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Thai wants to share the name and called it Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear

Posted by admin on Feb-3-2009

4/02/20
By THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

Negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia over Preah Vihear have stumbled over the spelling of the name of the famed ancient temple.

A Thai official said yesterday officials of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission were trying to find a way around the problem so border negotiations could proceed.

Vasin Teeravechyan, who chairs the commission, said a solution acceptable to the two countries would be found.

Thailand insists on using “the Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear” on documents used in the negotiations. Cambodian officials strongly object, saying Preah Vihear is internationally accepted.

Mr Vasin, who is a retired Foreign Ministry official, said the name proposed by Thailand was very common in international negotiations on the issue.

The Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear has been approved by parliament for the framework negotiations with Cambodia. Thailand will use it in documents to be signed with Cambodia.

The meeting will be concluded today.

The two countries have been unable to settle on a plan to reduce troops in the disputed area which covers 4.6 square kilometres between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear.

Mr Vasin refused further comment on the issue. But earlier he said Cambodia had told the meeting it had no soldiers stationed in the area.

The Cambodia delegation is led by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong.

Despite the disagreement over the name of the temple, the two countries will set up another team to survey the borderline for demarcation between Nam Yuen district in Ubon Ratchathani and Phu Sing district in Si Sa Ket, which is 195km long.

Thailand and Cambodia have already formed a survey team to study the disputed area near the ancient temple which was the scene of a military clash last year.

A plan to reduce the number of soldiers near the disputed area is expected to be included in talks when Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan visits Phnom Penh on Friday.

Posted in Featured, Preah Vihear News
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Oct
10

Khmer men volunteering to defend Cambodian sovereignty

Posted by admin

Friday, 10 October 2008
Thet Sambath The Phnom Penh Post
Oddar Meanchey Province

In Trapaing Prasat district, men young and old say ongoing tensions on the Thai border have persuaded them to enlist for service in the military
DRIVEN by ongoing hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand over disputed border lands, a growing number of Cambodian men are putting their lives on hold and enlisting for military service .

Loth Sokhean, a 19-year-old student from Anlong Veng district in Oddar Meanchey province, quit his studies to join Brigade 43 – a military unit mostly made up of former Khmer Rouge fighters – shortly after the standoff near Preah Vihear temple began in July.

He is currently stationed at Phnom Trop, about two or three kilometres from the temple, where the simmering tensions exploded in a hail of gunfire between troops from the two sides last week.

“I joined the RCAF voluntarily, not by force,” he told the Post. “I was angry when Thai soldiers invaded our temple.”

“I carried my father’s gun when I was a small child, and I have experience hiding from shelling in the battlefield with my father during the 1990s,” he said.

Other men – not all of them young – have felt compelled by the border tensions to become soldiers.

Nun Rom, 39, lives with his wife and three children near Dangrek mountain, which demarcates Cambodia’s border with Thailand.

I JOINED BECAUSE I SAW THAI SOLDIERS CONFISCATING CAMBODIAN LAND.

He served in the army from 1980 to 2003 and appealed to military commanders to allow him to return.

“I was accepted as a soldier after submitting my application,” he said. “I was told I would receive my identification card from the Ministry of Defence this month.”

Nun Rom said he was happy to be back in uniform and that he wanted to defend his country against any further incursion by Thai soldiers.

He added that some 280 men have joined the military from his home district of Trapaing Prasat.

Chheng Phea, 43, comes from the same village as Nun Rom and volunteered for service at about the same time.

“I joined because I saw Thai soldiers confiscating Cambodian land. If I didn’t become a soldier, how could I prevent this encroachment?” he said.

Chhim Sereyrath, the 24-year-old son of a former Khmer Rouge cadre, told the Post he is ready to serve the Kingdom as a soldier if he is needed.

“If the government needs me, I will do it, and I know my friends and many others feel the same way,” he said.

Chin Touch, 53, served as a Khmer Rouge medical officer from 1971 to 1980. She told the Post her sons would be prepared to volunteer in the event of a war with Thailand.

“I have three sons. They will serve if the government needs them,” she said. “If there is war, I will tell them to be soldiers.”

RCAF officials told the Post they have recruited new soldiers in Trapaing Prasat and Anlong Veng districts, as well as in several other provinces.

But Nuon Nov, deputy commander of Military Region 4, said he was not aware of recruitment efforts along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Admin: Of all the areas and regions around Cambodia, the NorthWestern regions are packed with former Khmer Rouge veteran fighters. It will be a hard place for Thailand to invade. Regardless of technology and superior arms, a place where people have been fighting and familiarizing for decades will be hard to control. Even if one assume the Thai army successfully took over Northwestern Cambodia, controlling it will be near impossible. The “guerrilla warfare” will not stop. There will be more casulty on the Thai side than ever before if war were to erupt.

The most powerful nation like the U.S. can not control Vietnam, because they can not win the hearts and mind of the local. The mighty former Soviet Union can not control Afghanistan. The current modern U.S, forces can barely hang on to Iraq. A 2nd rate military like the Thai (including instability and internal conflict) can and will not control local Cambodians, especially former Khmer hardcore soldiers.

War is the last resort. If the Thai chooses, because only they can decide to go to war or not, it will be the biggest tragedy ever in their history.

  1. surya08 Said,

    Very good comments. Thais chose black uniform in order to threat Khmer. But, that color was a hatred color among Khmers, but instead will motivate Khmers to fight. It was a wrong strageties. Many incident is a warning to Thais. Yes, they’ll decide whether to make this war happen. A well-educated society like Thailand should have been using laws for solving the problems. But, it’s ashamed for a big nation.

