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Cambodia has cut back its military presence at Preah Vihear Temple - a trigger point in the past year - while Thailand's Parliament is expected to allow the two countries to move ahead with boundary demarcation in the overlapping area.

"We have pulled out 50 per cent of the troops from Preah Vihear Temple," Chhum Socheat, spokesman for Cambodia's National Defence Ministry, said yesterday.

"This shows that the situation at the border is really getting better, and that both countries have a mutual understanding of peace," he said.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the controversial Hindu temple since last year when Thailand opposed Phnom Penh's move to inscribe the Khmer sanctuary on Unesco's list of world heritage sites.

After the UN World Heritage Committee granted the coveted status in July 2008, both countries boosted their military forces in the area, with clashes following twice in October and April, leaving seven soldiers of both sides dead.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week said Thailand had just 30 soldiers stationed on the border, meaning Cambodia could stand some troops down and send them back to their provincial bases.

"We still have enough troops remaining to protect our territory," said General Chea Dara, deputy commander of Cambodia's armed forces.

If Thailand "shows a softer manner" they could cut the numbers further. "However, if anything happened, our troop mobility would be very swift," he said.

The Thai government in June re-ignited the row over the temple when it asked Unesco to reconsider its decision to list the temple located in Cambodia.

However, Unesco did not take the Thai request into consideration. The foreign ministries of the two neighbours maintained peaceful means to resolve the dispute through the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC).

The JBC met last November, February and April to set a framework on boundary demarcation and provisional arrangements for the disputed area near Preah Vihear.

The results of the three meetings need approval from Parliament so further discussions on the details can be held.

Parliament is set to meet today to consider the minutes submitted by the Foreign Ministry, after the motion was postponed from last week since the Lower House was busy with the marathon debate on the budget bill.

Some senators, however, said they would reject the JBC minutes and demanded the government take a tough position to evict a Cambodian community from the contested area that they considered was under Thai sovereignty.

Son Chhay indicated that the resolution of the border dispute with Thailand cannot be done through armed forces or bilateral negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand. A successful resolution requires the participation of the International community, including ASEAN countries. Cambodia must push the signatory countries of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia to guarantee that Thailand does not violate Cambodia’s territorial integrity.

In the afternoon of 29 August, the spokesman of the Cambodian ministry of Defense indicated that the withdrawal of troops from the border region where the confrontation of Cambodian and Thai troops is taking place, is done according to a plan set on 30 August.

Chhum Socheat, spokesman of the ministry of Defense, indicated that 50% of troops, heavy artillery and tanks were pulled out according the set strategy, and the number of troop withdrawn amounts to 3 divisions: the Preah Vihear province division, the Kampong Thom province division and army Brigade No. 11, etc…

Chhum Socheat indicated: “In some locations, we should pull out, at some others, we shouldn’t pull out, we base [the pullout] on the actual number of troops. This does not mean that 50% of the frontline troops were pulled out… it means that, out of the total number [of troops being pulled out], some regions that we consider as vital, we preserve the troops there, at other regions where we are not doing anything, we are pulling them back out. This means that we pull the troops out according to our military strategy, we are not pulling them out unilaterally. The majority of our troops have their bases prepared already along necessary locations, they can return back there on time.”

Troops withdrawal took place after Hun Xen said that Thai troops pulled out the border region near Preah Vihear temple and the situation will no longer be explosive anymore.

John Johnston, spokesman for the US embassy in Cambodia, indicated that troops pullout is a good sign for peaceful negotiations between the two countries, and this could lead to a peaceful resolution.

Regarding this troop withdrawal, SRP MP Son Chhay said that this pullout does not equate to a border resolution with Thailand at all.

Son Chhay said: “We want to know: this pullout was due to what? Reports indicated that only our side is pulling out, but Thailand still maintains the same position. For this border problem with Thailand, we don’t understand which strategy led the government to make this decision, could it be that Thailand promised not to conduct further aggression or anything else? Nevertheless, I say that this troop withdrawal will not lead Thailand to respect our territorial integrity.”

Son Chhay indicated that the resolution of the border dispute with Thailand cannot be done through armed forces or bilateral negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand. A successful resolution requires the participation of the International community, including ASEAN countries. Cambodia must push the signatory countries of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia to guarantee that Thailand does not violate Cambodia’s territorial integrity.

By Mom Sophon
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Cambodia worker brutally murdered on Pattaya construction site

Pattaya, August 31 [PDN]:On the evening of 30th August 2009 a Cambodian carpenter working on a Pattaya village project was murdered by his friends because he refused to get more drinks for them.

At 11:00 pm Police Lieutenant Colonel Winai Hohrien of the Banglamung police was informed that a Cambodia worker, identified as Mr. Tid, had been killed at the Chokchai Garden Home 2 village in Soi Kao Noi, Moo. 10, Nongprue Banglamung. A police team led by Police Colonel Somneuk Junkate together with a rescue team and doctors from Banglamung hospital rushed to the scene.

At the construction site police found the body of Mr. Tid, aged around 30, lying in a 2 metre deep garbage pit. He was wearing red shirts and blue shorts and his head had been smashed by a hard item. His neck was broken and his body was covered in wounds. He had been dead for about an hour.

Witnesses told police the victim had been drinking with two friends in his room. They heard Mr. Tid being told to go and get some more whisky, but he refused and they started arguing. The two friends then attacked him with a hammer and a rock. The two suspects then carried the dead body and threw it into the garbage pit before making their escape. In a search of the room next door police found a bloodstained rock and hammer.

The police will be contacting the Thai construction foreman and search for the heartless murderers.

Cambodia's Defence Ministry says government has halved deployed troops at Preah Vihear but warns that forces remain prepared for any future hostilities.

Troops stationed at the Preah Vihear temple complex near the Thai border completed their redeployment over the weekend, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander told the Post on Sunday.

Srey Doek, commander of RCAF Division 3, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday met soldiers from Brigade 11 during their redeployment to their base in Kampot province.

"[Hun Sen] welcomed them as they travelled near Siem Reap and offered them each 50,000 riels [US$12], and the prime minister's wife offered them gifts of fruit," Srey Doek said.

Srey Doek said the money and fruit were given to nearly 1,000 RCAF soldiers as expressions of gratitude for their service at the front line, adding that troops from other brigades from Siem Reap as well as members of Hun Sen's personal bodyguard who were also redeployed over the weekend did not meet the prime minister.

Meanwhile, an official at the Defence Ministry said Sunday that forces at the border have now been halved.

"We have pulled out 50 percent of the troops from Preah Vihear temple," said ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat.

"This shows that the situation at the border is really getting better, and that both countries have a mutual understanding of peace," he added.

Hun Sen declared last week that the 13-month standoff with Thailand over the disputed Preah Vihear temple complex, which claimed more than seven lives and left hundreds homeless, had effectively ended following a bilateral withdrawal of troops announced during a meeting on August 24 between the head of RCAF, General Pol Saroeun, and his Thai counterpart, General Songkitti Jaggabatra of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

Troops still on guard
Despite a thaw in relations, Cambodian military officials last week were quick to point out that troops would still be necessary to guard the integrity of the border and the sovereignty of the nation.

Defence Minister Tea Banh said some troops would remain at the border.

"We do not need too many soldiers there now. We are currently adjusting the numbers to achieve the right balance for the situation," Tea Banh said last week.

Chea Dara, RCAF deputy commander in chief, echoed this sentiment Sunday, saying the border's security remained a vital concern and downplaying the impact of the withdrawal on Cambodia's ability to secure its border with Thailand.

"It is not a problem for our soldiers to defend the nation, even as their numbers have been reduced by the withdrawal," he said Sunday. "We have kept enough of our troops in place."

He said if Thailand "shows a softer manner" Cambodia could cut troop numbers further. "However, if anything happened, our troop mobility would be very swift."

Thailand in June reignited the row over the temple when it asked World Heritage body UNESCO to reconsider its decision to formally list the temple in Cambodia.

Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear temple for decades.

A source from Thailand's Konkaen province said the "yellow shirt" protesters, led by ultra-nationalist Vira Sumkwamkid, plan to march to Preah Vihear temple on 28th August to show to the world who "owns the Preah Vihear temple".

Mr. Vira in the past has campaigned relentlessly for the annexation of the 4.6 km2 of the areas surrounding the Preah Vihear temple, where they are shown to be located inside Cambodian territories by the 1908 map agreed between Cambodia and Thailand.

Mr. Vira Sumkwamkid, who is head of People Against Corruption in Sisaket, said the group will invite all media and the Thai people to march to Sisaket and then to Preah Vihear temple, from Phu Makeu village to Ta Thav Pass to prove whether the area is a Cambodian or Thai territory.

The group plans to gather at a Spirit House at Kantaralak village to collect the true data/information to send to the Thai parliament. There are also reports that this untra-nationalist group will also gather in front of the Thai parliament to convince the MPs not to support the Khmer-Thai border draft agreement.

The Thai parliament is sheduled to ratify the agreement signed between Cambodia and Thailand on border resolution this Friday, but a group of 40 Thai senators planned to block the agreement in the Senate.

Source: Koh Santepheap newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

A second body has been found after Thai soldiers shot at a group of Khmer migrant workers who were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for transport to Thailand.

On 23rd August, Thai soldiers shot at a group of Cambodian workers in a forest in Thailand's Ubon province, arresting 16 people with many people having escaped safely back to Cambodia while others remained missing.

On 26th, 35 year-old Chhum Pov's body was found dead with bullet wounds to his body. The next day, the body of 25 year-old Monh Pheak was found dead, also from gun shot wounds. According to everyday.com, 4 persons remained missing.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said the 16 arrested are due to be put on trial on 28th August in Ubon province with Cambodian consular officials arranging for a legal representation for them. "What we have done is asking our consular officials based in the province to find independent lawyers to represent them," he said.

Thai authority accused them of illegally logging in Thai territories, but Mr. Sor Thavy, Deputy Governor of Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, said those people were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for them. "According to my investigation, those 16 Khmer citizens were hired to take the logs out of the forests for the Thai businesspeople," he said.

Many Khmer migrant workers have crossed to work in Thailand everyday. Recently, there is a surge in the indiscriminate shootings of these workers by Thai soldiers, often killing and wounding many people.

