Cambodia-Thai Trade Exhibition to go ahead despite conflict: Cambodian PM

15 Feb, 2011
Source: Xinhua

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday said that the Cambodia-Thailand Trade Exhibition to be held on Feb. 17-20 will go ahead as scheduled despite military confrontation at the border disputed area near the 11th century temple between the two countries' troops.

"Trades with Thailand are still normal,"he said during opening the construction of a 144 km road in Banteay Meanchey province.

He said that a Thai deputy prime minister will come to Phnom Penh to open the expo.

"We have to continue cooperation on all other sectors with Thailand, the area that has disputed, we resolve at that area and contain it from spreading further,"he said, adding "we have a policy to turn all Cambodian borders with neighboring countries to be a border of peace, friendship and cooperation."

Jiranan Wongmongkol, director of the Thai embassy's Foreign Trade Promotion Office in Phnom Penh, confirmed Tuesday that Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankiri, will make a one-day visit to Phnom Penh to attend the exhibition on Feb. 17 and he is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

"We have already prepared for the exhibition--everything is on schedule," she said.

The annual Thailand Trade Fair 2011 in Phnom Penh from Feb. 17- 20 will be held at the Diamond Island's convention hall in Phnom Penh. It's expected about 150 Thai companies and about 25 Cambodian companies will display their products in the event.

Bilateral trades between Cambodia and Thailand mounted to 2.54 million U.S. dollars in 2010, up 54 percent from 1.65 billion U.S. dollars in a year earlier, according to the statistics from Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

Of the sum, Cambodia exported to Thailand was only 214.7 million U.S. dollars and Thailand exported to Cambodia worth up to 2.34 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The conflict is due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

The latest clashes on Feb. 4-7, unleashed a barrage of artillery shells on both sides of the border, killed at least 10 people and injured 53 people of both sides, according to latest reports. Tens of thousands of the two countries' villagers nearby the disputed areas fled for safe shelters.

The United Nations Security Council on Monday urged Cambodia and Thailand to display maximum restraint and to establish a permanent cease-fire. It also expressed support for the active efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in this matter and encouraged the parties to continue their cooperation with the organization.