Cambodians urged to leave contested border area

BANGKOK, July 18 (TNA) - While Cambodia and Thailand are redeploying their national forces in a contested border area near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple, Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha urged on Wednesday that Cambodians also dismantle their property and leave the area. Speaking to journalists as Thai border patrol police are moving in to replace soldiers in the 4.6-square-kilometre unsettled border area, General Yuthasak said that the redeployment is to be carried out in line with the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s order issued on July 18, 2011, and that negotiations need to be also held with the Phnom Penh government in asking their citizens now living around the unsettled border area to leave along with their property. General Yuthasak acknowledged protests have been made several times in the past that encroachment is not the right thing but for the sake of maintaining good relations between the two neighbouring countries, the Cambodian government should solve the problem. Reiterating that Thailand would not lose any territory from the ongoing troop redeployment, the Thai defence minister insisted that Thai soldiers would continue to stay along the border, except in the area where troops are leaving and replaced by border patrol police officers. According to the Thai defence minister, Cambodia is believed not to withdraw its request for the ICJ to interpret its 1962 ruling, as Phnom Penh has to handle domestic political affairs and explain to Cambodians in case a withdrawal is made. Both Cambodia and Thailand have claimed the ownership of the Preah Vihear for decades although the ICJ awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. The Phnom Penh government has, thus, asked the Hague-based World Court to interpret its 1962 ruling regarding whether the vicinity of the Preah Vihear Temple also belongs to Cambodia. (TNA)