Thailand- Cambodian Border Quiet After Negotiations
October 17, 2008 – 8:45 am
“A tense quiet hangs over Preah Vihear temple [today]” (Tha Cambodia Daily).
After four hours of negotiatins between Thai and Cambodia military officials an agreement had been made that no gunfir will be exchange “just like before” (The Cambodia Daily).
In what seems to be a somewhat unworkable agreement Cambodia and Thailand have agreed that neither side will withdraw its troops but instead have joint border patrols to “reduce chances of a misunderstanding that could lead to another clash” (The Cambodia Daily).
Cambodia has freed the 10 Thai soldiers that were captured after the clash and further talks were agreed upon by the military commanders, however no date has been set.
The tension at the border is isolated to one small section of the border about 4km in length and 4km wide. Two hundred civillans living at the temple were evacuated.
The situation at the border has had little effect on the conduct of people living elsewhere in Cambodia. Airports are still open, bus systems and other forms of transport are unnaffected. Those people planning to visit Cambodia should keep up to date with the situation at the temple but the main tourist destinations of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville remain unnafected by the conflict.
