Cambodia withdraws troops from disputed area

Cambodia withdrew an estimated 18,000 troops from the disputed border area with Thailand on August 20.

Ancient Preah Vihear temple area.

The troops of the Bridge 9 stationed in Chak Chreng area, the left side of the Preah Vihear temple, were pulled back to barracks in Chorm Kasan district of Preah Vihear province.

This was the fifth time Cambodia has pulled back its troops from the border with Thailand since July 26.

Speaking during the troop withdrawal, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Gen. Kun Kim said the troop redeployments have been made at the order of Prime Minister Hun Sen as the military tension with Thailand has eased since the Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory in the general elections on July 3.

Earlier, Cambodia reduced the number of its troops stationed at the areas of Ta Moan and Ta Krebey temples, about 150 km west of Preah Vihear temple. The troops were moved to the Anlong Veng base in Oddar Meanchay province.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962 ruled that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia . But, both Cambodia and Thailand have claimed sovereignty over the area of 4.6 sq.m around the temple.

Since the UNESCO listed Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, many cashes between Cambodian and Thai troops have occurred in the disputed areas.

On July 18, 2011, the ICJ ordered both countries to draw all their troops stationing in the disputed area around the Preah Vihear, temporarily turning it into a provisional demilitarised zone./.

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