Thailand, Cambodia promise to mend fences

Pattaya, Thailand- Thailand and Cambodia Friday agreed to strengthen cooperation and make greater efforts in future to prevent violent incidents along their common border. Thailand's prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and Cambodian leader Hun Sen met at the sidelines of a regional summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the resort town of Pattaya. It was the first high-level bilateral meeting since clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops near a disputed temple area that left several soldiers dead earlier this month. 'We agreed that the accidents [last week] were the result of a misunderstanding that it should not be allowed to affect our relations and cooperation,' Abhisit told journalists after the meeting. Mechanisms are now in place to resolve the conflicts along the border and prevent problems flaring up again, the Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told the German Press Agency dpa. The Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Committee met earlier this week and approved significant steps to defuse the tension along the border near Preah Vihear temple, among them an agreement to establish a joint military monitoring group. The 11th century Hindu Preah Vihear temple, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thai, is situated on an escarpment that forms part of the natural border between the two countries and has been a source of tension between Cambodia and Thailand for generations. The International Court of Justice awarded the site to Cambodia in 1962, but the ruling did not determine the ownership of some 5 square kilometres of scrub land next to the ruins. Fighting erupted along the border last year after the temple was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO despite Thai objections. The border had been quiet for months as the neighbours sought jointly to demarcate the jungle area around the temple. But tensions rose again last month when Thai troops crossed into a disputed area near the temple and were stopped by Cambodian soldiers. 'Both countries agreed to exercise extreme caution in future and not allow such incidents to re-occur,' Abhisit told journalists. The two prime ministers discussed several major projects which involved substantial Thai investment, including improving the highway that connects the two countries and the construction of hydro-electric dam that would provide electricity in Cambodia and provide water to parts of south-eastern Thailand. The Thai prime minister is scheduled to visit Cambodia later this month.