Trouble at the Cambodia Border - Army goes on maximum alert

[MwD]

Just in case anybody here have family members near Prasat and the Cambodia border:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... imum-alert

Trouble at the Cambodia near Prasat/Surin.

My wife's family live near Prasat and report they can hear bomb blasts, which started yesterday morning.

People from the area are being evacuated to Prasat, currently around 5,000 but estimated to reach 30,000 people.

[kendo]

Yes I have family near Kap Choeng and a house there, my wife has been on the phone this morning and has been told they plan to evacuate women children and the old foke at night to the large school on the 214 towards Prasat.
There was a bomb blast four villages away from my wifes village of Banswhy.
In January we went out on moped and just a couple of km's we stumbled across border patrol camps I did post a few pics on here somewhere.
Kendo

[lomuamart]

Kendo.
The military checkpoints have always been there. And I'm going back 15 years or so.

[PeteC]

The Thais have been fools of late concerning their objections to neutral, foreign observers IMO. This morning I tended to lean toward the Thai newspapers explanation but frankly, how can the Thai military prove they were attacked, and not the other way around? The more that Thailand objects to the observers, the more the world will think that the Thais are instigating the combat. Pete

[buksida]

Thailand, Cambodia edge toward war
BANGKOK - Thailand and Cambodia fortified their border positions on Tuesday after four days of artillery and mortar battles killed seven Cambodian soldiers and five Thai troops, while both sides tried to dominate nearby ancient Hindu temple ruins. No deaths were reported during Monday's clashes.

Thai troops with scant medical equipment used stretchers and open pickup trucks to transport some injured soldiers from border fights to hospitalization during the weekend. Thailand moved tanks and armored personnel carriers along the mountainous jungle frontier about 560 kilometers northeast of Bangkok.

Cambodia installed more multiple-rocket launchers and other heavy weaponry to bolster its side. Phnom Penh said on Monday that shelling and rifle fire by Thai forces during the weekend damaged the crumbling stone ruins of two small 1,000-year-old Hindu temples, Ta Krabey and Ta Moan. The extent of the damage was unclear.

The ruins are in a disputed border area where most of the four straight days of clashes have occurred. Both Buddhist-majority countries again used artillery, mortars and rifles on Monday night near Ta Krabey, according to Thai and Cambodian military spokesmen.

Full Story: Asia Times

Thoughts: The tourism angle is interesting, both sides seem to want the temples to make a few bucks, it appears to have little to do with heritage though many of the ruins have already been awarded to Cambodia many decades ago.

[STEVE G]

Thoughts: The tourism angle is interesting, both sides seem to want the temples to make a few bucks, it appears to have little to do with heritage though many of the ruins have already been awarded to Cambodia many decades ago.

If that's what they're fighting about they're going to be dissapointed; I've visited a few Hindu temples in the North East and there's normally a handful of visitors paying about twenty baht to get in and a couple of Somtam and fried chicken stalls outside.

[Big Boy]

But this temple is getting a lot of free publicity.

[PeteC]

A lot of fighter activity in and out of U-Tapao today. I don't know of any exercise going on so perhaps they are buzzing or doing recon at the border? Pete

[Nereus]

A lot of fighter activity in and out of U-Tapao today. I don't know of any exercise going on so perhaps they are buzzing or doing recon at the border? Pete

They may be trying to figure out which way it is to the border?

[kendo]

Kendo.
The military checkpoints have always been there. And I'm going back 15 years or so.

I was referring to troops dug in the forest not check points.
Now things are hotting up 20 rockets exploded 5 minuites away from our village.
Most people have been evacuated but my wifes brother has chosen to stay in our house, he has some fairley bad road rash injurys from a Motocycle accident.
Kendo. .

[hhj]

SOLUTION TO THIS MESS
A few explosives on the pile of rubble in dispute would leave nothing to fight over!

[STEVE G]

SOLUTION TO THIS MESS
A few explosives on the pile of rubble in dispute would leave nothing to fight over!

Actually my Thai partner said the same thing yesterday; instead of shooting artillery at innocent villagers in the area, they should shoot at the temple until there is nothing left to argue about.

[richard]

SOLUTION TO THIS MESS
A few explosives on the pile of rubble in dispute would leave nothing to fight over!

Actually my Thai partner said the same thing yesterday; instead of shooting artillery at innocent villagers in the area, they should shoot at the temple until there is nothing left to argue about.

Sensible idea but think of the political repercussions

[charlesh]

My goodness the telli tubbies got into trouble for blowing up the hillside carvings in Barmayan!

[PeteC]

Perhaps of help in understanding the bigger picture. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... till-works