Thailand sent more troops to border areas

By Khmerization
Sources: everyday.com and Kampuchea Thmey

Cambodian military sources claimed that Thailand had sent extra troops to the border areas near Preah Vihear temple, reports everyday.com.

According to the sources, Thai commanders said that the extra troops were deployed to help contain the red shirt protesters from staging their protests in the areas.

Gen. Yim Pim, commander of Battalion 8 based in the areas, said he doesn't know how many extra Thai troops had been deployed in the areas, but he knew that Thailand had sent extra troops to the areas recently. He said Thailand is facing internal political turmoil due to the planned protests by the red shirt protesters om March 15th, so the deployments might be a precaution to contain a possible spill of the demonstrations into the disputed borderareas.

Mr. Rath Sopha, director of Information Office in Preah Vihear province, said Thailand had sent between 500 to 600 extra troops to the areas, but said those troops had been deployed on the Thai side of the borders further from the frontlines.

Gen. Chea Dara (pictured), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces and commander of the Preah Vihear operations, told Kampuchea Thmey that the situations along the borders remain calm, but warned Thailand not to send extra troops to the areas. "The situations along the borders remain calm. We ask Thai commanders not to send extra troops to confront the Cambodian troops that can eventually lead to armed clashes. We are not warmongers, but we will defend our territorial integrity from invasion by the enemies", he said.