Fresh Thai-Cambodia clash kills 1 before new truce

AOL News/AP ^ | 5/2/11 | Sopheng Cheang

[Eleutheria5]

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -Renewed fighting between Cambodian and Thai troops along the countries' disputed border killed a Thai soldier Saturday and sent thousands of people fleeing before military commanders agreed on the second cease-fire in two days.

The fiercest border clashes in years also damaged a landmark 11th century temple near a strip of disputed land that Thai nationalists have seized on as a domestic political issue.

At least five people have died in two days — one civilian and one soldier from Thailand and one civilian and two soldiers from Cambodia, according to officials from the two countries. Each side blames the other for starting the fighting.

Tensions between the Southeast Asian nations have risen in recent days because of demonstrations in the Thai capital, Bangkok, demanding that the government oust Cambodians from land near the Preah Vihear temple. Thai nationalists claim the land is actually part of Thailand.

[Eleutheria5]

This is all Israel's/Bush's/Sarah Palin's fault, of course.

[ASA Vet]

ไทยสัญญาณ

[Flash Bazbeaux]

ประเทศไทย? I guess the Thais don't put much stock in the 1962 World Court decision that gave Wat Preah Vihear to Cambodia.

[colorado tanker]

Ping?

[colorado tanker]

I read an article on this and it looks like a turn of the twentieth century treaty said the border would follow a watershed line in this region which would put the Wat in Thailand. The official map, however, inexplicably put it in Cambodia. For whatever reason Thailand never protested until decades later. As far as I can make out the World Court awarded it to Cambodia on a legal concept that under American law would be like adverse possession - sleeping on one’s rights while another occupied their property.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks colorado tanker.