Monday, 15 September 2008

Thai soldiers leave Cambodian Ta Krabey temple

www.chinaview.cn
2008-09-15

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- After a tense two-day stand-off, Thai soldiers have withdrawn from Cambodia's Ta Krabey temple and are now stationed some 200 meters from the cliff-top sanctuary, national media reported Monday.

"Both (Thailand and Cambodia's) armed forces have withdrawn their troops from the temple," Ho Bunthy, deputy commander of Border Military Unit 402, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

On Wednesday last week, 145 Thai soldiers occupied the temple, which had been controlled by Cambodia for years, and refused to leave.

"The temple has always been under our control but when the Thai soldiers refused to leave we guarded the temple next to them," Ho Bunthy was quoted as saying.

The withdrawal came after meetings between Thai and Cambodian military commanders held this weekend, during which both sides agreed to withdraw all soldiers to their respective bases approximately 200 meters from the newly-contested site to "avoid armed confrontation", Ho Bunthy said.

Editor: Bi Mingxin

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