimed by both countries, although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but did not determine the ownership of a small plot of land next to the ruins.

Ties between the two countries deteriorated after the temple was granted UN world heritage status in July 2008, with Thai nationalists arguing that the action threatened their country's sovereignty.

Both countries have built up military forces at the border.

Friday's clashes come three days after a Cambodian court handed down jail terms of six and eight years to two Thai nationalists found guilty of trespassing and spying in the border region.

It also coincided with meetings in Cambodia between Kasit Piromya, the Thai foreign minister, and his Cambodian counterpart, aimed at reducing tensions.

Unrest in Thailand's south

In a separate development, three security officers were killed by suspected Muslim separatists in Thailand's south.

A bomb killed killed two security officers while gunmen shot another in a separate attack, police said, the latest escalation of violence in the region.

It follows a bloody raid on an army camp, a massive roadside bombing, the execution-style shooting of a Buddhist family and several drive-by attacks in the past two weeks, which analysts believe was a political statement by Malay Muslim rebels seeking autonomy from predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

The intensification of violence comes after the government hailed the success of security operations and public relations campaigns in reducing the number of attacks.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 12:46 PM PST


February 5, 2011
The Nation

PM says Thai troops reacted to Cambodian firing in worst flare-up over a decade; Phnom Penh vows to take the issue to UN Security Council today

Artillery exchanges between Thailand and Cambodia yesterday in the disputed area near the Hindu Preah Vihear Temple killed at least six soldiers and civilians on both sides as well as damaged property in one of the worst border flare-ups in a decade.

Phnom Penh plans to complain today to the United Nations over what it terms a "Thai invasion", Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said yesterday.

"We will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council on Saturday [today]," he was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying.

However, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan played down the significance of the incident. "We are negotiating now and I am sure that everything will be fine," he said.


Army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha said the situation calmed down after 6pm and some Thai soldiers were slightly injured but a soldier on the ground contacted by The Nation via telephone said they were still engaged in the battle late last night. "So far we have lost two, and I was injured. We cannot go down the Phu Ma Khua hill," the injured soldier said in a short conversation before the line was cut.

After the fighting ended, Second Army Area commander Lt-General Thawatchai Samutsakhon and Si Sa Ket Governor Somsak Suwansujarit held talks with a Cambodian army commander at the Phra Viharn National Park about the clash.

Charoen Thahom, a 50-year-old resident of Si Sa Ket's Phum Srol village, was killed by an artillery shell that landed in his village while he was leading his family to seek shelter after the border skirmish broke out.

At least seven buildings, including one owned by Phum Srol School, were hit by artillery shells fired from the Cambodian side.

Three houses were set ablaze.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said last night that the Thai side fired warning shots and then responded to the Cambodian fire when the warnings were ignored. He added that the fighting now was over. However, he declined to confirm a report that Thai soldiers had been captured during the clash.

The clash occurred at a disputed border area near Phu Ma Khua hill at 3.15pm and the sound of gunfire was heard at Si Sa Ket province's Ban Phum Srol about 5 kilometres from the hill, villagers said.

"We were at a sports event when the sound of many weapons, including small arms and heavy weapons, was heard from the battlefield," a resident told The Nation via telephone.

Besides the civilian and soldiers fatality, five Thai soldiers were injured in the clash, according to Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.

Authorities told villagers to seek shelter and later evacuated them to safe areas deeper into Thai territory. Some of them moved to a downtown area of Kantharalak district, about 30km from the Preah Vihear Temple.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the border area adjacent to Preah Vihear for a long time.

Both sides boosted troop numbers in the area recently after the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) staged a protest near the Prime Minister's Office demanding the government use force to kick Cambodians out of the area.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said he was not happy with the border clash, since it damaged both sides. "It happened because Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva showed weakness to Cambodia," he said.

Troops clashed in 2008 and 2009 in the same area, resulting in the deaths of more than 10 soldiers on both sides.

The clash this time was fiercer as it saw the use of artillery that hit civilians and their homes. Residents saw many shells land near their villages in tambon Sao Thong Chai.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Cambodian troops opened fire first, triggering the exchange of fire.

However, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said Thai soldiers had crossed 500 metres into Cambodian territory and opened fire first despite efforts of Cambodian troops to avoid violence.

