Thai military sent tanks and troop reinforcements to Ta Thav Pass

Thai tank seen driven toward the area opposite Ta Thav Pass.

Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

The border situations near Preah Vihear temple remain tense as news that both Cambodian and Thai military are sending troops reinforcements to Ta Thav Pass, about 5 kilometres from the temple.

According to a senior Cambodian military commander, the Thai military had sent tanks and weaponry as well as troops reinforcements to the area since the morning of Wednesday 22nd. The same source said that the Thais had positioned their tanks about 50 metres from Ta Thav Pass.

Both Gen. Chea Dara, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Froces and Gen. Srey Doek, commander of the Preah Vihear precinct as well as Gen. Chhum Socheat, spokesman for the Cambodian Defence Ministry, declined to comment on the military developments when contacted by a Khmer Sthapana journalist.

However Gen. Srey Doek told Deum Ampil on the morning of 22nd July that he had ordered the deployments of Cambodian troops to Mount 500 after Thai troops had sneaked in to set up camps inside Khmer territories overnight.

Gen. Srey Doek said this is a grave violation by the Thai side as both sides had agreed that there would be no troop movements in the area. He added that the Thai actions had caused a misunderstanding that may lead to armed clashes.

The general did not reveal how many Cambodian troops were sent to the area, but he said under one hundred.

However, news from the front line indicated that up until the night of 22nd July, the situations in the area remained calm.