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| About 380 Cambodian troops have moved to the Thai border near Preah Vihear temple, officials said Wednesday. |
Cambodian and Thailand both have increased the
number of troops along the border near Preah Vihear temple, but officials said
Wednesday there was "no tension" between the two sides.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told reporters that Cambodia had 380 soldiers near the border, where
Thailand
was keeping about 200 troops.
Cambodian authorities said Tuesday more than 40 Thai
soldiers had crossed into Cambodian territory following the detention of three
Thai demonstrators at Preah Vihear temple.
The temple, which perches on a high cliff in a disputed
border zone, has been the focus of rising nationalist furor on both sides,
following its inclusion on a Unesco World Heritage protection list earlier this
month.
Long Sovann, deputy governor of Preah Vihear province, said
Wednesday the situation was "normal" and both sides were "quiet."
Keo Sen, Preah Vihear's O'Chhouv district governor, said
Wednesday Thai troops were digging positions along the border.
Meanwhile, the two countries are seeking to establish a
committee to prevent further incidents, after Thai Prime Minister Samak
Sundaravej phoned Defense Minister Tea Banh, Khieu Kanharith said.
On Wednesday morning Prime Minister Hun Sen met with top
government officials from the ministries of Defense, Interior and Foreign
Affairs to resolve the issue.
Thailand
has denied its troops entered Cambodian territory.
"It
is true that we introduced a few paramilitary personnel into the border area
within Thai territory [Tuesday]," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit
Charungvat said in a statement. "But this is only to ensure that the current protests by a
group of Thai people in the area, about their beliefs on territorial claims, be
done in an orderly manner."
Both sides have troops staying together in a pagoda near
Preah Vihear temple, but there is no tension between them, Khieu Kanharith
said.
Khieu Kanharith called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm
over the issue and urged journalists to report "carefully" and
"not pour gasoline onto the fire."