"Although Cambodian soldiers tried to negotiate to stop the Thai soldiers from invading Cambodia, the Thai Army kept moving deeper into Cambodian territory and opened fire without provocation by Cambodian forces. We have the right to self-defence to protect our land against Thai invasion," he said.

Cambodian media reported that least two Cambodian civilians and one soldier died after Thai shells landed on the Cambodian side.

Cambodia reportedly held four Thai soldiers at Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is in the disputed border area near Preah Vihear.

The clash broke out shortly after Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya finished a Joint Commission meeting with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong in Siem Reap. They told reporters there that they were happy with the improving relations and agreed to use peaceful means to settle the boundary conflict.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:33 AM PST
SI SA KET, Feb 4 (MCOT online news) - Fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out on Friday afternoon along the border near the disputed Preah Vihear temple and artillery shells fell into Thailand's Si Sa Ket province.

The latest skirmish between the troops of the two neighbours occurred just hours after Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya met with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong for bilateral talks on the ongoing border dispute and help for the two Thais jailed in a Cambodian prison after being convicted of illegal entry and spying.

Ten artillery shells landed in Bhumsrol village in Kantararak district in the afternoon as troops from both countries fired at the other at Phu Makua Hill near the stairway to the ancient temple, forcing the evacuation of local residents along the border. Local media said students, teachers and villagers at Bhumsrol village ran for cover in nearby prepared makeshift bunkers after artillery shells landed just a kilometre from their village.


The cause of the fighting is not yet clearly known but French news agency Agence-France-Press (AFP) quoted Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith as saying the fighting erupted after Cambodians fired warning shots into the air to warn Thai troops to stop crossing into their territory but the Thai soldiers returned fire.

Thai army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd told TV Thai that initial reports from local Thai military saying the clash began after an artillery shot fired from Cambodia that landed on Thai territory. Thai troops then returned fire as a warning.

"We don't want to say that it was Cambodia who started firing at us first as it will be like trading accusations against each other," Col Sansern said. "It is initially believed that it could have been caused by a misunderstanding."

The Thai army spokesman said the Thai army chief and other senior military officers have been in contact with their peers in Cambodia to prevent the fighting escalate. There has been a report of casualties but the number remains unclear.

Until now, no casualties of both sides have yet to be reported, but smoke from fire was obviously seen in the area and gunshots were still being heard.

Col Sansern pledged Thai troops will ensure safety for Thais living near the clash area and protect Thai sovereignty.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who oversees national security, said he and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva have been informed of the clash, but he declined to go into detail, saying he is awaiting further confirmed information about the matter.

Mr Suthep however reaffirmed Cambodian soldiers opened fire at the Thai troops first and Thai soldiers had no choice but fire them back in self-defence.

At Sa Kaeo province bordering Cambodia's Poi Pet, Cambodian traders were rushing back to their country after the fighting erupted.

The market was chaotic for a while as the report of fighting frightened the traders.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:28 AM PST
Feb 4, 2011
DPA

Phnom Penh/Bangkok - Cambodian and Thai forces engaged in several hours of shelling and gunfire Friday on disputed ground near an 11th-century Hindu temple on Cambodia's northern border.

Phay Siphan, a Cambodian government spokesman, said military commanders on both sides would meet late Friday to ensure there was no further violence.

He said he had no information on casualty figures on the Cambodian side.

Earlier, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported 'two or three' Thai soldiers had been wounded, citing a military source.

Each side blamed the other for sparking the violence, which followed hard on the heels of pledges by both nations' foreign ministers earlier in the day to work to avoid conflict.


Phay Siphan claimed fighting had started after Thai troops crossed into Cambodian territory and said more than 100 Thai artillery shells later landed in a civilian area.

'A report from the battlefield said they used 105 mm artillery and shelled into Svay Chum commune, a civilian target with no military presence,' he said, adding that all civilians had since left the area.

He said Cambodian forces had captured four Thai soldiers during clashes and that the four were being well treated.

Earlier, a Thai military spokesman said 'a misunderstanding' was likely behind the fighting. Colonel Sansern Keowkhamnerd said Thailand had fired artillery shells in response to Cambodian shelling of Thai territory.