Early this months, a number of Cambodian had been arrested and wounded by Thai soldiers, some are still missing, for allegedly illegally logging in Thai territories.

A second body has been found after Thai soldiers shot at a group of Khmer migrant workers who were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for transport to Thailand.

On 23rd August, Thai soldiers shot at a group of Cambodian workers in a forest in Thailand's Ubon province, arresting 16 people with many people having escaped safely back to Cambodia while others remained missing.

On 26th, 35 year-old Chhum Pov's body was found dead with bullet wounds to his body. The next day, the body of 25 year-old Monh Pheak was found dead, also from gun shot wounds. According to everyday.com, 4 persons remained missing.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said the 16 arrested are due to be put on trial on 28th August in Ubon province with Cambodian consular officials arranging for a legal representation for them. "What we have done is asking our consular officials based in the province to find independent lawyers to represent them," he said.

Thai authority accused them of illegally logging in Thai territories, but Mr. Sor Thavy, Deputy Governor of Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, said those people were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for them. "According to my investigation, those 16 Khmer citizens were hired to take the logs out of the forests for the Thai businesspeople," he said.

Many Khmer migrant workers have crossed to work in Thailand everyday. Recently, there is a surge in the indiscriminate shootings of these workers by Thai soldiers, often killing and wounding many people.

Early this months, a number of Cambodian had been arrested and wounded by Thai soldiers, some are still missing, for allegedly illegally logging in Thai territories.

Dusit Palace, Government House and parliament are being placed under security lockdown and kept clear of street protests when red shirts hold their mass rally on Sunday, a military source says.

No gatherings would be allowed in the three locations where about 3,500 troops and 1,950 police would be deployed to maintain law and order, the source said.

The measures, which were discussed yesterday at the meeting of the Defence Council, would be proposed at today's meeting of the Internal Security Operations Command .

The council called the meeting to prepare for Sunday's rally by the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and make security preparations after the government decided to invoke the Internal Security Act in Dusit district from tomorrow until Tuesday to handle the protest.

The Isoc meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, was expected to propose a number of security measures to deal with the red shirt rally.

The invoking of the security act was to allow security authorities to take necessary steps to prevent violence.

"The law is there to facilitate the authorities' work," Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said.

"It is not to bully anyone. It is to tell the red shirt protesters that we have a law to keep the rally under control."

Gen Prawit said the Isoc would decide today which locations would be declared security restricted and off limits to protesters.

Defence spokesman Thanatip Sawangsaeng said the enforcement of the internal security law would not infringe on the rights of the public, which are protected by Article 63 of the constitution.

He said the Isoc would also explain to the public the need to enforce the security law.

"There is a need to prevent 'a third hand' from exploiting the situation," Col Thanatip said. "Strict enforcement of related laws, especially on carrying weapons, can be expected."

Mr Abhisit yesterday sought to assure businessmen at a forum that the use of the internal security law would not damage the investment atmosphere or tourism.

He said the law was to ensure there would be no repetition of the Songkran mayhem. The legislation's effectiveness was proved at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Phuket last month.

Metropolitan police chief Worapong Chiwpreecha yesterday warned that some UDD leaders had been released on bail and had commitments to comply with.

"The bail conditions still exist and are legally binding," he said, referring to the charges pressed against UDD leaders in connection with the Songkran violence.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau estimates Sunday's rally to draw about 30,000 people and end about midnight.

National police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwon has been asked by the prime minister to hold talks with UDD leaders to ensure the protest was peaceful and orderly.

"We have to be positive about the talks," Pol Gen Patcharawat said.

"I do not believe Thai people want to see untoward incidents."

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey yesterday invited the broadcast media to a briefing ahead of the red shirt rally.

The minister said he would not ban the media from covering the rally but urged them to be careful with their reports and double-check the facts.

"Some [radio] programmes have phone-in sessions, so I ask them to be discreet," Mr Sathit said.

"Some people may call and claim there has been a shooting."

Source: Bangkok Post
Writer: POST REPORTERS
Published: 28/08/2009 at 12:00 AM

General Yim Pim, the Cambodian commander of Brigade No. 8 stationed along the Preah Vihear temple border frontline, said that the border situation has improved significantly, and even a number of Thai troops have also pulled back. He said that the progress of the bilateral troop reduction is a good sign for peace along the border. Troops welcome Hun Xen’s search for peaceful resolution in the armed confrontation between the two countries. Yim Pim added that, in the past, Cambodian troops who travel somewhere must be on constant alert and they have to have their weapons in hand at all time, but now, patrolling soldiers can do so without their weapons, unlike what it used to be.

Friday, August 28, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Gap year travellers in Cambodia and Thailand may welcome the news that the troops of the former country have partially pulled back from a conflict area along the country’s border, reports Reuters.

The cause of the dispute is the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which both countries have attempted to lay claim to over the years.

Fresh break outs of fighting over the last year have claimed seven lives in the area and prompted the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office to advise against British nationals visiting it.

However, the new developments have been described by General Chea Dara, deputy commander-in-chief of Cambodia’s armed forces, as a step in the right direction.


The news provider quotes him as saying: "This shows the positive position of Cambodia, that we want to live in peace, and is something the two nations will benefit from."

Border issues have been on the Cambodian agenda of late – it was announced earlier this month that more points of entry would be opened between the country and its eastern neighbour Vietnam.

Tensions in the Cambodia-Thai border conflict, begun July 15, 2008, have notably reduced during the 13th month of the episode as both nations’ leaders pledged to cooperate and promote development at the border.
High ranking military and civilian officials exchanged official trips recently. A two-day official visit from supreme commander of Thai army to Cambodia in August 24 saw significant agreements with Cambodia is over border demarcation.
Another development came after Cambodian Deputy Prime Ministry Hor Namhong attended the Cambodia -Thai Cooperation Summit in Thailand on August 5.
Both the Cambodian and Thai Governments have agreed to extend bilateral cooperation to avoid the possibility of armed conflict at the border near the Cambodian temple of Preah Viear, a Cambodian diplomatic official said.
Hor Namhong, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, arrived home August 5 after his two-day official visit to Thailand. He said the trip had been fruitful. “Agreements have been signed to open a border crossing at Boeng Snor commune, Banteay Meanchey province, to exchange prisoners and promise to continue to resolve the border conflict.”

Hor Namhong told reporters upon his delegates’ arrival that he and his Thai FM counterpart Kasit Piromya´s meetings were conducted in a cordial and constructive atmosphere reflecting the current state of good and close neighborliness and cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The two nations have agreed to enhance cooperation on education, culture, labor, public health, social affairs, justice, science and technology, telecommunications, tourism, trade, investment, cooperative finance, transportation, civil aviation, industry, mines and energy, oil and gas, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced he will cut troop levels at the area of attempted Thai encroachment around Cambodia’s Khmer Preah Vihear Temple in response to a similar move by Thailand.
Opposite Pursat province, Thailand has recently cut the number of its soldiers to just 30, the Cambodian premier said. He did not specify how many Cambodian soldiers would be withdrawn.
“We have a plan to change the deployment a little,” Hun Sen said. “If anything happened, it wouldn’t take long to send our troops up again, but I hope there won’t be any fighting there.”
“In our modern age, we need to discuss matters with each other and we do not want to see people shed their blood.”
Tensions at the border are easing and both sides plan to measure areas for border demarcation soon.
The last bearing fruitful result of the two nation conflict also made during Songkiti Jaggap Batara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces to Cambodia for two days kicked off on August 24 this week.
In a remarkable defusing of the tense Cambodia-Thai military standoff around Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple, army chiefs on Monday agreed to boost cooperation in development of border areas to improve living standards of the citizens of both countries. Cambodian troop deployments were said to have been scaled back.
A meeting between two senior army commander chiefs came following a two-day official visit from Songkiti Jaggap Batara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, to Cambodia. He met with Pol Saroeun, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Commander in Chief, in Phnom Penh.
Songkiti Jaggap Batara said he wanted to strengthen the relationship between the two parties, and to show solidarity to international community. “We solve all matters in safe ways and the Thai Government is making efforts to boost a good relationship among the parties,” said Songkiti Jaggap Batara at the meeting.
“Thailand welcomes Cambodian soldiers for any official visit and study tour at any time,” he added.

In response, Pol Saroeun remarked that, “We do not care what is published in newspapers as Cambodia’s stance is to solve safely.”
Troop deployments had been reduced in some areas as directed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The troops have apparently been moved to help cultivation during the rainy season.
Cambodian CIC Pol Saroeun also asked Thailand to support rice cultivation and for Thai businessmen to buy Cambodian farmers’ products.
Cambodia asked that Thai soldiers be tolerant of rural Cambodians who travel across the border to cut trees on Thai territory. The Thai army chief said he would command respectful behavior.
The two parties agreed to develop infrastructure at the border t promote business.
The situation at the border is be normal, a senior army official told DAP News Cambodia on Monday.
“The two sides’ soldiers have a good relationship,” said Srey Doeuk, commander of Cambodia’s Preah Vihear forces.
Both nations have had soldiers killed and wounded in clashes in the area since mid-2008, when the temple was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body.
The violence drove relations between the two ASEAN members to a low point and caused concern among other members of the regional bloc.
In an effort to show the situation is less fractious, Thai and Cambodian soldiers based at the 11th-century temple took part Tuesday in a joint religious ceremony in Kampong Thom province.
Most of view expects that the border at Cambodia´s Preah Vihear temple which kicked off while Cambodia´s Preah Vihear temple was inscribed as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008 will be eased tension gradually. A following week, Thai soldiers encroached illegally into Cambodia´s territory.

Thai black-clad soldiers from Battalion No. 2606, based on Dongrak, Surin province, have cleared lands for a road and completed the building of a wooden bridge that reaches the dividing road at the Chub Angkunh border. They are also clearing forests to advance the road construction of Ta Krabey temple. Cambodian border troops claimed that their commanders ordered them to stop the Thai troops from continuing the road construction because this is considered a sensitive border region, and it is also a zone where no clear border demarcation has been done yet.

