Cambodia's promise to move troops doubted

July 16, 2012

Bangkok Post

The Democrats have questioned the sincerity of Phnom Penh's withdrawal of troops from disputed borders, a decision which was confirmed on Friday.

Cambodia's move to replace its 485 soldiers with 350 border patrol and tourist police was confirmed by Defence Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwanatat after talks between Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Siem Reap on Friday.

But Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut called on Ms Yingluck to make sure Cambodian solders "really withdraw" from the 17.3 sq km area around Preah Vihear temple, marked as a demilitarised zone by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The zone includes the 10th-century Hindu temple and a 4.6 sq km surrounding area, the ownership of which is claimed by Cambodia and Thailand.

The ICJ has ordered that the area must be free of military presence while the court considers the two countries' claims on the land.

Mr Chavanond accused Cambodia of being insincere when it had made a similar move to pull out troops while the Democrats were in power under Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He said that instead of withdrawing then, Cambodia only had its soldiers take off their uniforms and continued to keep them in the area with weapons.

Mr Chavanond also suspects that by announcing its decision to redeploy troops, Phnom Penh may hope to get some benefits, such as a favourable verdict from the ICJ.

There had been no signs of an impending troop withdrawal during the two meetings of the Joint Working Group set up by the two countries to follow up on the ICJ demilitarisation ruling.

Both sides had only agreed to remove mines from the disputed area before working on pulling out their forces.

Thailand will also redeploy its troops in the area on Wednesday, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the ICJ's order to establish the demilitarised zone around the temple.

An army source said the Suranari Task Force plans to replace about 400 military rangers, currently stationed at Som Bok Khamum military base and Pha Mo I Daeng in Si Sa Ket, with 350 border patrol police.
The mountainous Pha Mo I Daeng is close to the entrance of the Hindu ruins.

The withdrawal of military rangers from Pha Mo I Daeng is intended to reduce confrontations with Cambodia, the army source said.

A soldier said the military will first pull out rangers from the zone, but that "infantry soldiers will stay on until the ICJ ruling".