'We still don't want to disclose what caused the attack, but I believe it was a misunderstanding,' he said.

Thai radio reports said about 20 Cambodian shells had landed on Thailand's side of the border in Kantalarak district in Si Sa Ket province, 350 kilometres east of Bangkok.

The Thai army was reportedly bulldozing a road in the border area, which has been the subject of numerous spats over the past two and a half years.

Phay Siphan said fighting started at 3 pm (0800 GMT) and continued for more than two hours near disputed land near Preah Vihear temple that has sparked deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia before.

He said the nearby Keo Sikha Kirisvara temple, which Thailand claims stands on disputed territory, had been shelled Friday although the extent of the damage was unclear.

Bangkok recently insisted that Phnom Penh remove a Cambodian flag flying over the temple, a demand Foreign Minister Hor Namhong rejected earlier Friday after a meeting with his Thai counterpart.

The clashes came hours after Hor Namhong and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya wrapped up a meeting stating that a recent build-up of troops at the border should not lead to violence.

Thai and Cambodian forces have faced off along the mountain range around the Preah Vihear temple since July 2008 when UNESCO declared the edifice a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.

Although the World Court on 1962 ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, Thailand claims a 4.6-square-kilometre plot of land adjacent to the temple and has blocked Cambodian's efforts to turn the site into a tourism attraction until the border dispute is settled.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:24 AM PST
Friday, February 04, 2011
The Nation

A Thai villager was killed while a soldier was wounded and ten houses were on fire in Si Sa Ket province on Friday after skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia erupted again.

The victim of the fighting was identified as Charoen Pahom, a local villager of Pumi Saroen of Kantaralak district who was killed when an artillery landed on his house.

A soldier was slightly wounded from shrapnel during the exchange of fires between Thai and Cambodian troops.

The artilleries also caused fire at a district office, a school building. The blaze also destroyed about ten houses.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated to bunkers to after the fighting near Preah Vihear Temple erupted in the afternoon and ended at about 6pm.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:22 AM PST
Daniel Schearf, VOA
Bangkok February 04, 2011

Thai and Cambodian soldiers have exchanged gunfire along their shared border and there are reports of fewer than 10 casualties among the two armies.

Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire Friday afternoon with both sides blaming the other for starting the fighting.

Gunfire and artillery shelling could be heard and civilians were evacuated from the area.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn says occasional skirmishes were due to the unsecured nature of the border. He says it demonstrates a need to step up efforts under a memorandum of understanding aimed at resolving the territorial conflict peacefully.

"This is why we urge Cambodia to work with us more rapidly under the MOU to negotiate the clear demarcations so we can secure the borders much more effectively," he said.


Panitan says the clash is being investigated and that both sides need to work harder to ensure such incidents do not affect overall relations.

VOA's Khmer service, however, reported the fighting was extensive, with artillery fire and tank clashes.

The shooting broke out as Thai officials were in Cambodia for talks aimed at resolving the border dispute.

They also met with two Thai nationalists sentenced by a Cambodian court to several years in prison this week for espionage and trespassing after entering disputed territory.

Hundreds of Thai nationalists with the People's Alliance for Democracy, known as the Yellow Shirts, have been protesting near government offices for two weeks demanding they get tough with Cambodia.

Panthep Pourpongphan is a spokesman for the PAD, which is calling for the memorandum of understanding to be scrapped. He says the latest skirmish shows the MOU is not working.

"This fighting, is kind of evidence, is quite clear evidence that this kind of MOU has so many problems that we need to stop it and [start] new negotiations with a new MOU," Pourpongphan stated.

The fighting took place near the ancient Preah Vihear temple along the border. Thailand and Cambodia both claim territory near the temple.

The two sides have clashed over the border in the past with several deaths on both sides since 2008.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:19 AM PST
February 05, 2011
AFP

THAI and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire, killing a civilian, near a disputed temple on the two countries' shared border.

One Thai villager was killed by artillery shelling, and a Cambodian soldier died in the fighting near the ancient Preah Vihear temple area, authorities said.

Five Thai and four Cambodian troops were injured, while four Thai soldiers were captured.

"I have ordered the hospitals along the border to be on standby," he said.