Cambodian cops and troops stationed along the Thmor Don border told Rasmei Kampuchea that Thai black-clad troops from Battalion 2606, who are stationed at the Chhork Kang pass, in Phnom Dongrak pass, Surin province, completed the construction of a wooden bridge by hand on 24 August 2009. They use machinery equipments to clear the road from Bos Sa’ang, Bakdai commune, Dongrak district, Surin province (near the Thai black-clad soldier base) to the dividing road at the Chub Angkunh pass, Thmor Don village, Kauk Mon commune, Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province, during 21-22 August 2009.

The Chub Angkunh border is a sensitive border area and Cambodian and Thai troops used to confront each other in that area when Thai troops camped there. The Thai troops prevented Cambodian border troops to cross over to the area as they used to do for their usual foot patrol. The Chub Angkunh point is located 3.4 km east of Thmor Don village and about 0.4 km west of Ta Krabey temple, along the Dangrek mountain chain.

The source above indicated that the road clearing and the building of the wooden bridge, as well as the forest clearing by Thai troops were conducted in secret and the Cambodian force was not informed of these construction. It could be also that these constructions took place in between Cambodian border troop patrols.

The newly built road by Thai troops is located nearby their base and it extends 423 meters to the Chub Angkunh border zone, an area that is not clearly delimited yet. The forest clearing from Chub Angkunh to Ta Krabey temple measures about 1.3 km. The width of the new road is about 4-meters but it is not paved with dirt or gravel yet.

At the location of the newly-built bridge, Cambodian troops have built a bridge there in the past, but Thai soldiers sneaked and burnt it down, but now, it is the Thai troops turn to rebuild this bridge. However, Cambodian soldiers have not destroyed it yet. However a low-ranking army commander from Oddar Meanchey province told Rasmei Kampuchea that: “The higher ups issued their order already: Thai troops are not allowed to continue because this border area is not clearly delimited yet, and in the past, it was a disputed area also.”

According to the claim made by border troops, the Chub Angkunh dividing road is located in the geographical area UA22882-87405. The wooden bridge is located at UA23306-87405, and the newly cleared forest to continue the road construction to Ta Krabey temple is located at UA23441-87550.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has withdrawn several tanks from the frontier with Thailand, the local media reported Thursday

"The withdrawal of the military tanks was ordered by Prime Minister Hun Sen last Sunday and those tanks have to go back to their strongholds," Chea Dara, deputy commander-in-chief of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces quoted by the Khmer language newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea as saying.

"We want to see border with full security, safety, good development without arm confrontation with neighboring countries," he added.

"We withdrew our tanks starting on August 26," he said, adding that "those tanks moved back to their headquarters but if the situation is changed, we still enable to mobilize as quickly as possible to the border."

Cambodian and Thai troops have confronted with heavy weapons at the border particularly at areas near 11th century khmer Preah Viheat temple since July 15, 2008 and it caused casualties on both sides when armed clashes occurred.

After negotiations including top level meeting of Prime Ministers, Foreign ministers and commanders at regions, they agreed to reduce troops and withdrew subsequently to pave the way for the joint border committees from both sides to measure the land at the areas and plant the border markers.

The Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Tuesday signed an official letter to Justice Minister Ang Vong Vatana asking that he reexamine the case of Hang Chakra´s, publisher of the pro-opposition Khmer Mochas Srok newspaper, who was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of defamation and disinformation.

The letter dated August 5, 2009, follows an appeal from a group journalists on Monday this week who jointly asked the Cambodian King to intervene with the Justice Minister over the ongoing imprisonment Hang Chakra. Phnom Penh Municipal Court on June 26, 2009 fined Hang Chakra CR9 million and sentenced him to 12 months in jail. he has become ill since being incarcerated, media reports claim. According his defense lawyer, Hang Chakra has a serious fever.

Choung Chougni, Hang Chakra´s defense lawyer, on Wednesday claimed that his client is not aware that a group of NGOs have jointly asked that he be freed.

Choung Chougni seemed not to be overly optimistic over the NGOs’ request, saying the case could be political, so could best be solved politically.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court ruled that Hang Chakra had committed the crime of disinformation in order to “instigate political stability” after he published articles in his newspaper in April and May, 2009. The story cited in court related to allegations of corruption around Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, also a minister for the Council of Ministers.

Phnom Penh Appeal Court on August 11, 2009 upheld the prior court’s ruling.

However, it is unclear whether Hang Chakra’s defense lawyer will pursue the case further and file a complaint to the Supreme Court. “I will do as my clients wishes,” Choung Chougni said.

Ang Vongvatana could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Written by DAP NEWS
Thursday, 27 August 2009

Defence minister says some soldiers must stay and protect Preah Vihear despite warmer ties.

DEFENCE Minister Tea Banh on Wednesday said despite a recent thaw in the Preah Vihear temple dispute with Thailand, Cambodian troops will still be required to guard the border against any violation of the Kingdom's sovereignty.

"We do not need too many soldiers there now. We are currently adjusting the numbers to achieve the right balance for the situation," he said.
Tea Banh would not, however, provide details about how many troops he thought might be required to secure the frontier.

Following a request by Prime Minister Hun Sen last week, Cambodia announced it would begin withdrawing troops from the disputed border region that has seen sporadic fighting and at least seven soldiers killed since October last year.

WE WILL KEEP ENOUGH TO DEFEND ... THE LOSS OF EVEN ONE CENTIMETRE OF LAND.

RCAF General Pol Sareoun and his Thai counterpart, Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatra, on Monday declared an end to hostilities in a landmark meeting at RCAF headquarters.

Srey Doek, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces's Division 3, said Hun Sen's request for a troop withdrawal was only the first step, and that the RCAF would officially implement the withdrawal on August 30.

Back to their provinces
He said troops currently at the border would be redeployed to Siem Reap and Kampong Thom provinces, and that soldiers from Brigade 11 would return to their base in Kampot.

He added that up to half of troops to be redeployed belong to Hun Sen's personal bodyguard unit.

Chea Dara, RCAF deputy commander-in-chief, refused Wednesday to specify how many soldiers would be redeployed or how many would remain on the border.

"I cannot say how many will leave or how many will remain," he said.

"But we will keep enough to defend the nation from the loss of even one centimetre of land," he added.

Current hostilities along the border in Preah Vihear began in July last year following the 11th-century temple's accession as a World Heritage site.

Thai troops subsequently occupied the temple complex, sparking the largest buildup of troop and military materiel along the border in years.

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, which has vocally opposed the Thai presence at Preah Vihear, said he doubted the wisdom of pulling troops out of the area while Thai soldiers remain.

"We have not seen any positive resolution to this border issue yet, and Thai soldiers are still on our land," Rong Chhun said.

Thursday, 27 August 2009
By Vong Sokheng and Thet Sambath
Phnom Penh Post

The Foreign Ministry will submit details to Parliament tomorrow of three meetings on demarcation of the Thai-Cambodian border - centred on the Preah Vihear temple area - amid strong opposition from some senators and influential members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), met last November, in February and in April this year, to set a framework on boundary demarcation and provisional arrangements for the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple.

Article 190 of the Constitution requires the ministry to report to Parliament on meetings of the JBC, deputy ministerial spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said, and this had to be done before further discussion with Cambodia.

Senator Paiboon Nititawan said earlier his group of 40 senators would oppose the government's demarcation and provisional arrangements for the disputed area at the Preah Vihear. The 4.6 square kilometre area belongs to Thailand, he said.


The senators' move was backed by the PAD, who demanded yesterday the government remove by force the Cambodian community in the disputed area.

"The PAD disagrees with negotiations as long as Thai territory is occupied," PAD spokesman Panthep Phuaphongphan said.

The Democrat-led government should take the same stance as when it was in opposition, he said.

The Democrat Party and the PAD used the bruised nationalism of Preah Vihear temple to attack the previous governments. They managed to get Noppadon Pattama to step down as foreign minister, and had the whole cabinet under Samak Sundaravej in legal trouble for its support of Cambodia's proposal to list the Preah Vihear as a world heritage site.

However, Thani said the senators and the PAD misunderstood the demarcation and provisional arrangements.

"The ministry would not submit the provisional arrangements to the Parliament this Friday since we have not yet begun discussion with Cambodia on the matter," he said.

In regard to provisional arrangements on border issues in the area near Preah Vihear, both sides merely reached an agreement in a meeting in April in Phnom Penh on the use of the term "Temporary military monitoring groups" for security units in the area. The foreign ministry needed the Parliament's approval for further talks.

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court had on 25th August sentenced a Thai man who insulted Angkor Wat to 3 months jail term for illegally entering Cambodia.

39 year-old Sorlawun Khamsorn from Nongkhai of Saraburi province was arrested on 9th of August for carving a picture of Angkor Wat on a concrete floor at the entrance to his toilet. After he was arrested, he was found to have lived illegally in Cambodia for more than 10 years.

He has not been sentenced for his crime of insulting Angkor Wat yet. He has denied a charge of insulting Angkor Wat, a Cambodian iconic ancient temple considered by many Cambodian to be the pride of the Cambodian nation, saying that he only put the concrete carving of Angkor Wat to dry in front of the toilet door. He also claimed that he had done that out of the love for Angkor Wat.

Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization

16 Cambodians have been sentenced by a Thai court in Sisaket province for illegally logging in Thai territories.

Mr. Sor Thavy, Deputy Governor of Preah Vihear province, confirmed to Deum Ampil on Wednesday (16th August ) afternoon that the 16 Cambodians were convicted by a Thai court, but did not elaborate what sorts of sentences were imposed on them.

He said he had made a request to Thai provincial authority for the release of the 16 Cambodians, but were told that it is a matter for the Thai Forestry Department.

"Now I am preparing a detailed report to send to the Interior Ministry and request it to help in resolving this case", he said.


Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

42 hurt in car bomb attack

Intelligence officer tips rise in violence

NARATHIWAT : The frequency of militant attacks and car bombs is expected to increase in the far South, a military intelligence source warns.

The warning came yesterday after a powerful car bomb went off outside a restaurant in Narathiwat's Muang district, wounding 42 people, including a local district chief and a doctor.

Police said a bomb weighing at least 50kg was planted in a pickup truck parked near the Suan Kluay restaurant in a soi off Rattanavanich Road.

