Gunfire on Thai-Cambodian border

BBC News

There have been a number of clashes around the temple of Preah Vihear Troops from Thailand and Cambodia have exchanged fire in a border area that both countries claim, officials say.

The incident happened early on Friday near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear, which has been the scene of sporadic clashes in recent months.

 A Cambodian spokesman said troops opened fire when Thai soldiers entered their territory. There were no reports of injuries.

A Thai military official said it had been a “misunderstanding”. “The armed clash began when Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory.

We fired rockets at the Thai soldiers,” Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan told Reuters news agency.

Seni Chittakasem, governor of Sisaket province in Thailand, said the incident happened inside the disputed area. “There is no report of loss [of life] on the Thai side and it’s ended now,” AFP news agency quoted him as saying.

An international court awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962, but the land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims. Soldiers from the two countries have been stationed in the area since tensions increased in July last year.

Two Cambodian soldiers were killed at the site in October in a gun battle. Last week, Cambodia accused Thai troops of crossing over briefly into its territory.

On Thursday, a Thai soldier was injured after stepping on a landmine at the site, which was probably left over from the Khmer Rouge era.

We are sure that the area that the Thai soldier got injured by the landmine is in Cambodian territory. Historically, there is no war in Thailand and therefore no landmines have been laid. The landmines are sure to be laid under the civil war in Cambodia from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Thailand must stop its soldier movement and if it really want the peacefull border, Thailand must upphold the spirit of ICJ 1962 and the 1094-1907 Siamese-French Treaties. Borderlines are surely clear if we  cooperatively just USE TECNOLOGY- GPS  the International Laws to verify to solve the confict s but not invading acts or war.