  2. kama Said,

    I like your comment ADMIN.

  3. Khmer_Man Said,

    the war began.

  4. Khmer_Man Said,

    Thai leader is very yellow. Thai leader left his face under the bed.
    ;) ha ha ha.
    That’s why Thai leader like using yellow cloth every day.

    Is it true ? I think so. Everybody believe me?????
    She is not like me, i dare to say: I’m a simple man. :) ))

    Has has ha , yellow leader.!!!

  5. Duke Said,

    I am a Thai/ American and live in America. After reading your article all it seems you want to do is recruit through this crap of an article. If you do not know already that piece of land you claim is Cambodian soil would not have been given to you unless our past corrupted PM Thaksin did not sign it over for business reasons of his. I have much expiernce on the field and with all your talk if a war breaks out I would love to go back to my country and fight for my country THAILAND and for the King. Many of my friends that now live here in America would love to go back and fight for our country. Remember we are 300,000 strong not even with recruits. There will be no guerrila warefare because we can just light it up with what they call Fighter jets.

    Good luck and Goodnight

    BTW- what are you going to-do swing from the trees and throw coconuts at us?

  6. STK Said,

    The Preah Vihear terrority belongs to Cambodia. Please check the World Court Ruling of 1962 and review your world history. Cambodia has lost enormous of terrority to the Thai and has every right to defend their land and their treasure. If you read your world history (not Thai History written by a Thai), you will see the Thais are looters and bandits. It is time for the Thai to honor the World Court ruling. The World need to step in and enforce this ruling. ASEAN need to step in.

  7. Khmer_Man Said,

    who is the Thai leader now??? The yellow 1 :) )

  8. Fucking Thais Said,

    We all Khmers must be strong and fuck the damned bastard Thais eliminated from the earth. If I were leader of the country, I would have made Siem a country like Afghanistan – completely demolished and even eliminated the word “fucking siem” from this earth.

    Down with the fucking Siem! Befall the country, fuck the prime minister and suck the king of Thailand.

    I wish I could have sucked blood of damned Thais.

  9. admin Said,

    To our Thai friend, Duke, I salute your patriotism, and hope you will return to Thailand to fight for your king and country. Although, your military assessment is very week, I hope you keep your words.

    As pointed out, Thanksin has nothing to do with the World Court decision. That has been decided in favor of Cambodia. Period. Assume your expensive jet fighter and weaponry did neutralize our solders and anti air craft fire, you win what? You win an occupation with soldiers that will be sniped at all day and all night. Hopefully, your economy can support a war and an occupation, if indeed that were to happen. Face it, you are in a loosing situation.

    Anyhow, I welcome your comment, and hope more Thais will get involve in a civil discussion.

  10. Khmer_Man Said,

    duke ! You are high educated, but you have animal spirit.

  11. Khmer_Man Said,

    you encourage your self to joint a war darkly.

    How old is your father ? Duke

    Will he live long time more??

    You are too ambitious. Khmer lost alot in the past. Did you read the history if Khmer Empire???

    The international border was set already and the annex 1 map was keeping in the UN’s office for half century , what you need more? Setting up the new map?

    Try duke!!! Welcome !!!

    Althought we (Khmer) like peace, living near the crazy powerful Thailand changes my mind.

    Welcome the animal spirit Thai people !!!
    Welcome the yellow Thai leader !!!

    The leader who dare not to show that , he is the real Thai leader.
    ha ha ha!!! Yellow king .

  12. Micheal Said,

    Duke love War very Much.

    Wish you good luck . Wish you Long live :)

  13. KhmerMoveOn Said,

    To Duke: The war is already started, go back and fight for your country. I hope you got shot and die like a dog. Don’t underestimate the Khmer, we have the ability to sustain and fight this war. Cambodia is not under arm embargo, we can buy weapons to defend ourself. Having superior weapon doesn’t mean you can win the war. To win the war, you have to win the heart and mind of the people.

  14. TomKH Said,

    To Duke: I think u live and got a good education in America but unless your still nationalism to your Thai nation. I’m Khmer/American too but I’m not like you, i accept and support my native country only in the right way.

    Go back to your country and flight for your country and beloved king and use all the fighter jets, our soldiers welcome to shoot it at Veal Indrii.

    If you really wanted to fight for your country and beloved king please passed my body first so that you can go to Thailand.

    Please advice all your Thai friends not to be proud and learn how to love others nations as you did to your nation. Look! Look! Myanmar and Lao is close to your country? What is the relationship that your government and king behavior to those countries.

  15. GarykPatton Said,

    I think I will try to recommend this post to my friends and family, cuz it’s really helpful.

  16. George Lee Said,

    If Taksin become the prime minister again, it is not only Prear Vihear to be returned to Thailand, but under his leadership… Hun Sen will follow his instruction and Cambodia will become a province of Thailand because, Hun Sen is now being a tool of Taksin, to win his political ground in Thailand. Hun Sen already being a wild dog for Taksin, The Great Dog Leader.

  17. George Lee Said,

    To Khmer man,
    Well, you super great leader looks like a non educated leader. He is the most ill educated man in ASEAN. I feel that, if Cambodian has good education, look at the lack of education wording posted on this website. I believe that, less than 20% of Cambodian has a good understand of history of Prear Vihear. This is due to, under Hun Sen’s leadership, there is no development in education.Hun Sen has used the donated money from ASEAN members, foreign countries and United Nations wrongly. The first time I landed in Phnom Penh, your friend, an immigration officer in the airport asked for USD 10 for processing my passport. This is because of poor education level of the country due to Hun Sen has spent this money for casino, land mine, and weapon.

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