The restaurant was packed with diners when the powerful bomb went off, police said.

The vehicle was engulfed in flames when police and bomb experts arrived. Firefighters were called in to put out the flames.

Among the injured, who were rushed to Narathiwat Rajanagarinda Hospital, were Muang district chief Surachai Chawalarat, said Wipawan Thongkham, an opthalmologist at the hospital.

Most of the victims received minor injuries and were discharged after having their wounds treated.

Only four of the 42 were in a serious condition.

Police investigators found the pickup truck used in the attack was stolen. It belonged to a land survey official in Pattani who was shot dead by suspected militants in Narathiwat's Bacho district on Aug 5.

Police are gathering evidence and checking footage from four security cameras installed near the explosion site to discover the identity of the perpetrators.

A source from the 4th Army intelligence unit said separatists were planning a new wave of bomb attacks in the southern border provinces.

The source said the 4th Army would step up security and use helicopters to detect and jam radio signals that could be used to detonate explosive devices.

Security would be beefed up in vulnerable areas in the three southernmost provinces and in Songkhla's Hat Yai district.

But 4th Army commander Pichet Wisaijorn, who is in charge of security in the far South, said violence in the region had fallen in recent months and yesterday's car bomb could be intended by separatists to attract attention and earn newspaper space.

He said statistics show more rebel attacks occur every year during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started last Friday.

Lt Gen Pichet said he had received information about possible militant attacks since Aug 15 and told security forces to keep an eye out.

However, Lt Gen Pichet said security troops were unable to protect every area because the ground they must cover was too vast.

"Some areas may slip through the security net," he said.

Lt Col Krittapas Krueanate, who heads bomb disposal operations in the far South, said car and motorcycle bombs began to hit the restive region in 2005 and have become more violent since last year. It was difficult to deter such attacks.

The attacks were now being directed at specific and important targets, such as local government offices, places of local significance and motorcades of important people, he said.

The assailants are also using larger amounts of explosives in each attack and are coming up with more complicated plots to deceive the authorities, he said.

The attacks were modelled on those being used in other countries like Iraq, Lt Col Krittapas said.

Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Council of Ministers, said that the resolution of the Preah Vihear temple dispute with Thailand through an international court is tantamount to the destruction of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) [KI-Media note: the 2000 MOU was concluded between Hun Sen’s government and Thailand]. Phay Siphan told The Phnom Penh Post regarding the opposition wanting the government to bring this dispute issue to be resolved by an international court, that: “This is the freedom of the opposition. Up to now, we do not consider the Preah Vihear temple dispute as a dispute between nations. We consider the Preah Vihear temple dispute as a separate issue because we have prepared 70% of the map from Anlong Veng down to the Cham Yeam point already.” He added: “Therefore, if we take this dispute to resolve outside [of the bilateral discussion with Thailand], this means that we are destroying the 2000 achievement.

Therefore, the opposition party should revisit what was the gain from the 2000 MOU to the good cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand, in the sense of preserving peace, in the sense of the application of what we have agreed on since 1904 and 1907 and the map preparation in 1908. Do we want to sue each other to come up with a new map? In summary, the Preah Vihear issue if merely a technical issue, i.e. it is not a political affair.”

The planned joint celebration between Thai and Cambodian troops along the Ta Thav Pass frontline has been delayed. Thai troops have decided to delay the celebration originally planned for 25 August, General Chhum Socheat, spokesman of the ministry of Defense, claimed. Chhum Socheat told the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper in the morning of 24 August that: “They informed us [about the cancellation] last week. They did not tell us the cause of the cancellation of this joint celebration. They only told us that they don’t have time, and to wait for next time.” It was Thai troops along the frontline who proposed to hold a joint celebration with Cambodian soldiers stationed along the Ta Thav Pass frontline. Thai soldiers originally asked to hold the celebration on Tuesday 25 August.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Opposition MPs and government critics are pessimistic about border talks being held between Cambodia's Commander-in-Chief Gen. Pol Saroeun and Thailand's Supreme Commander Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatara in Phnom Penh on 24th August.

Gen. Songkitti has led 100 delegates, the biggest ever Thai military delegation, to Cambodia.

Both military leaders hailed the meeting as a breakthrough.

Gen. Songkitti has been quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying that the Khmer-Thai border problems are solved. "I would like to clarify again that there will be no more problems between Thailand and Cambodia," he said. "The border will not be the cause of any further disputes."

Cambodian's Gen. Pol Saroeun concurred Gen. Songkitti's view. "We have the same view," he said. "Our goal is to achieve peace and solidarity with each other as siblings."

But opposition MPs and critics of the government's approaches to border issues with Thailand have expressed pessimism about a satisfactory border resolution for the Cambodian side.

Mr. Son Chhay, MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said Thailand is using its military superiority to corner Cambodia into accept its term of agreement.

"Thailand depends on their military power and resources, and they're just delaying this issue as long as possible so that they can eventually demand more of our territory", he was quoted by the Phnom Post as saying.

He insists that Cambodian government seeks a resolution via the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands.

"We're waiting for the government to use diplomatic institutions, the legal system and international agreements, such as the 1991 Paris Peace accords, which promised to guarantee our territory", he told the Phnom Penh Post.

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, echoed Son Chhay's pessimism. "We don't have any faith in Thailand's promise," he told the Post. "We have not seen any positive solutions yet."

Rong Chhun said Cambodia should demand a total Thai troop withdrawal from the areas they had occupied more than a year ago by saying that Thailand was trying to buy time by insisting on bilateral talks.

He said that despite previous talks and promises made by Thailand to withdraw its troops, many of its soldiers remained stationed on Cambodian soil.

"We have had a lot of meetings, but we have no results," he said. "Our leaders should make the right decision: Don't believe Thailand's promises", he told the Post.

Despite both sides hailing the meeting as a success, a joint Buddhist ceremony scheduled to be held on 25th August at Ta Thav Pass between Khmer and Thai troops has been canncelled.

Gen. Chhum Socheat, spokesman for the Cambodian Defence Ministry, said the Thai side did not tell of the reason for the cancellation, only that they don't have time. "They didn't tell us of the reason for the cancellation, only that they didn't have time and that the ceremony will be held at a later date", he told the Reaksmei Kampuchea newspaper.

Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization

Thai Military Region One has organised for Cambodian officers from Military Region Five to tour its warship facility at Pattaya Naval Base.

The tour was organised after the two sides concluded a meeting of regional military leaders from the both Cambodia and Thailand in Pattaya town in the southwest Thai province of Chonburi on 21-22 August.

This is the 16th meeting of Khmer-Thai border military officers which led by Maj-Gen. Bun Seng, Commander of Cambodia's Military Region 5 and Maj-Gen. Khanit Sapithat, Commander of Thailand's Military Region 1.

The meeting was conducted in a friendly manner and the two sides shared a lunch together before going on a tour of the Naval Base. The two sides shared a photo opportunity together aboard a Thai warship.

Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization

Top military commanders for Cambodia and Thailand met Monday to ease mounting military pressure over a prolonged border standoff and recent maritime grievances.

Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, met his Thai counterpart, Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatra, following protests from Thailand of recent offshore oil exploration initiated by Cambodia.

The two also discussed potential removal of troops from the border near Preah Vihear temple, where they have been entrenched since July 2008, said Chhum Socheath, spokesman for the Cambodian Defense Ministry.

“The two sides spoke in the name of the two states,” he said. “We unite and cooperate in keeping peace along the border of the two nations for not having the standoff and to let the border committees of the two countries solve [the dispute]. Besides that, we are prepared to meet military officials of the two countries in all levels more often.”

The Thai commander said the border issue was not a problem, “because the two nations are neighbors and have since ancient times shared the same culture and tradition,” he said. The Cambodian commander said he requested Prime Minister Hun Sen withdraw a number of troops from the border.

The two sides also agreed to develop the border area to improve people’s livelihoods there. They agreed to hold a joint Buddhist ceremony to raise money for pagodas.

The Thai delegation was scheduled to visit the temples of Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces Tuesday.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The top army leaders of Cambodia and Thailand met in Cambodia's capital of Phnom Penh on Monday to reiterate their good cooperation and to strengthen their relationship.

Cambodia's military sources said during the meeting Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander-in-chief of Cambodian Royal Armed Forces, and Songkitti Jaggabatara, supreme commander of the Thai army, reiterated their statements of making good cooperation and relations, especially, between the armies of the two nations.

Both Pol Saroeun and Songkitti affirmed that good cooperation and relations are of common interest for both nations, the sourcessaid.

The two sides, however, did not talk on redeployment of troops stationed near khmer Preak Vihear temple, saying the issue shall be left for decision by the two countries' regional commanders there.

It is the first time for Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatara to make a visit to Cambodia and it is also the first time to hold such top army leaders' meeting.

But since the border dispute between the two countries occurred last year that resulted in the deaths of a number of soldiers, and several others injured, many round of talks at different levels were held including prime ministers, defense and foreign ministerial level down to regional commanders.

Songkitti Jaggabatara who arrived in Cambodia late Monday will return to Thailand on Tuesday after a planned brief sightseeing visit to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province.

Editor: Yan

Phnom Penh - Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced he will cut troop levels at the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia in response to a similar move by Thailand, local media reported.

Hun Sen said that Thailand has recently cut the number of its soldiers to just 30, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported Monday. He did not specify how many Cambodian soldiers would be withdrawn.

'We have a plan to change the deployment a little,' Hun Sen said. 'If anything happened, it wouldn't take long to send our troops up again, but I hope there won't be any fighting there.'

Both nations have had soldiers killed and wounded in clashes in the area since mid-2008, when the temple was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN's cultural body.

The violence drove relations between the two ASEAN members to a low point and caused concern among other members of the regional bloc.

The Cambodian commander of the military division stationed at the temple site told the Phnom Penh Post that the reduction in numbers was 'a good signal,' and that the situation at the site 'is returning to normal.'

In an effort to show the situation is less fractious, Thai and Cambodian soldiers based at the 11th-century temple will take part Tuesday in a joint religious ceremony.

