via CAAI News Media
Clash at Border Leaves Thai Soldier Dead
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:38 DAP-NEWS
Cambodian and Thai soldiers again clashed at the border at 10:30 am on January 29, leading to the death of one Thai soldier and several other Thais injured, an official said.
The dispute started on July 15, 2008 when Thai soldiers attempted to encroach illegally upon Cambodia territory following the registration of the Preah Vihear Temple as a Cambodian World Heritage Site.
Keo Sokunthea, Pursat police sub-commissioner for border protection, said that the fighting took place in Orveal Chamrong village, Thmorda commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province. He said a group of black-clad Thai soldiers encroached illegally into Cambodian territory.
“When those 20 Thai soldiers crossed to the location, Cambodian soldiers warned them absolutely not to do that, and we contacted the Thais to withdraw their forces. They did not, so we used our self-defense measures to protect our land.”
In response, Thailand claimed the forces involved were not its on-duty soldiers.
According to one Cambodian soldier, the Thai soldiers encroached illegally upon Cambodia territory serve at the Thai Border Protection Unit, and most of the Cambodian soldiers present knew them by sight.
“We have told them we don’t want to do anything without orders from the top brass. If they are not Thai soldiers, are they rebels? If they are, we will fight them, as they came with guns,” Keo Sokunthea told DAP News Cambodia.
“When they saw us, they started to fire first and then we fired back. We fired for four B 40 rocket-propelled grenades at them. They were not able to fight anymore, so they hurried into the forest nearby,” he said. “In the morning, after we investigated, we found one Thai soldier dead and some of them injured, but for us, no one died or was injured.”
Defense Ministry Spokesman Chum Socheat told DAP News Cambodia on Saturday that “It is real for the clash, but we do not yet know the real reason.”
Recently, Cambodian and Thai soldiers have exchanged fire, though officers have met for discussions.
Cambodia to Conduct Practice Air Disaster Emergency Rescue
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:38 DAP-NEWS
The Cambodian Air Authority on January 2 will organize a mock air emer- gency exercise at the Phnom Penh Inter- national Airport to practice procedures in case of a plane crash or other disaster inside the airport, said a press release from the CAA obtained on Saturday.
“I would like to appeal to local people not to panic about the emergency rescue at the airport because we will use fire engines and burn tires and gasoline—households nearby should not be surprised, it is a test only,” the statement said. In 2007, 22 people on board a plane from Siem Reap to Preah Sihanouk province died in bad weather in the mountains of the coastal province of Kampot. In a separate case in late 2007, an Antonov AN-12 plane loaded with garment products crash landed in a rice field. One engineer broke his leg.
Plans for 800-1,000 New Schools
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:37 DAP-NEWS
The Education, Youth, and Sports Ministry plans to construct another 800 to 1,000 schools in 2011, the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) said on Saturday.
CITA Chief Rong Chhun said the project will help Cambodia improve human resources.
In a recent meeting with a Vietnamese delegation to Cambodia, the ministry said it would improve the education system.
Rong Chhun said Cambodia still lags behind its neighbors.
A Hun Sen High School teacher in Kampong Thom province, Seng Thai, told DAP News Cambodia he hoped to benefit from the project. He said better salaries would relieve poverty.
A/H1N1 Reaches 557 Cases
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:37 DAP-NEWS
A Health Ministry expert on Saturday said A/H1N1 cases have increased to 557, but the death toll remains the same.
Ly Sovann told DAP News Cambodia that the number of A/H1N1 infections seems to be steady because of increasing education on prevention.
At least 14,711 have died in 209 nations worldwide from A/H1N1.
The first case in Cambodia was recorded on June 24, 2009.
The A/H1N1 had spread to 13 provinces in Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Takeo, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Kampong Speu, Battam Bong, Kampot, Prey Veng, Mondulkiri, Svay Rieng, Banteay Meanchey, and Siem Reap.
Last week saw no new infections but there were 4 new cases recorded this week, Sovann said. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged to provide about 300,000 doses of the A/H1N1 vaccine to Cambodia.
These will be injected free-of-charge to pregnant Cambodians and children less than 6 months old, Sovann said.
No comments:
Post a Comment