Chhum Socheat, a spokesman for the Cambodian defence ministry, said that four Cambodian soldiers had been injured, one seriously, and four Thai soldiers had been captured in fighting that lasted for nearly three hours.

The area around the temple is claimed by both sides and Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Phnom Penh planned to complain to the United Nations over what it termed the "Thai invasion".

"We will lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council on Saturday," he told AFP, adding that Thai soldiers had fired artillery shells some 18 to 20km into Cambodian territory.


But Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon played down the significance of the incident. "We are negotiating now and I am sure that everything will be fine," he said.

Both Thailand and Cambodia accused the other of starting the fighting, the first since April 2009.

A Thai army official at the border said fighting broke out at Phu Makuea, near the 11th-century temple.

Residents in several villages along both sides of the border have been evacuated, officials said.

Ties between the two countries have been strained since July 2008 by a series of deadly border clashes over land surrounding the temple after it was granted UN World Heritage status.

Both sides have been talking tough on the border issue, which some observers say serves nationalist goals at home on both sides.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear itself belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand.

The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute.

The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Another border spat has focused on the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is built in the disputed area.

Thailand on Monday demanded that Cambodia remove its flag from the pagoda, which it said was "situated on Thai territory" - a claim Cambodia vehemently rejects.

The fighting erupted just hours after Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held talks with his counterpart in Cambodia.

Tensions between the two countries have flared in recent weeks in the wake of the arrest of seven Thai nationals for illegal entry into Cambodia in late December.

Five of the group were given suspended sentences and have since returned to Thailand.

The other two, high-profile nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid and his secretary, were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for spying, in a case that has caused outrage among Thailand's "Yellow Shirts".

Hundreds of Yellow Shirts have camped out around Government House in Bangkok since last week, demonstrating against its handling of the border dispute, and the group plans a larger rally on Saturday.

Yellow Shirts are a force to be reckoned with in Thailand's colour-coded politics and have helped to claim the scalps of three governments in under five years, including that of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:13 AM PST
Friday, 04 February 2011
The Phnom Penh Post Staff

Cambodian and Thai soldiers exchanged artillery and small arms fire near the Preah Vihear temple complex along a disputed stretch of their shared border on Friday, Cambodian and Thai military sources said on Friday.

The fighting began just after 3pm and remained ongoing as of early Friday evening, according to a Cambodian soldier stationed in the area, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press.

A Thai regional commander in the area, Lieutenant General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, said there was "sporadic shelling but details are very sketchy at this point".

Cambodian police told Reuters that two Cambodia soldiers were killed and two others injured in the clashes, the latest deaths in the area since a Thai soldier was shot and killed on January 31 last year.

Thai army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said late Friday that five Thai soldiers had been captured by Cambodian forces, while Thai media reports said three our four Thai soldiers had also been injured.


Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters at Siem Reap airport prior to his departure for Phnom Penh that the Cambodian government would file a formal complaint against Thailand with the United Nations.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Friday afternoon that Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart, Kasit Piromya, attended a meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation this morning in Siem Reap, but that recent tensions along the border were not discussed.

"We are always prepared to protect our sovereignty. Shooting is just for self-defense and the protection of our land," he said.

The hostilities follow the sentencing Tuesday of Veera Somkwamkid, a well-known activist within Thailand's nationalist Yellow Shirt movement, and his associate, Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, to eight- and six-year prison terms respectively.

Veera and Ratree were convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of espionage, illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base after being arrested in Banteay Meanchey province last month.

The fighting also comes amid a public spat with Thai Prime Minister Ahbisit Vejjajiva over the placement of Cambodian flags at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvara, a pagoda adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple.

Yim Phim, commander of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Brigage 43 in Preah Vihear, said yesterday that troops on both sides of the border had received reinforcements and additional equipment this week.

Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman Phay Siphan and Srey Doek, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Military Division 3 at the border were unavailable for comment on Friday.

Periodic skirmishes between Cambodian and Thai border forces have killed at least seven soldiers since 2008.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:09 AM PST
Friday, February 4, 2011
By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodian and Thai troops battled for two hours Friday along a disputed stretch of their shared border, trading artillery fire that killed at least two people near an 11th century temple that is a U.N. World Heritage Site.