In a further sign of progress, the Cambodia Daily newspaper reported that Songkitti Jaggabatara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, will meet Monday in Phnom Penh with the chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

Asia-Pacific News

Aug 24, 2009, 2:02 GMT

Phnom Penh - Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced he will cut troop levels at the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia in response to a similar move by Thailand, local media reported.

Hun Sen said that Thailand has recently cut the number of its soldiers to just 30, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported Monday. He did not specify how many Cambodian soldiers would be withdrawn.

'We have a plan to change the deployment a little,' Hun Sen said. 'If anything happened, it wouldn't take long to send our troops up again, but I hope there won't be any fighting there.'

Both nations have had soldiers killed and wounded in clashes in the area since mid-2008, when the temple was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN's cultural body.

The violence drove relations between the two ASEAN members to a low point and caused concern among other members of the regional bloc.

The Cambodian commander of the military division stationed at the temple site told the Phnom Penh Post that the reduction in numbers was 'a good signal,' and that the situation at the site 'is returning to normal.'

In an effort to show the situation is less fractious, Thai and Cambodian soldiers based at the 11th-century temple will take part Tuesday in a joint religious ceremony.

In a further sign of progress, the Cambodia Daily newspaper reported that Songkitti Jaggabatara, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, will meet Monday in Phnom Penh with the chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

Asia-Pacific News

Aug 24, 2009, 2:02 GMT

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has again strongly warned that Cambodia will use force to counter Thai aggression even if Thailand has modern weapons or atomic bombs.

In a public speech in Pursat on 22nd August which was broadcast on national television, Hun Sen said prefers peaceful means to resolve Cambodia's border disputes with Thailand, but strongly warned that if Thai soldiers still encroach, force will be used. He said: "If they want to talk we will talk, if they push in by force, we will hit them because their heads are not made of steel. Please be clear: Khmers do not want to fight with anybody, but if they force their way in (by force) we will hit them. Please don't be surprised: even if they have atomic bombs, we Khmers won't be afraid of them."

Despite his strong-worded warning, Mr. Hun Sen said the border is calm and said "there is no fighting at the border". He said he will recall some troops to help the farmers to planting crops after some areas had been hit by drought.

"I hope there is no fight each other again there," he publicly said. "But in case we have problem at the border, we can mobilize our troops so quickly to border area," he said, adding that "we are moving back our troops of Kompong Thom and Siem Reap provinces to their headquarters from the border", he added.

Cambodian and Thai boer troops had clashed two times, killing seven soldiers from either side, since Thai troops forced their way in to occupy a Cambodian pagoda near the disputed Preah Vihear temple on 15th July, 2008.

Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has again strongly warned that Cambodia will use force to counter Thai aggression even if Thailand has modern weapons or atomic bombs.

In a public speech in Pursat on 22nd August which was broadcast on national television, Hun Sen said prefers peaceful means to resolve Cambodia's border disputes with Thailand, but strongly warned that if Thai soldiers still encroach, force will be used. He said: "If they want to talk we will talk, if they push in by force, we will hit them because their heads are not made of steel. Please be clear: Khmers do not want to fight with anybody, but if they force their way in (by force) we will hit them. Please don't be surprised: even if they have atomic bombs, we Khmers won't be afraid of them."

Despite his strong-worded warning, Mr. Hun Sen said the border is calm and said "there is no fighting at the border". He said he will recall some troops to help the farmers to planting crops after some areas had been hit by drought.

"I hope there is no fight each other again there," he publicly said. "But in case we have problem at the border, we can mobilize our troops so quickly to border area," he said, adding that "we are moving back our troops of Kompong Thom and Siem Reap provinces to their headquarters from the border", he added.

Cambodian and Thai boer troops had clashed two times, killing seven soldiers from either side, since Thai troops forced their way in to occupy a Cambodian pagoda near the disputed Preah Vihear temple on 15th July, 2008.

Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

Thinking of visiting Cambodia? You’re likely picturing the serene faces of the Angkor temples. Possibly even the sandy beaches of Sihanoukville. But what about Phnom Penh?

I’ve met countless people who have either entirely bypassed Cambodia’s 143-year-old capital city in their quest for ancient empires and beach parties, or merely considered it a stop-off point, a place to quickly view the tragic remnants of the Khmer Rouge regime. Which is a shame, as Lady Penh (the city’s founder and enduring spirit) is a charming hostess – give her the chance, and she will make you feel right at home, offering an intoxicating, accessible mix of rich culture, fine cuisine and aesthetic delights.
In a single day you can visit elegant pagodas, inspiring exhibitions, learn Khmer cooking, browse markets for silks and keepsakes, watch traditional dance and cruise along the Mekong. Punctuated this with mouth-watering meals and cap it off with hours of dancing at a sardine-packed nightclub and you may never want to leave.

Holly and I touched down in Phnom Penh International Airport in the early evening. After breezing through customs, we took a taxi into town – a flat US$9 to anywhere in the center – along the way admiring the eye-catching blend of reinvigorated yellow French colonial buildings, art-deco structures, Khmer temples, glassy office buildings and tacky, cake-like residences.

We stayed at the Blue Dog Guest House (#13, St. 51). Owned by newlyweds Ty and Hun, it’s within walking distance of one of the city’s key sights, the Independence Monument. Launched just over a year ago, it offers eight rooms priced between US$5-12 a night, as well as a limited but cheap and delicious menu.

If you fancy something more upscale, Phnom Penh is full of boutique hotels and 5-star luxury, such as the Frangipani Villa 90s ($25-60) or the Amanjaya ($155-250). If on the other hand you’re really trying to save, look around the Boeung Kak lake area for rooms as low as $3.

It is easy to get around Phnom Penh, as there is little traffic and most drivers know the city like the back of their hand. Pick up the free The Phnom Penh Visitors Guide as soon as you see it, for maps and tips; its usually available at eateries and guesthouses.

Visitors mostly travel via tuk-tuks (motorcycle trailers), which offer a surprisingly quiet, pleasant ride. I recommend committing to one tuk-tuk driver. Tuk-tuk drivers, who mostly have impressive English skills, can help you with booking bus tickets, arranging river cruises and even getting a SIM card ($10) for your cell phone.

All the city’s major points of interest can be visited within a day, but its best to set aside at least two or three. The Independence Monument, an architectural celebration of Cambodia’s independence from foreign rule in 1962; Wat Phnom, a small hill that marks the city’s legendary founding site; the National Museum ($3 entrance); the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum; the Killing Fields; and the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the King’s residence, should all be checked out. A market visit to either Phsar Toul Tom Poung, the Russian market, which offers a large selection of souvenirs, silks and curios, or Phsar Thmey (Central Market), a striking art-deco building, which specialises in jewels and gold, is also a must.

Beyond the obligatory sights, the city centre has much to offer in the way of shopping and dining. There are four main areas for these more leisurely pursuits: Street 178 or “Art Street”; Street 240; the Riverfront area and the Boeng Keng Kang area or “The Foreigner’s Quarter”.

Street 178 is right by the National Museum, so after I had spent the morning browsing Angkorian artefacts, I wandered around “Art Street”. Most of the artists can be seen at work and are happy to answer any questions you might like to bother them with. Chea Hak, of shop Hak Rachana, was working intently on a wood carving, which he said would take a week to complete. He can sell it for $100.

The best place to eat near Art Street is Friends (#215, St. 13), a delightful tapas restaurant that is run as part of a program to teach street youth marketable skills. Holly and I feasted on several dishes ($2-5), including mango coleslaw and zucchini fritters.

My favourite place in Phnom Penh is Street 240, a tree-lined avenue near the Royal Palace, which boasts excellent boutiques, unique handicrafts, second-hand bookstores, delectable eateries and the best spa in town (Bliss, #29). I splurged at Mekong-Quilts (#49, St.240), a non-profit organisation that aims to provide employment and increase family incomes for communities in the remote villages of Svay Rieng province.

I returned to haunt Street 240’s cafes several times, enjoying Mediterranean tapas at Tamarind (#31), burgers at Freebird Bar and Grill (#69) and cakes at The Shop (#39).

The Riverfront is a great place to spend the evening, affording a view of the Mekong sunset. It is home to many of Phnom Penh’s most enduring institutions, such as the famous Foreign Correspondents Club and the original Happy Herb Pizza. Cantina, a popular “gringo” haunt decorated with onset photos from Matt Dillon’s City of Ghosts (2002) had excellent Mexican food. Most of the best places to boogie are nearby too, such as the Riverhouse Lounge (#6, Street 110).

“The Foreigners’ Quarter”, near the Independence Monument, is rife with embassies, hotels and expatriate residences. I frequented the Java Café and Gallery (#56, Sihanouk), a must for lap-top addicts, sampling a range of teas and fresh salads.

Nearby was Romdeng, a sister-restaurant to Friends, which offers Khmer specialities like fried spiders, as well as a fascinating exhibition “Imagine That” that showcased pictures street kids had taken of tourists in Siem Reap. The infamous Heart of Darkness nightclub is around here (#26, St. 51), where you can dance until dawn.

Besides all this, you can also take cooking classes at Khmer restaurant Frizz (#67, St. 240), watch shadow puppet performances at the Sovanna Phum Art Association (#111, St. 260), and Apsara dancing at Bopha Phnom Penh Titanic (Sisowath Quay). And no trip to Phnom Penh is truly complete with a boat ride down the Mekong, perfect around sunset ($5).

After a week of such delights, I felt relaxed, exhilarated, inspired and fatter. As the airplane took off, I watched the city disappear into the patches of green and brown paddyfields that dominate the Cambodian landscape, watching the ever-present Mekong shrink into a shimmering, twisting snake… and planned my next visit.

The gateway to the rest of Cambodia

Roads have been greatly improving in Cambodia, making it increasingly easy to travel from Phnom Penh to other Khmer cities. Buses are a (usually) comfortable and affordable way to get around, with one-way tickets starting from $5. You can also hire private cars from $25. There are several bus companies dotted around the city, especially near the Riverfront and Boeng Kak lake area. I visited Sihanoukville and Kampot.

