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(BangkokPost.com, Agencies) - Cambodia on Sunday escalated the border dispute over the Preah Vihear temple, accusing Thai troops of "occupying" a temple far to the west, long considered a totally different matter.


About 70 Thais have been at the 13th Century Ta Muen Thom temple complex in Surin province "since Thursday", a Cambodian spokesman in Phnom Penh claimed.


But Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said no troops have moved into the area.


Cambodia and spokesman Sim Sokha appeared to be linking the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom disputes. Although both are in border areas, they are not connected in either distant or recent history - until now.


On the ground, military commanders were more relaxed and there was no apparent tension at the site.


"We have a paramilitary post which has been there for several years," said Thai Army Maj Gen Sujit Sithiprabha, commander for the Cambodian border. "Ta Muen Thom belongs to us. We have to have soldiers to take care of the area which belongs to us."


Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodia Border Committee, told the AFP news agency that Thai soldiers were stationed in the ruin, but said this was "not a new thing".


"Ta Muen is in our territory, but since 1998 Thailand took a chance to occupy it by claiming that they came to conserve it."


Ta Muen Thom is a temple from the height of the Khmer empire, and part of the outlying Angkor Wat complex opposite Thailand's northeast, or Isan region.


An Associated Press report from Cambodia on Sunday quoted Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture as saying it was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is now northeastern Thailand.


Ta Muen Thom is in a so-called "white zone" under dispute by the neighbouring countries, where Surin abuts the border of Cambodia`s Oddar Meanchey


Cambodian authorities appear to be stepping up nationalist sentiment, despite earlier predictions they would try to cool the Preah Vihear and other border disputes following last week's general election, won handily by Prime Minister Hun Sen.


Thai merchants and diplomats were forced to call off two planned exhibitions and sales of Thai fruit and other goods this week. Expo officials cited growing anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia.


Last week Hun Sen's wife hosted a huge Preah Vihear temple ritual, seen by some as a major provocation, after Mr Tej and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong negotiated a troop pullback at the disputed temple grounds.



In Phnom Penh on Sunday, Maj Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border-protection officer, claimed that Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.


Mr Tej denied there had been any troop movements by either side at the Surin province border site.


Sim Sokha said Thai troops had been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds, and had prevented Cambodian troops from entering.


He said about 40 Cambodian soldiers were "in close proximity" to the Thai troops, but had been ordered to exercise restraint while the government tries to resolve the issue with Thailand.


Last Friday, the French and Japanese ambassadors discussed the border problem with Mr Tej at the foreign ministry. The Preah Vihear dispute originates in French colonial maps, and Japanese actions when it occupied Cambodia during World War Two.


Mr Tej, who assumed the ministerial post July 27, told Ambassador Laurent Bili that France could now act as a bridge in solving the temple row.


Japanese ambassador to Thailand Hideaki Kobayashi supported bilateral efforts to solve the temple problem, and would be willing to assist in clearing landmines around the disputed area, according to a report by official Thai News Agency.


In addition, US ambassador Eric John pledged American "support for bilateral talks between Thailand and Cambodia to peacefully resolve the situation in the border area adjacent to" Preah Vihear. The US is interested in how the dispute could affect the visit on Wednesday of President George W. Bush.


The "US stood ready to cooperate and work closely with Thailand to further strengthen the two countries' relations," the US diplomat said.

Source: Bangkok post