Gov't to guarantee safety of Thais living in Cambodia

Sar Kheng is protecting Thai civilians, Did Sar Kheng ever asked Thai authorities to protect Cambodian civilians? Years, Thai soldiers had shot and killed Cambodian civilians along the border of Khmer-Thailand, some as young as five years old. Who cared for those poors?

Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, has asked to the provincial authorities to take care and guarantee the safety of Thai businesspeople and civilians living in the country, the Raksmey Kampuchea Daily reported on Thursday.

"We need to avoid any violence against them, even both troops had armed clash Wednesday at the border area," he was quoted by the Khmer-language Raksmey Kampuchea Daily as saying.

"I just wrote to inform all our provincial and city governors near the border to keep the good relationship as normal and protect all the Thais," he said, adding that about 1,000 Thais live in Phnom Penh and about 800 in Siem Reap province.

Cambodian side needs no weapon conflict, but both sides just couldn't avoid it Wednesday, he said.

Cambodia has to defend the Veal Intry area, 2,000 meters to the west of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda which is situated on the only way leading to the ancient Preah Vihear Temple, he said.

"The government considers the Veal Intry area as the main location for reaching the Preah Vihear Temple. If we lose the VealIntry area, we lose the temple," he said.

Thai troops withdrew from the Veal Intry area Tuesday, but came back Wednesday, and our troops didn't allow them to go further, he said.

"Then, Thai troops started shooting at our troops, and the armed clash occurred at the area," he added.

During the two-hour clash Wednesday at the border area, two Cambodian solders were killed and two injured, while ten Thai soldiers were detained by the Cambodian side, said Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong at a press conference held at his ministry late Wednesday.

Cambodia tightened the security around the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Thai side did the same thing around the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok, he added.

Regional military commanders from both sides are scheduled to hold meeting Thursday in Thailand in order to find a peaceful solution for the months-long military face off and confrontation over border dispute.

In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

The tension later turned into a military stalemate, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks. In mid-August, most troops withdrew and only a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.

Bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.

In October, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during an exchange of gunfire and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine at the border area.

Source:Xinhua