Sihanoukville: (Paramount Angkor Express, $11 return, 4 hrs each way) Cambodia’s premier beach town. Stay in Ochheuteal beach or Serendipity beach if you’re the dance-til-dawn type… if you’d prefer a blissful getaway, try the more low-key Otres beach or Victory beach. Sample fresh seafood, scuba-dive and take day trips to exotic islands. Stay at the Beach Road hotel ($10-45) and dine at Cambodge Garden ($2-5 per dish).

Kampot: (Phnom Penh Sorya, $10 return, 3 hrs) A quaint, sleepy town, with few tourists, colonial architecture and breathtaking views of the river and surrounding mountains, sheltering ghostly hill stations. The perfect place to truly get away from it all. Stay at the Bodhi Villa ($3-8), which offers an excellent mix of homemade comfort food and Khmer specialities, and a friendly bar.

Flights: Ours were $170 there and back thanks to Air Asia – book in advance and be prepared for two check-ins

Visa: $20 one-month tourist visa available on arrival. Can be extended for a further month. Good to have a passport photo ready.

Airport Tax: $25 – payable upon departure.

Currency: US dollars and Khmer Riels (about 4000R to US$1).

Accommodation: From $3, depending on where you’re staying

Meals: Expect to pay $4-7 a meal, minus alcoholic drinks, at popular eateries. Water is usually provided for free.

Transport: Tuk-tuks ($1-2 for short trips, $10-15 all day), motos and cyclos (1500-4000R, $8/day), taxis ($4-5, $35/day). You can also rent a bicycle, motorcycle or car for your trip – inquire at your guesthouse.

Language: Khmer. Most people you will encounter speak reasonable English, and don’t expect visitors to understand Khmer. French can also be useful.

Wi-Fi: Many cafes and guesthouses offer Wi-Fi access, either free or available through Hotspot cards (starting at $5 for 5 hours), which you can buy from most supermarkets.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/

By Sara Veal , CONTRIBUTOR ,

JAKARTA Sun, 23 August, 2009

Thinking of visiting Cambodia? You’re likely picturing the serene faces of the Angkor temples. Possibly even the sandy beaches of Sihanoukville. But what about Phnom Penh?

I’ve met countless people who have either entirely bypassed Cambodia’s 143-year-old capital city in their quest for ancient empires and beach parties, or merely considered it a stop-off point, a place to quickly view the tragic remnants of the Khmer Rouge regime. Which is a shame, as Lady Penh (the city’s founder and enduring spirit) is a charming hostess – give her the chance, and she will make you feel right at home, offering an intoxicating, accessible mix of rich culture, fine cuisine and aesthetic delights.
In a single day you can visit elegant pagodas, inspiring exhibitions, learn Khmer cooking, browse markets for silks and keepsakes, watch traditional dance and cruise along the Mekong. Punctuated this with mouth-watering meals and cap it off with hours of dancing at a sardine-packed nightclub and you may never want to leave.

Holly and I touched down in Phnom Penh International Airport in the early evening. After breezing through customs, we took a taxi into town – a flat US$9 to anywhere in the center – along the way admiring the eye-catching blend of reinvigorated yellow French colonial buildings, art-deco structures, Khmer temples, glassy office buildings and tacky, cake-like residences.

We stayed at the Blue Dog Guest House (#13, St. 51). Owned by newlyweds Ty and Hun, it’s within walking distance of one of the city’s key sights, the Independence Monument. Launched just over a year ago, it offers eight rooms priced between US$5-12 a night, as well as a limited but cheap and delicious menu.

If you fancy something more upscale, Phnom Penh is full of boutique hotels and 5-star luxury, such as the Frangipani Villa 90s ($25-60) or the Amanjaya ($155-250). If on the other hand you’re really trying to save, look around the Boeung Kak lake area for rooms as low as $3.

It is easy to get around Phnom Penh, as there is little traffic and most drivers know the city like the back of their hand. Pick up the free The Phnom Penh Visitors Guide as soon as you see it, for maps and tips; its usually available at eateries and guesthouses.

Visitors mostly travel via tuk-tuks (motorcycle trailers), which offer a surprisingly quiet, pleasant ride. I recommend committing to one tuk-tuk driver. Tuk-tuk drivers, who mostly have impressive English skills, can help you with booking bus tickets, arranging river cruises and even getting a SIM card ($10) for your cell phone.

All the city’s major points of interest can be visited within a day, but its best to set aside at least two or three. The Independence Monument, an architectural celebration of Cambodia’s independence from foreign rule in 1962; Wat Phnom, a small hill that marks the city’s legendary founding site; the National Museum ($3 entrance); the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum; the Killing Fields; and the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the King’s residence, should all be checked out. A market visit to either Phsar Toul Tom Poung, the Russian market, which offers a large selection of souvenirs, silks and curios, or Phsar Thmey (Central Market), a striking art-deco building, which specialises in jewels and gold, is also a must.

Beyond the obligatory sights, the city centre has much to offer in the way of shopping and dining. There are four main areas for these more leisurely pursuits: Street 178 or “Art Street”; Street 240; the Riverfront area and the Boeng Keng Kang area or “The Foreigner’s Quarter”.

Street 178 is right by the National Museum, so after I had spent the morning browsing Angkorian artefacts, I wandered around “Art Street”. Most of the artists can be seen at work and are happy to answer any questions you might like to bother them with. Chea Hak, of shop Hak Rachana, was working intently on a wood carving, which he said would take a week to complete. He can sell it for $100.

The best place to eat near Art Street is Friends (#215, St. 13), a delightful tapas restaurant that is run as part of a program to teach street youth marketable skills. Holly and I feasted on several dishes ($2-5), including mango coleslaw and zucchini fritters.

My favourite place in Phnom Penh is Street 240, a tree-lined avenue near the Royal Palace, which boasts excellent boutiques, unique handicrafts, second-hand bookstores, delectable eateries and the best spa in town (Bliss, #29). I splurged at Mekong-Quilts (#49, St.240), a non-profit organisation that aims to provide employment and increase family incomes for communities in the remote villages of Svay Rieng province.

I returned to haunt Street 240’s cafes several times, enjoying Mediterranean tapas at Tamarind (#31), burgers at Freebird Bar and Grill (#69) and cakes at The Shop (#39).

The Riverfront is a great place to spend the evening, affording a view of the Mekong sunset. It is home to many of Phnom Penh’s most enduring institutions, such as the famous Foreign Correspondents Club and the original Happy Herb Pizza. Cantina, a popular “gringo” haunt decorated with onset photos from Matt Dillon’s City of Ghosts (2002) had excellent Mexican food. Most of the best places to boogie are nearby too, such as the Riverhouse Lounge (#6, Street 110).

“The Foreigners’ Quarter”, near the Independence Monument, is rife with embassies, hotels and expatriate residences. I frequented the Java Café and Gallery (#56, Sihanouk), a must for lap-top addicts, sampling a range of teas and fresh salads.

Nearby was Romdeng, a sister-restaurant to Friends, which offers Khmer specialities like fried spiders, as well as a fascinating exhibition “Imagine That” that showcased pictures street kids had taken of tourists in Siem Reap. The infamous Heart of Darkness nightclub is around here (#26, St. 51), where you can dance until dawn.

Besides all this, you can also take cooking classes at Khmer restaurant Frizz (#67, St. 240), watch shadow puppet performances at the Sovanna Phum Art Association (#111, St. 260), and Apsara dancing at Bopha Phnom Penh Titanic (Sisowath Quay). And no trip to Phnom Penh is truly complete with a boat ride down the Mekong, perfect around sunset ($5).

After a week of such delights, I felt relaxed, exhilarated, inspired and fatter. As the airplane took off, I watched the city disappear into the patches of green and brown paddyfields that dominate the Cambodian landscape, watching the ever-present Mekong shrink into a shimmering, twisting snake… and planned my next visit.

The gateway to the rest of Cambodia

Roads have been greatly improving in Cambodia, making it increasingly easy to travel from Phnom Penh to other Khmer cities. Buses are a (usually) comfortable and affordable way to get around, with one-way tickets starting from $5. You can also hire private cars from $25. There are several bus companies dotted around the city, especially near the Riverfront and Boeng Kak lake area. I visited Sihanoukville and Kampot.

Sihanoukville: (Paramount Angkor Express, $11 return, 4 hrs each way) Cambodia’s premier beach town. Stay in Ochheuteal beach or Serendipity beach if you’re the dance-til-dawn type… if you’d prefer a blissful getaway, try the more low-key Otres beach or Victory beach. Sample fresh seafood, scuba-dive and take day trips to exotic islands. Stay at the Beach Road hotel ($10-45) and dine at Cambodge Garden ($2-5 per dish).

Kampot: (Phnom Penh Sorya, $10 return, 3 hrs) A quaint, sleepy town, with few tourists, colonial architecture and breathtaking views of the river and surrounding mountains, sheltering ghostly hill stations. The perfect place to truly get away from it all. Stay at the Bodhi Villa ($3-8), which offers an excellent mix of homemade comfort food and Khmer specialities, and a friendly bar.

Flights: Ours were $170 there and back thanks to Air Asia – book in advance and be prepared for two check-ins

Visa: $20 one-month tourist visa available on arrival. Can be extended for a further month. Good to have a passport photo ready.

Airport Tax: $25 – payable upon departure.

Currency: US dollars and Khmer Riels (about 4000R to US$1).

Accommodation: From $3, depending on where you’re staying

Meals: Expect to pay $4-7 a meal, minus alcoholic drinks, at popular eateries. Water is usually provided for free.

Transport: Tuk-tuks ($1-2 for short trips, $10-15 all day), motos and cyclos (1500-4000R, $8/day), taxis ($4-5, $35/day). You can also rent a bicycle, motorcycle or car for your trip – inquire at your guesthouse.

Language: Khmer. Most people you will encounter speak reasonable English, and don’t expect visitors to understand Khmer. French can also be useful.

Wi-Fi: Many cafes and guesthouses offer Wi-Fi access, either free or available through Hotspot cards (starting at $5 for 5 hours), which you can buy from most supermarkets.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/

By Sara Veal , CONTRIBUTOR ,

JAKARTA Sun, 23 August, 2009

The diplomatic and near-military crisis of 2008 between Thailand and Cambodia reflects both deep historical tensions and contemporary domestic politics, says Milton Osborne.

