Clashes between Cambodian, Thai troops end: Cambodian military

PHNOM PENH, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops is over at the disputed border area near Ta Mon Thom temple and Ta Krabek temple in Oddar Meanchey province, said a Cambodian military commander on Friday.

The clashes began at 6:00 a.m. Friday and ended around 10:30 a. m., said Neak Vong, deputy commander of brigade 42 at Ta Mon Thom temple.

"The casualties in the clashes have not been tallied yet," he told Xinhua by phone.

Cambodian side accused Thai troops of opening fire first. " Cambodian troops just exercise self-defense rights and protect our territory," said Pich Sokhin, provincial governor of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province.

The military clash reoccurred just more than two months after the deadly clash on Feb. 4-7 at the disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple, the World Heritage Site.

Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, has offered to send monitors to the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple, and the UN and ASEAN have called on both sides to resolve the conflict through a peaceful way.

Cambodia expressed its welcome. But the meetings held earlier this month in Indonesia failed to resolve the situation

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated and the issue of Preah Vihear temple has been an age-old dispute.

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 4.6 sq km of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

Posted in: Xinhua