The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light.
Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local dialogues between Thai and Cambodian officials are ongoing, key policy decisions are yet to be made at the national level.
The ancient temple, which straddles the frontier between the two nations, became the scene of fresh controversy after a Thai tourist assaulted a Cambodian soldier. Thai officials promptly apologised to the Cambodian commander, who accepted the apology. Legal action has since been launched against the attacker.
Lt. Gen. Boonsin urged tourists to behave responsibly, warning that their actions could strain fragile international relations. He added that commanders from both countries had been instructed to keep a close eye on their personnel, particularly as the temple has recently seen a surge in visitors.
On Monday, tensions escalated further when Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen issued a stark warning.
“I am not threatening war, but we are preparing for a war that may come,” he told the Khmer Times, in response to plans to install a fence around the site.
Lt. Gen. Boonsin stressed that the army would fully comply with any orders from the government. He clarified that Thailand references a 1:50,000 scale map to determine the boundary, and any changes to the demarcation would be a technical matter for policymakers to resolve.
He also explained that Cambodian nationals are welcome to conduct religious ceremonies at temples such as Ta Khwai in Surin, as long as they remain within agreed boundaries, Bangkok Post reported.
RTA spokesperson Major General Winthai Suvaree revealed that the incident involving a Cambodian woman who accused Thai soldiers of crossing into Cambodian territory is currently under investigation. While there were indeed altercations at Ta Muen Thom temple, he assured the public that the situation is now under control.
The story RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions as seen on Thaiger News.