The sudden re-emergence of contested Cambodian and Thai claims to sovereignty over about 4 square kilometres of territory close the Angkorian-period (9th-15th centuries) temple of Preah Vihear brought the two southeast Asian countries close to armed confrontation in July-August 2008. The dispute bring into focus the difficult relations that have existed between the two neighbouring countries ever since Cambodia attained independence in 1953, as well reflecting much older historical problems between the two countries.

Milton Osborne is an adjunct professor of Asian studies at the Australian National University, Canberra, and a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.

Among his books are The French Presence in Cochinchina and Cambodia: Rule and Response (1859-1905) (1969; White Lotus, 1997) and Phnom Penh: A Cultural and Literary History (Signal Books, 2008)

At one level the Preah Vihear crisis - supplemented by another dispute over a much less prominent temple-site at Ta Moan Thom, well to the west of Preah Vihear - may be viewed as a classic example of contested boundaries arising from decisions taken during the colonial era, when France was able to impose its will over the then weaker state of Siam (Thailand). This interpretation - which Cambodia rejects - is worth examining. But it is at least as important to consider contemporary developments in the context of earlier historical and geopolitical factors that lie behind Cambodia's existence as a state and the views held of it by its immediate and more powerful neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam. For while the governments of both Thailand and Vietnam may be hesitant to express the views held by some of their citizens, there is no doubt that in both these countries there are those who privately question Cambodia's right to exist as a truly independent state.

In the case of Vietnam, a strong case may be made to argue that when Vietnam invaded Cambodia to defeat the Pol Pot regime in December 1978, it initially hoped that it would be possible to incorporate Cambodia into some form of "Indochinese Federation"; this would have included Laos, which would have been dominated by Vietnam. Such a view was a continuation of the explicit thinking of the Vietnamese Communist Party in the 1930s and into the 1960s, when the party held the view that neither Cambodia nor Laos had a right to run their own revolution.

The uncertain state

The distinguished historian David Chandler noted (in A History of Cambodia) that until the 17th century Cambodia was a "reasonably independent" state. By the 19th century it had lost this status and its internal politics were dominated by its powerful neighbours, Siam and Vietnam. Perhaps the most useful, if shorthanded, way to describe Cambodia's situation in the mid-19th century was that it was a vassal state in a tributary relationship to two suzerains, Siam and Vietnam. But of those two powerful and expanding states Siam had by the 1840s assumed the more important position. Moreover, and despite some Cambodian rulers having sought assistance from Vietnam, Siam's greater dominance also reflected the fact that the two countries shared a similar culture. It was one deeply affected by adherence to Theravada Buddhism and by surviving shared beliefs and court rituals that harked back to Hindu concepts of the state developed during the Angkorian period.

In the decades immediately before the French asserted their colonial control over Cambodia in 1863, Cambodian rulers looked to the Siamese court in Bangkok to guarantee both their position and their legitimacy. This situation is exemplified in the fact that members of the Cambodian royal family often spent long periods as hostages in the Siamese court in Bangkok. This was true of the last king to rule Cambodia before the arrival of the French and of King Norodom I before he came to the throne in 1860. At the same time Siamese officials occupied senior positions within the Cambodian rulers' courts, determining which foreign representatives they were permitted to meet.

In these circumstances, and from the Siamese point of view, Cambodia's king was a person who held power at their behest. Again using European terminology, the Cambodian king was for the Siamese court the holder of a vice-regal position. This complex relationship differed sharply from the way in which Vietnamese rulers viewed Cambodia. Both in theory and in practice the Vietnamese rulers in the first half of the 19th century were ready to pursue policies which, had they succeeded, would have transformed Cambodia's status into being an integral part of the Vietnamese state governed in accordance with Vietnam's Chinese-influenced administrative practices.

The border line

The French gained control of Cambodia in 1863 and established their "protectorate" over the country - though in every way that mattered the term "protectorate" was merely a legal figleaf to hide the fact that was a French colony. At the time, Cambodia's territory did not include what are now the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap. These two important areas had fallen under Siamese control in 1794, the outcome indeed of what had been a long reduction of Cambodian control over former Angkorian territories. A contemporary reflection of this process is the fact that a substantial number of Khmer (Cambodian) speaking Thai citizens continue to live in northeastern Thailand, an area in which there are many Angkorian-period temples.

In the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th, Anglo-French rivalry in mainland southeast Asia led to the adjustment and implantation of borders that remain essentially unchanged to the present day. It was in this period, for example, that the northern states of modern peninsular Malaysia were removed from Siamese to British control. In Cambodia's case, and reflecting France's greater coercive power, this mixture of mapping and absorption led to the return to Cambodian sovereignty of the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap.

This process was consolidated in 1907-08 with the establishment of a Cambodian northern boundary that took in the temple of Preah Vihear, located on an escarpment 525 metres above the northern Cambodian plain. But the precise coordinates of the boundary at this point were apparently in contradiction to the principle that had been laid down when the boundary between Cambodia and Siam was being delineated: namely, that the boundary should be drawn in terms of the existing watershed.

This created a potential problem from an international legal point of view, and led to an appeal by Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague to rule on the question of which country had sovereignty over Preah Vihear. In June 1962, the court ruled that indeed Cambodia held sovereignty. But the factors which led to this decision were not based on a judgment as to whether the boundary established in 1907-08 was "fair" or that it had been drawn in relation to the location of the watershed. Rather (and to summarise very briefly), the ICJ's decision rested on the fact that over many decades the Bangkok government had not disputed the validity of the map drawn up by the French, and agreed to at the time by the Siamese authorities, that incorporated Preah Vihear into Cambodian territory. The court also accepted that Siam had recognised Cambodian sovereignty in various other ways, including through visits to the temple by senior Siamese officials who were received by members of the French administration then governing Cambodia.

Thai ambition, Cambodian fear

However, it is fair to say that legal considerations are not always at the heart of Thai thinking on relations with Cambodia. From the time of Cambodia's gaining independence in 1953 until the onset of the Cambodian civil war in 1970, relations between Thailand and Cambodia were marked by almost continuous difficulty. While there were brief periods when relations were "correct", in others diplomatic relations were suspended. Throughout these years Thai security services worked to undermine the government in Phnom Penh.

This was a fact explicitly stated to me by a senior Thai official with security responsibilities, during an extended discussion of Thai-Cambodian relations in 1980. General Channa Samudvanija observed that in essence, Thai policy towards Cambodia was to support those forces within the country that opposed the existing government. The rationale behind such a policy was the Realpolitik view of seeking to weaken a neighbour with which Thailand had substantial policy differences: Thailand supported United States policies in southeast Asia and Cambodia did not. Without placing excessive weight on the continuity of Thai policy at this stage with previous historical relations with Cambodia, there is no doubt that the views Channa advanced were also in part a reflection of those relations.

In similar fashion, it would be incorrect to regard the conflict that erupted in July 2008 as a direct manifestation of the view expressed in 1980 by General Channa. For it is clear that the crisis arose in part out of domestic Thai politics - and the positions being taken both by the government led by prime minister Samak and his political opponents. The Thai opposition had sought to undermine the Samak government by criticising its readiness to support Cambodia's wish to see Preah Vihear inscribed on Unesco's world heritage list.
Also in openDemocracy about Cambodian politics and history:


David Hayes, "Thinking of Cambodia" (17 April 2003)

Var Hong Ashe, "Cambodia: surviving the Khmer Rouge" (15 April 2005)

Ben Kiernan, "Blood and soil: the global history of genocide" (11 October 2007)

Kheang Un,"Cambodia's 2008 election: the end of opposition?" (5 August 2008)



Nevertheless, discussion of the issue of Preah Vihear within Thailand does represent yet another instance of a readiness of some Thais, whether politicians or ordinary citizens, to adopt and advance positions that seek to undermine what they see as irrelevant and irksome Cambodian interests. The readiness of some observers to resort to describing the situation as an expression of big brother-little brother rivalry is too simple, but it would be equally wrong to dismiss this aspect of Thai and Cambodian thinking about the relationship between the two countries.

At the same time, there is no doubting that the ingrained sensitivity felt by many Cambodians in relation to their relations with both Thailand and Vietnam on occasion borders on paranoia. This was demonstrated in the events of 2003, when a Thai TV actress with a popular following in both Thailand and Cambodia was supposed to have stated that she would not perform in Cambodia until that country restored Thailand's sovereignty over the great Angkorian temple of Angkor Wat. Whether the actress, Suwanan Kongying, made such a statement or not, the publicity that surrounded her alleged remark led to serious ant-Thai rioting in Phnom Penh; the damage included the destruction of the Thai embassy and many Thai businesses (there was also a barely averted attack on the Thai ambassador). Here, again, a deeper analysis of the 2003 riots suggests that domestic Cambodian issues were involved.

The wall between us

This intimate yet conflictual history means that even the settlement of the latest dispute is no guarantee that the situation has been settled once and for all.

For the wider issues associated with Preah Vihear are no nearer to being resolved. The mutual military withdrawals from the temple area have brought respite; but the memory of the febrile stand-off between Thai and Cambodian armed forces, amid ultra-nationalist rhetoric from politicians on both sides, remains fresh. The ever-present readiness of politicians in both countries to stoke the flames of nationalist animosity is reflected in the suggestion by a Cambodian official that the Phnom Penh government might build a wall that would exclude access to the temple from Thai territory - as is possible at present.

Indeed, at least for the moment diplomacy has won out over war, as two sessions of talks between the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers have helped create a marginally improved atmosphere. The fact that the new and highly regarded Thai foreign minister, Tej Bunnag, had been appointed at the direct wish of the king is also of importance. Now, however, Tej Bunnag's decision to leave his post - though unlikely to have any immediate effect on the Preah Vihear issue at a time when Bangkok is preoccupied with domestic political turmoil - may be regretted over the longer term since he was undoubtedly a calming influence in relation to Thai policies.

In any event, a lengthy and continuing period of political turmoil in Thailand creates the possibility that the question of Preah Vihear may yet return to haunt Thai-Cambodian relations.

By Dr. Milton Osborne,
2 - 04 - 2009
OpenDemocracy.net

The diplomatic and near-military crisis of 2008 between Thailand and Cambodia reflects both deep historical tensions and contemporary domestic politics, says Milton Osborne.