The fighting was some of the fiercest in years between the two southeast Asian countries. Tensions between the neighbors have been exacerbated in recent days by pressure from powerful Thai nationalist groups, which have been staging protests in Bangkok urging the government to reclaim the land.

While a cease-fire was quickly reached and full-blown war unlikely, the territorial dispute remains volatile, with nationalist passions inflamed on both sides - and no clear way to settle it.

One Thai villager was killed and four Thai troops were slightly injured, Thai army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. In Cambodia, privately owned Bayon TV reported that one Cambodian soldier was killed and five were wounded.


Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters Cambodian forces captured four Thai soldiers, a claim denied by Bangkok. He said Cambodia would file a complaint to the U.N. Security Council over the "Thai invasion."

The fighting erupted near the Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia. Thailand claims a small patch of land near the temple.

Sporadic artillery fire lasted for more than two hours, but the battle ended after Thailand's defense minister called Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to the private Cambodian Television Network. Thailand's Sansern confirmed the cease-fire.

Maj. Prom Sarouen, commander of the Cambodian police unit guarding the temple, said both sides used artillery and heavy machine guns in the clash. He said some shells had fallen on the temple grounds but did not know if they had caused any damage.

Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said troubles began when Thai troops ignored warnings to stop crossing into Cambodia and then sought to remove a Cambodian flag from a small temple in the disputed territory. He said the Cambodians shot into the air and the Thai soldiers returned fire.

Thailand disputed that account. Sansern said the clash was triggered by artillery shots fired from the Cambodian side.

"We don't want to say that it was intentional. It could have been caused by a misunderstanding," Sansern told The Associated Press, adding that Thai troops returned fire as a warning.

A Thai TV station showed villagers fleeing for safety during the clash.

Relations between the two countries have been contentious for years, including a series of small but sometimes deadly skirmishes over the demarcation of the border near Preah Vihear.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the decision rankled Thailand.

The issue was virtually dormant until Cambodia successfully applied in 2008 to UNESCO to have the temple declared a World Heritage site, an application backed by the government in power in Thailand at the time.

Thai nationalists have argued that the action threatened Thailand's sovereignty, though their protests were seen mainly as a way of rallying criticism of the Thai government. Both countries' leaders, defending their patriotic credentials, then built up military forces at the border.

Last week, the nationalist group that seized Bangkok's airports two years ago gathered in the capital to pressure Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva over the land dispute.

The rally by the People's Alliance for Democracy - also known as the Yellow Shirts - and an associated fringe group raised tensions in a country still recovering from political violence last year in which about 90 people died.

The groups said they will escalate their protest on Saturday.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 07:05 AM PST
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said on Friday there should not be any intervention from the third party over the recent clash over the border dispute at Preah Vihear Temple.

His comment was made after an almost-three-hour military clash between troops of the two countries at Beehive area nearby Preah Vihear temple on Friday afternoon and following Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong's declaration "to sue to the United Nations' Security Council about the invasion into Cambodian territory by Thai troops."

"There should not be any intervention or activity by the third party that would be detrimental to the cordial relationship of the two countries," said Kasit Piromya on Friday evening at Phnom Penh International Airport before leaving Cambodia for Thailand.


He said that the border situation particularly in and around Preah Vihear Temple is very sensitive from both sides, so both sides must use utmost restraint.

"I have talked to Cambodian authorities together with my ambassador and I called back to my Minister of Defense in Bangkok in order to defuse the situation and to bring the cease fire under control," he said.

The military clash between Cambodia and Thailand began at 3:00 p.m. and ended at 5:45 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

There is no immediate report about the deaths and damages yet, said Kasit.

The incident was the latest in a long-festering dispute over the cliff-top Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian side.

The incident happened coincided with the visit of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in Cambodia to join the 7th meeting of the Joint Commission for bilateral cooperation.

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 06:41 AM PST
Fears battle over disputed land around Preah Vihear temple could reignite tension between south-east Asian neighbours

Friday 4 February 2011
guardian.co.uk

Two Cambodian soldiers and a Thai villager were killed in a two-hour border clash today, the latest in an ancient feud over land surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

The fatalities were the first in the militarised area since a Thai soldier was shot dead a year ago and could rekindle diplomatic tensions between the south-east Asian neighbours over the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

The Cambodian foreign minister, Hor Namhong, said Phnom Penh would file a complaint with the UN security council, accusing Thailand of invading his country's territory.

