Cambodian military boosts presence in disputed border area
8/10/2008 17:15
The Cambodian army has reinforced troops in the disputed border area on
Phnom Trop mountain where Thai and Cambodian forces clashed briefly Friday,
national media reported today.
"We want to make a stronger frontline after
the situation occurred Friday," Sar Thavy, Preah Vihear provincial deputy
governor, was quoted by the Cambodia Daily newspaper as saying.
Sar Thavy
said the troops now stationed at the site of Friday's skirmish, which left one
Cambodian and two Thai soldiers injured, were taken from the contingent of
troops already present around the Preah Vihear temple.
He declined to say how
many soldiers have been moved into the Trop mountain area, though the Cambodian
troops around Preah Vihear temple were previously reported to number at least
800.
The armed confrontation occurred about 2 km northwest of the Preah
Vihear temple.
Meanwhile, Srey Dek, regional military commander at the
temple, said troops had only been sent to patrol the area as he had received
information that Thai troops had once again entered the area, which both
countries claimed as their own.
The border row between the two neighbors
erupted after Cambodia 's arrest of three Thai nationalist protesters on July
15, whom authorities allege crossed illegally into Cambodia close to the
disputed Preah Vihear temple site.
Since then, Thailand and Cambodia have
been building up their forces near the temple and tensions have escalated,
spreading to other temple sites along the border.
Xinhua
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