In clashes yesterday, two Cambodian soldiers were killed and three wounded; five Thai soldiers were wounded. The dispute centers around Preah Vihear Temple, right on the border between the two countries, and the surrounding land. The International Court of Justice ruled way back in 1962 the temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand has never accepted that ruling. Preah Vihear, contemporary with Angkor Wat and named this year a World Heritage site, sets at the top of a steep cliff overlooking Cambodia, so while it may belong to Cambodia, you can only enter the complex from Thailand. Cambodia would like to build some sort of stairway up the cliff, but that would have to pass through some of the land that’s still disputed.
Over the years, Thailand has periodically blocked access to the temple, mainly out of orneriness, but a few months ago the Thai government seemed to stir up the issue again to focus attention away from the anti-government protesters. Troops of both countries gathered at the border, and now fighting has broken out. Cambodia also claims Thai fighter jets invaded its air space yesterday.
The Cambodian army is not very well equipped. Some of their soldiers in eysterday’s fighting were even wearing flip-flops instead of boots! We were joking yesterday that Cambodia was going to ask for tanks and other military aid from Thailand, then use it to invade us. But the Thai army is often no great shakes. They lost a small shooting war with Laos 20 years ago over ownership of some sand bars that appear in the Mekong River in the dry season. Soldiers actually died over these little strips of sand that are submerged most of the time. Well, Thailand lost that one, and Laos owns them it was decided. But there’s been a centuries-old rivalry with Cambodia – at one point Cambodia completely disappeared after being swallowed up by Thailand and Vietnam, sort of like what happened to Poland once – and Thailand would lose a lot of face if it backed down in this. Not to mention it would add more fuel to the fire of the anti-government proetsters. So there’s no telling how this is going to play out.
There are some Dopers planning to visit Cambodia in the near future, and you need to know that if this is not settled soon, you may have to reroute through Vietnam.
I should add that it will still be safe to visit both countries, the fighting’s (probably) not going to extend very far into either country, and the location of the dispute is rather remote. But the border could be closed at all points and flights suspended. The border was closed yesterday, and all of the Thai gamblers and casino staff in the Cambodian border town of Poipet – a real cesspool – had to scurry back in a hurry yesterday.
If the border stays closed or is closed again, you’ll have to fly to Vietnam and then to Cambodia.
Nah, we’re far from the border, and it’s not like the Cambodians are bent on conquest. Shoot, the Thais started this one themselves; the Cambos just want what’s theirs.
I should add to my second post above that those traveling to Phnom Penh should be on the lookout for anti-Thai rioting. Six or seven years ago, Cambodians burned down Thai-owned businesses in Phnom Penh and the Thai Embassy because of some perceived slight that a Thai soap-opera character supposedly uttered on the show, something about Angkor Wat really belonging to Thailand. (It later turned out that no one had said any such thing.) These things tend to be focused, and it should be easy to keep out of their way if this occurs again.
The wife’s office is hosting an international seminar next week that includes some Cambodian participants. One of them sent a message yesterday that he regretfully could not attend for “personal reasons.”
There’s a good Reuters Fact Box on the situation here.
I’m also pleased to report that neither the anti-government street protests nor the border conflict with Cambodia has disrupted the live lesbian sex shows in Bangkok.
Sad that the current regime is using this to try and distract the Thai people from the domestic political situation. I hope Thaksin, Somchai and all of their cronies rot in the pits of hell.
And here, the king of Cambodia ridicules the “band of Thai oddballs” responsible for stirring up the situation. The English is funny, but in fairness to him, he wrote in French, and this was translated into English by someone else.
The border situation has calmed down. The two sides have agreed to joint patrols of the disputed area, but these have not started yet. One Thai soldier who was in a coma died, so that brings the toll to two Cambodian soldiers and one Thai soldier killed.
The prime ministers of both countries will be in Beijing later this week for a regional meeting and plan to hold talks on the situation with each other while there.
You know, this is a serious enough matter that I’m surprised I haven’t heard about it except for in this thread. I mean, shouldn’t it get some sort of mention in the papers, or on television? I haven’t checked the newsmagazines.
A lot of international news gets pushed out at election time. I subscribe to Time magazine, and it mentions it, but I get the Asian edition. I don’t know if the US version would have much. A good source is often the International Herald-Tribune newspaper.
Not to belittle the situation but every time I notice the title of this thread, I think of the US/Mexico border----things get a little testy down there from time to time.
The thing is in our case, Cambodia’s economy is SO dependent on Thailand, that you know it’s something they feel really strongly about if they’re willing to challenge the Thai army. And I don’t blame them. The International Court of Justice ruled so many decades ago that Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, and there’s no real reason for Thailand to insist otherwise except out of pure meanness. Honestly.
The Cambodian army is on a recruiting drive near the border, just in case the situation heats up again. See here. There’ve been 2400 volunteers in one province alone.
On the other hand, the defense ministers of both countries are playing golf in Siem Reap, near Angkor Wat. See here. That’s encouraging.
All quiet on the front, but if hostilities DO flare up again, this article details how the Cambodians skillfully wield magic to counter that pesky Thai weaponry.