Both sides have accused each other of firing first in the 4.6sq km (1,137-acres) disputed area around Preah Vihear, a jungle-clad escarpment claimed by both countries, where deadly, sporadic clashes have taken place in recent years.


Several Thai soldiers were also wounded and four Thai villages were evacuated, Thai media reported. Five Thai soldiers were captured, said an army spokesman, Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

"It seems to have been a result of a misunderstanding," the Thai army chief, Prayuth Chan-ocha, told reporters. "There is no point in fighting because it could escalate and damage relations ... We don't want that."

Phnom Penh has accused the Thai army of targeting Cambodian villagers and said the fighting erupted when Thai soldiers illegally entered Cambodian territory.

"We said to them, 'Don't come in the area,' and they still came. We fired into the air and they began to shoot at us," said a Cambodian government spokesman, Khieu Kanharith.

The clash comes three days after a Cambodian court handed down jail terms of six and eight years to two Thai nationals found guilty of trespassing and spying in the border region, a verdict that has angered some in Thailand.

Shelling began at about 3pm local time and continued into early evening. Artillery shells landed on several villages on the Thai side, setting at least four houses on fire, witnesses said.

A Thai police colonel, Chatchawan Kaewchandee, said at least one villager had been killed during the shelling. "We found one body of a male villager and there might be more," he said.

The temple, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, sits on land that forms a natural border and has been a source of tension for generations. The international court of justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962 but the ruling did not determine the ownership of the scrub next to the ruins, leaving scope for disagreement.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:31 AM PST
The following are unconfirmed report by Cambodian local media

Dap-News: Four Thai soldiers captured and sent to Siem Reap

CEN: Red House inside Thailand destroyed by fire.

CEN: Thai artillery shells land near Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarok Pagoda. It is not know if the pagoda was damaged by this shelling or not
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:23 AM PST
Feb 4, 2011
DPA

Bangkok/Phnom Penh - The Thai military said Friday that Cambodian forces had fired artillery rounds into Thailand near Preah Vihear temple on the joint border, while the Cambodian side blamed Thai troops.

Thai radio reports said an estimated 20 shells landed on Thailand's side of the border in Kantalarak district in Si Sa Ket province, 350 kilometres east of Bangkok.

'We can confirm that there has been a clash, but we are still checking the details,' said army spokesman Colonel Sansern Keowkhamnerd.

The Thai army was reportedly bulldozing a road in the border area, which has been the subject of numerous spats over the past two and a half years.


A spokesman for the Cambodian government blamed fighting on Thai troops.

Phay Siphan claimed Thai soldiers had crossed 500 metres into Cambodian territory and opened fire despite the efforts of Cambodian troops to avoid violence.

He said fighting had begun at 3 pm (0800 GMT) and was ongoing more than an hour later.

Phay Siphan said fighting was underway near Keo Sikha Kirisvara temple, which Thailand claims stands on disputed territory.

There was no word on casualties.

Bangkok recently insisted that Cambodia remove a flag flying over the temple, a demand that Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong rejected earlier on Friday after a meeting with his Thai counterpart.

The clashes come hours after Hor Namhong and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya wrapped up a meeting stating that a recent build-up of troops would not lead to violence.

Thai and Cambodian forces have faced off along the mountain range around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple since July 2008, when UNESCO declared the edifice a World Heritage Site despite Thai objections.

Although the World Court in 1962 ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, Thailand claims a 4.6-square-kilometre plot of land adjacent to the temple, and has blocked Cambodian's efforts to turn the site into a tourism attraction until the border dispute is settled.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:18 AM PST
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Shooting has broken out between Cambodian and Thai soldiers on disputed territory along their shared border. There are no immediate reports of casualties.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan says the fighting broke out at around 3 p.m. Friday near the Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia. Thailand claims a small patch of land near the temple.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith says the fighting erupted when Thai troops ignored Cambodian warnings to stop crossing into their territory. He says the Cambodians fired warning shots into the air and the Thai soldiers returned fire.

