Thai troops flexing their muscle after Hun Xen’s visit

Hun Xen during his visit to Preah Vihear (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)

14 Feb 2010

By Pen Bona

Source: Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Socheata for KI-Media
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Five days after PM Hun Xen’s visit to the western border zones, the military situation is still under alert in these areas. Right now, Thailand is also holding a military exercise along the border. This exercise is intended to show Thailand’s muscle to Cambodia after Hun Xen issued strong warnings to Thailand. The Thai action leads to increasing tension along the border.

One day after Hun Xen ended his visit to the border, Thailand held a military exercise along the border. The major and lengthy military exercise is currently taking place in Thailand’s Ubon province which is neighboring with Cambodia’s Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces.

A military source based at the location indicated that Cambodian troops are under alert, and they are closely following the Thai military exercise. Alert among the Cambodian troops alert stems from the concerns that the Thai military exercise could trespass into Cambodian territories. Last year, several artillery shells were fired into Cambodia during a similar Thai military exercise. However, at that time, Thai troops claimed that they shelled into Cambodia by mistake.

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