Tuesday, 5 August 2008

Border panel to negotiate on Ta Muen Thom dispute

(BangkokPost.com) - The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Anupong Paojinda, said the border committee of Thailand and the Cambodian authority will have to talk over the claims over the 13th century Ta Muen Thom temple, a second ruin on the disputed border of Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.

Gen Anupong said the Thai border committee needs to negotiate with the Cambodian counterpart by mainly adhering to the Thai map, after Cambodia has claimed ownership of the land around the ancient temple.

The situation along the disputed border areas of the two neighbouring countries is orderly, Gen Anupong said, and he reminded Thai soldiers to avoid facing the Cambodian forces while overseeing the general situation closely.

He, however, refused to comment about the impact from the possible confrontation between Thai and Cambodian forces, reasoning that it is a sensitive issue. It would not be appropriate for him to discuss it, as he is a state official, Gen Anupong said.

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