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Thais Cancel Meeting on Border Standoff


28 August 2008
Khmer audio aired 27 August (916 KB) - Download (MP3) audio clip
Khmer audio aired 27 August (916 KB) - Listen (MP3) audio clip

Thailand has canceled a meeting to solve the lingering crisis on the Preah Vihear border, a Cambodian government spokesman said Wednesday.

Because of "business" by the Thai government's cabinet, "they asked to postpone the meeting," which had been slated for Friday, Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said.

No new date for a meeting has been set, as troops from both sides remain on the border. Earlier this month, a large number of soldiers withdraw from a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, in a continued standoff that began July 15.

Thailand is in the midst of political strife, with thousands of protesters in Bangkok demanding Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej step down.

The opposition of Thailand's prime minister was also at the heart of the Preah Vihear dispute; demonstrators angered by Thailand's acceptance of Cambodia's World Heritage application for the Preah Vihear temple, which was accepted July 7, entered the temple and were detained by Cambodian border authorities July 15.

Thai troops subsequently occupied the pagoda near the temple, which led to the current standoff.

Both sides have been embroiled in longstanding disputes over the border, and neither side has been able to agree on which map should be used in negotiations.

Previous bilateral talks have failed to solve the troop build-up or border disputes.

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