A Thai account was not immediately available. The border has been volatile for several years after Thai nationalists made a domestic political issue out of it.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:16 AM PST
Fri Feb 4, 2011
By Ambika Ahuja

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire on a disputed stretch of their border on Friday, a Thai military official said, the latest flare-up in an ancient feud over territory surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Shelling began at about 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) and was still going on more than an hour later, military officials and witnesses said. "There is sporadic shelling but details are very sketchy at this point," said a Thai army official.

A Thai regional commander in the area, Lieutenant General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, said no injuries had been reported.


The Southeast Asian neighbours have clashed before over the 11th century temple, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand. It sits on an escarpment that forms a natural border and has been a source of tension for generations.

The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962 but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the ruins, leaving considerable scope for disagreement.

The clash comes three days after a Cambodian court handed down jail terms of eight and six years to two Thai nationalists who were found guilty of trespass and spying in the border region, a verdict that has angered some in Thailand.

A small but prolonged protest by Thailand's "yellow shirt" activists has put pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to take a tougher line in the long-running dispute.

Adding to the tensions, the pro-establishment yellow shirts accuse their bitter foe, ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, of colluding with Cambodia to Thailand's detriment.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has also used age-old rivalry with Thailand for his own political ends.

(Reporting by Ambika Ahuja; Writing by Jason Szep; Editing by Alan Raybould)
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:13 AM PST
4/02/2011
Bangkok Post

Two or three Thai soldiers were wounded in an exchange of fire with Cambodian troops on Friday afternoon on the Thai-Cambodian border, and artillery rounds landed on Thai soil well inside the frontier, an informed military source said.

The clash started about 3.20pm near the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area around the Preah Vihear temple.

Fighting was continuing, the source said. Heavy weapon rounds had landed on the Thai side of the border,

Lt-Gen Tawatchai Samutsakhon, 2nd Army commander, said it was Cambodian troops who started the fire.

Many artillery shells landed at Huay Thip village in tambon Rung of Si Sa Ket's Kanthararak district, north of the Preah Vihear temple and about 1km from Phu Makhua mountain, which is part of the disputed area.

Two or three Thai soldiers were reported wounded. Casualties on the Cambodian side were not known.

The border clash occurred not long after Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said in Siem Riep on Friday morning that Thailand and Cambodia have reached agreement not to blow up the dispute over the national flags put up in their disputed border area near Pheah Vihear temple.

The announcement followed talks between Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on the sidelines of Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission (JC) meeting on Friday.

Mr Kasit said afterwards they have agreed not to blow up the dispute over the flags and not to incite their people into hatred for each other.

In addition, the two countries would continue efforts to ease border tension by continuing demarcation negotiations through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

Thailand earlier demanded that Cambodia remove both the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda and the Cambodian flag flying over the pagoda gate, while reasserting that the pagoda is on Thai territory. Thai troops also erected the Thai national flag in the disputed area in response.

Mr Kasit said he would visit the two yellow-shirt Thai activists, Veera Somkwankid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, who were sentenced by a Cambodian court to eight and six years in jail repectively for espionage, and discuss with them what further help can be provided by the government.

In a related development, the legal team of the Thai Patriots Network (TPN) will meet on Tuesday to discuss ways of helping Mr Veera and Ms Ratree then file an appeal on Feb 11 against the court verdict.

Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a TPN core member, said both Mr Veera and Ms Ratree were both insistent that they were not arrested on Cambodian soil, but the Foreign Ministry wanted them to accept the court's ruling that they were guilty as charged.

Karun Saingam, who is a member of the legal team, said the appeal would be submitted to the court on Feb 11 along with a bail request.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) should begin talks with the government to promote understanding, instead of only mounting attacks, concerning the Cambodian issues.

Mr Abhisit said if the government and the PAD could exchange opinions and help to each other, he believed it would be much easier to settle the ongoing disputes with Cambodia.

The prime minister said while the PAD was putting pressure on the government, Cambodia had sent a letter to the World Heritage Committee asking it not to allow Thailand host a World Heritage Committee meeting, because people in Thailand had called for the government to withdraw from the World Heritage Committee.