The sudden re-emergence of contested Cambodian and Thai claims to sovereignty over about 4 square kilometres of territory close the Angkorian-period (9th-15th centuries) temple of Preah Vihear brought the two southeast Asian countries close to armed confrontation in July-August 2008. The dispute bring into focus the difficult relations that have existed between the two neighbouring countries ever since Cambodia attained independence in 1953, as well reflecting much older historical problems between the two countries.

Milton Osborne is an adjunct professor of Asian studies at the Australian National University, Canberra, and a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.

Among his books are The French Presence in Cochinchina and Cambodia: Rule and Response (1859-1905) (1969; White Lotus, 1997) and Phnom Penh: A Cultural and Literary History (Signal Books, 2008)

At one level the Preah Vihear crisis - supplemented by another dispute over a much less prominent temple-site at Ta Moan Thom, well to the west of Preah Vihear - may be viewed as a classic example of contested boundaries arising from decisions taken during the colonial era, when France was able to impose its will over the then weaker state of Siam (Thailand). This interpretation - which Cambodia rejects - is worth examining. But it is at least as important to consider contemporary developments in the context of earlier historical and geopolitical factors that lie behind Cambodia's existence as a state and the views held of it by its immediate and more powerful neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam. For while the governments of both Thailand and Vietnam may be hesitant to express the views held by some of their citizens, there is no doubt that in both these countries there are those who privately question Cambodia's right to exist as a truly independent state.

In the case of Vietnam, a strong case may be made to argue that when Vietnam invaded Cambodia to defeat the Pol Pot regime in December 1978, it initially hoped that it would be possible to incorporate Cambodia into some form of "Indochinese Federation"; this would have included Laos, which would have been dominated by Vietnam. Such a view was a continuation of the explicit thinking of the Vietnamese Communist Party in the 1930s and into the 1960s, when the party held the view that neither Cambodia nor Laos had a right to run their own revolution.

The uncertain state

The distinguished historian David Chandler noted (in A History of Cambodia) that until the 17th century Cambodia was a "reasonably independent" state. By the 19th century it had lost this status and its internal politics were dominated by its powerful neighbours, Siam and Vietnam. Perhaps the most useful, if shorthanded, way to describe Cambodia's situation in the mid-19th century was that it was a vassal state in a tributary relationship to two suzerains, Siam and Vietnam. But of those two powerful and expanding states Siam had by the 1840s assumed the more important position. Moreover, and despite some Cambodian rulers having sought assistance from Vietnam, Siam's greater dominance also reflected the fact that the two countries shared a similar culture. It was one deeply affected by adherence to Theravada Buddhism and by surviving shared beliefs and court rituals that harked back to Hindu concepts of the state developed during the Angkorian period.

In the decades immediately before the French asserted their colonial control over Cambodia in 1863, Cambodian rulers looked to the Siamese court in Bangkok to guarantee both their position and their legitimacy. This situation is exemplified in the fact that members of the Cambodian royal family often spent long periods as hostages in the Siamese court in Bangkok. This was true of the last king to rule Cambodia before the arrival of the French and of King Norodom I before he came to the throne in 1860. At the same time Siamese officials occupied senior positions within the Cambodian rulers' courts, determining which foreign representatives they were permitted to meet.

In these circumstances, and from the Siamese point of view, Cambodia's king was a person who held power at their behest. Again using European terminology, the Cambodian king was for the Siamese court the holder of a vice-regal position. This complex relationship differed sharply from the way in which Vietnamese rulers viewed Cambodia. Both in theory and in practice the Vietnamese rulers in the first half of the 19th century were ready to pursue policies which, had they succeeded, would have transformed Cambodia's status into being an integral part of the Vietnamese state governed in accordance with Vietnam's Chinese-influenced administrative practices.

The border line

The French gained control of Cambodia in 1863 and established their "protectorate" over the country - though in every way that mattered the term "protectorate" was merely a legal figleaf to hide the fact that was a French colony. At the time, Cambodia's territory did not include what are now the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap. These two important areas had fallen under Siamese control in 1794, the outcome indeed of what had been a long reduction of Cambodian control over former Angkorian territories. A contemporary reflection of this process is the fact that a substantial number of Khmer (Cambodian) speaking Thai citizens continue to live in northeastern Thailand, an area in which there are many Angkorian-period temples.

In the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th, Anglo-French rivalry in mainland southeast Asia led to the adjustment and implantation of borders that remain essentially unchanged to the present day. It was in this period, for example, that the northern states of modern peninsular Malaysia were removed from Siamese to British control. In Cambodia's case, and reflecting France's greater coercive power, this mixture of mapping and absorption led to the return to Cambodian sovereignty of the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap.

This process was consolidated in 1907-08 with the establishment of a Cambodian northern boundary that took in the temple of Preah Vihear, located on an escarpment 525 metres above the northern Cambodian plain. But the precise coordinates of the boundary at this point were apparently in contradiction to the principle that had been laid down when the boundary between Cambodia and Siam was being delineated: namely, that the boundary should be drawn in terms of the existing watershed.

This created a potential problem from an international legal point of view, and led to an appeal by Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague to rule on the question of which country had sovereignty over Preah Vihear. In June 1962, the court ruled that indeed Cambodia held sovereignty. But the factors which led to this decision were not based on a judgment as to whether the boundary established in 1907-08 was "fair" or that it had been drawn in relation to the location of the watershed. Rather (and to summarise very briefly), the ICJ's decision rested on the fact that over many decades the Bangkok government had not disputed the validity of the map drawn up by the French, and agreed to at the time by the Siamese authorities, that incorporated Preah Vihear into Cambodian territory. The court also accepted that Siam had recognised Cambodian sovereignty in various other ways, including through visits to the temple by senior Siamese officials who were received by members of the French administration then governing Cambodia.

Thai ambition, Cambodian fear

However, it is fair to say that legal considerations are not always at the heart of Thai thinking on relations with Cambodia. From the time of Cambodia's gaining independence in 1953 until the onset of the Cambodian civil war in 1970, relations between Thailand and Cambodia were marked by almost continuous difficulty. While there were brief periods when relations were "correct", in others diplomatic relations were suspended. Throughout these years Thai security services worked to undermine the government in Phnom Penh.

This was a fact explicitly stated to me by a senior Thai official with security responsibilities, during an extended discussion of Thai-Cambodian relations in 1980. General Channa Samudvanija observed that in essence, Thai policy towards Cambodia was to support those forces within the country that opposed the existing government. The rationale behind such a policy was the Realpolitik view of seeking to weaken a neighbour with which Thailand had substantial policy differences: Thailand supported United States policies in southeast Asia and Cambodia did not. Without placing excessive weight on the continuity of Thai policy at this stage with previous historical relations with Cambodia, there is no doubt that the views Channa advanced were also in part a reflection of those relations.

In similar fashion, it would be incorrect to regard the conflict that erupted in July 2008 as a direct manifestation of the view expressed in 1980 by General Channa. For it is clear that the crisis arose in part out of domestic Thai politics - and the positions being taken both by the government led by prime minister Samak and his political opponents. The Thai opposition had sought to undermine the Samak government by criticising its readiness to support Cambodia's wish to see Preah Vihear inscribed on Unesco's world heritage list.
Also in openDemocracy about Cambodian politics and history:


David Hayes, "Thinking of Cambodia" (17 April 2003)

Var Hong Ashe, "Cambodia: surviving the Khmer Rouge" (15 April 2005)

Ben Kiernan, "Blood and soil: the global history of genocide" (11 October 2007)

Kheang Un,"Cambodia's 2008 election: the end of opposition?" (5 August 2008)



Nevertheless, discussion of the issue of Preah Vihear within Thailand does represent yet another instance of a readiness of some Thais, whether politicians or ordinary citizens, to adopt and advance positions that seek to undermine what they see as irrelevant and irksome Cambodian interests. The readiness of some observers to resort to describing the situation as an expression of big brother-little brother rivalry is too simple, but it would be equally wrong to dismiss this aspect of Thai and Cambodian thinking about the relationship between the two countries.

At the same time, there is no doubting that the ingrained sensitivity felt by many Cambodians in relation to their relations with both Thailand and Vietnam on occasion borders on paranoia. This was demonstrated in the events of 2003, when a Thai TV actress with a popular following in both Thailand and Cambodia was supposed to have stated that she would not perform in Cambodia until that country restored Thailand's sovereignty over the great Angkorian temple of Angkor Wat. Whether the actress, Suwanan Kongying, made such a statement or not, the publicity that surrounded her alleged remark led to serious ant-Thai rioting in Phnom Penh; the damage included the destruction of the Thai embassy and many Thai businesses (there was also a barely averted attack on the Thai ambassador). Here, again, a deeper analysis of the 2003 riots suggests that domestic Cambodian issues were involved.

The wall between us

This intimate yet conflictual history means that even the settlement of the latest dispute is no guarantee that the situation has been settled once and for all.

For the wider issues associated with Preah Vihear are no nearer to being resolved. The mutual military withdrawals from the temple area have brought respite; but the memory of the febrile stand-off between Thai and Cambodian armed forces, amid ultra-nationalist rhetoric from politicians on both sides, remains fresh. The ever-present readiness of politicians in both countries to stoke the flames of nationalist animosity is reflected in the suggestion by a Cambodian official that the Phnom Penh government might build a wall that would exclude access to the temple from Thai territory - as is possible at present.

Indeed, at least for the moment diplomacy has won out over war, as two sessions of talks between the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers have helped create a marginally improved atmosphere. The fact that the new and highly regarded Thai foreign minister, Tej Bunnag, had been appointed at the direct wish of the king is also of importance. Now, however, Tej Bunnag's decision to leave his post - though unlikely to have any immediate effect on the Preah Vihear issue at a time when Bangkok is preoccupied with domestic political turmoil - may be regretted over the longer term since he was undoubtedly a calming influence in relation to Thai policies.

In any event, a lengthy and continuing period of political turmoil in Thailand creates the possibility that the question of Preah Vihear may yet return to haunt Thai-Cambodian relations.

By Dr. Milton Osborne,
2 - 04 - 2009
OpenDemocracy.net