Thailand
has increased its troop and ammunition supplies along the border of Banteay
Meanchey province over the past few days, following a small skirmish and the
injury by landmine of two Thai troops in the past week, military and government
officials said.
Bantheay Meanchey Governor Oung Ouen said Thursday the Thai
side was increasing troop deployments along 150 kilometers of his border, west of Preah Vihear temple, the initial site of a military standoff that began July 15.
Many encampments of around 20 soldiers along the border had
been bolstered by five to ten soldiers more since Tuesday, he said.
The increase came following a the first fracas between
opposing soldiers, at Phnom Trop near Preah Vihear temple on Friday, and the
injury of two Thai soldiers on the same mountain on Monday, he said.
However, he said, there was no apparent tension between the
two sides.
Col.
Ven Say, deputy commander of Regiment 51, said the Thais had sent 50 boxes of
ammunition to soldiers along the border of Bantheay Meanchey.
The increase of troops and ammunition were not a cause for
concern, he said, but Cambodian soldiers were vigilant “24 hours” a day in the area.
Meanwhile, Cambodian soldiers at Preah Vihear have begun
confiscating cell phone SIM cards from a Thai network used by many people living and working along the border.
Hang Soth, chairman of the Preah Vihear National Authority,
said Thursday the SIM cards had been collected since Wednesday in an effort to
improve security for Cambodian soldiers deployed nearby.