"If we join forces, it would be easier to for us to deal with Cambodia," Mr Abhisit said.

"Cambodia has taken the opportunity given by our internal discord to tell the World Heritage Committee that Thailand should not be allowed to host next year's meeting of the committee, reasoning that the Thai people want the government to withdraw from it.

"An abrupt withdrawal from the committee would not be good for our efforts to protect our interests," Mr Abhisit said.

The prime minister insisted it is necessary for the government to continue its membership of the World Heritage Committee. Thailand should not admit defeat or make an abrupt withdrawal from the committee, he added.

Mr Abhisit said the government's attempts to reach an understanding with the PAD were going in a favourable direction, but declined not to go in details.

On the PAD's planned rally on Saturday, the prime minister said everyone should bear in mind that if the situation developed in an unfavourable way it would not be good for the country.

He reaffirmed that the PAD protesters would not be allow to intrude into the Government House compound.

Pol Maj-Gen Wichai Sangprapai, commander of the Metropolian Police Division 1, said 17 companies of police will be assigned to control Saturday's planned mass rally by the PAD.

More checkpoints will be set up along routes leading to the protest site on Ratchadamnoen Nok avenue.

He had talked with PAD leaders, who said the protesters would not leave to site and move to somewhere else on Saturday.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 02:02 AM PST
Friday, 4 February 2011
RTE News

Thai and Cambodian soldiers have exchanged fire on a disputed stretch of their border in the latest flare-up in an ancient feud over a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Thai and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire on a disputed stretch of their border today, a Thai military official said, the latest flare-up in an ancient feud over territory surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Shelling began at about 3pm local time and was still going on more than an hour later, military officials and witnesses said. 'There is sporadic shelling but details are very sketchy at this point,' said a Thai army official.

A Thai regional commander in the area, Lieutenant General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, said no injuries had been reported.


The Southeast Asian neighbours have clashed before over the 11th century temple, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand.

It sits on an escarpment that forms a natural border and has been a source of tension for generations.

The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962 but the ruling did not determine the ownership of 4.6 square kilometres of scrub next to the ruins, leaving considerable scope for disagreement.

The clash comes three days after a Cambodian court handed down jail terms of eight and six years to two Thai nationalists who were found guilty of trespass and spying in the border region, a verdict that has angered some in Thailand.
Posted: 04 Feb 2011 01:58 AM PST
February 04, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodia and Thailand foreign ministers on Friday pledged to avoid military clashes along the border and vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on all fields.

After the 7th meeting of the Joint Commission held in Siem Reap province, both Hor Namhong, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Cambodia and Kasit Piromya, his Thai counterpart pledged that both countries had agreed to push more cooperation including tourism, labor and border issues.

Meanwhile, Hor Namhong said that although the two countries have build up military forces along in recent weeks, it's unlikely that military clashes could happen.

During the half-day plenary session of the 7th JC, the two sides discussed many topics of common interests including a push for single visa to two countries and later among the five countries as in the regional grouping of Ayeyawady-Chay Praoya- Mekong-Economics Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), Cambodian laborers working in Thailand, demining along the border and examination of border marks in order to end misunderstanding on the disputed borderline.


On this border issue, Hor Namhong said the two sides have agreed that the border meeting between the two countries' specialized committee will soon be conducted, but no exact date is given.

On the same topic, Kasit Piromya was suggesting joint-sky topography on the border marks be surveyed.

As of now, 33 out of 73 border marks along 803 kilometers border lines between the two nations have been found.

Following the information on the military confrontation at the border, both Hor Namhong and Kasit affirmed that it is important to avoid any kind of military clash between the two sides.

And in response to Thai demand for removing a Cambodian flag at Keo Sikha Kiri Svarak Pagoda near Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple, Hor Namhong said Cambodia had made it clear to his counterpart that the flag will not be removed, saying it is raised only " inside Cambodian territory".

Kasit who arrived in Cambodia on Thursday for the JC, is scheduled to come over to Phnom Penh to meet with two detained Thais activists who were convicted Tuesday to eight and six years in jail for illegal entry, trespass into military zone and espionage.

The two were arrested in Cambodia's Banteay Meanch Province on Dec. 29, 2010.

 

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