Thai military denies using toxic gas in the battle of Cambodian border

April 23, 2011, 11: 38 am EDT by Daniel Ten Kate

April 24 (Bloomberg) - Thailand, denied the accusations that his soldiers have used toxic gas against Cambodian troops in the bloodiest fighting along the disputed border since tensions broke out three years ago.

Battles which began April 22 killed five Thai and six Cambodian, according to army officials of, and reports, ending two months of peace since the United Nations Security Council urged a permanent ceasefire on February 14 of press. Used Thai soldiers "guns heavy loading of the toxic gas" fighting yesterday, Ministry of defence of Cambodia said in a statement. "Cambodians are really incredible for a story like that," Veerachon Sukondhadhpatipak, Deputy spokesman of the Thai army, said by telephone from Bangkok. "" " They still make stories publish us poorly. "The resumption of the fighting at the time when the Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva is preparing to call an election in early May. The Thailand member is causing clashes raise his popularity in the event where he stages an another coup, the Cambodian Government Phay Siphan said by telephone from Phnom Penh, the capital. "The Thai military to move against us so they can say they are protecting Thai land and earn the credibility of their people,"he says. "We are a small country and we cannot afford to take Thai land." We need peace to build our country. "Southeast Asian neighbors have blamed each other for cause the battles which took place several hundred kilometres west of border clashes in February near the temple of Preah Vihear a world heritage site. Ministry of defence of Cambodia, said Thai troops were aimed to support the temples in dispute, while said Abhisit Thailand would not invade its neighbours and reprisal of the Cambodian attack. "International rules"our movements are consistent with international rules", Abhisit said today in a weekly televised speech. "In our retaliation, we attack military points only.". Our retaliation will be appropriate with Cambodian attacks. "Five Thai soldiers died in the two days of fighting, said Veerachon. Fighting also killed six Cambodian soldiers, Xinhua Chinese news agency reported, citing Suos Sothea, a commander of a unit of artillery on the border.Clashes resume tensions along the border escalated in 2008 after the Thailand opposed efforts in Cambodia to list temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site. Fighting in February was at least 10 dead and 30 000 people travel.The Thailand refused to accept observers from the border of the Indonesia, which holds the rotating Presidency of the 10 Association members of Southeast Asia Nations.International Arena "the shock of the latter is another attempt by Cambodia to raise bilateral dispute on the international scene."said today accused Abhisit.Cambodge Thailand of the use of cluster bombs during the fighting in February, a charge confirmed by established the United Kingdom Cluster Munition Coalition, which grows to an international ban on the weapons these munitions scatter over a large area to the detonation. Cambodia and the Thailand are not among the 108 countries which have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions.In 1962, the International Court of Justice decided in a vote of 9-3 that Cambodia had the sovereignty of Preah Vihear. He did not rule on the lands surrounding the temple, and the two countries have not yet reconciled 10,422 miles square (26,993 square kilometres) waters contested in the Gulf of Thailand which can contain oil and gas reserves.264 Billion in the Thailand economy is more than 26 times the size of Cambodia. The Cambodian army spent $ 191 million in 2009, compared with 4.9 billion for the military in Thailand, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

-With the help of Suttinee Yuvejwattana in Bangkok. Editors: Paul Tighe, Anand Krishnamoorthy

To contact the reporter on this story: Daniel Ten Kate in Bangkok to dtenkate@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Tighe at the ptighe@bloomberg.net

View the original article here

Plan of the Mekong River dam sparks environmental battle

Opponents fear the project of dam on the River Mekong in Laos could open the way for another 10 dams. (Associated Press)

A plan for the first dam on the Mekong River anywhere on its meandering path across Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and the Viet Nam triggered a major environmental battle in Southeast Asia.

The dam of Xayaburi of $ 3.5 billion is planned for the wilds of Northern Laos and could generate electricity primarily for sale in Thailand. The project of the villagers, militants and the Vietnamese media pits against Thai interests and the Lao Government in hopes of earning foreign currency in one of the poorest countries of the world.

A decision that the dam gets fire green, is deleted or deferred to continue his studies is planned on 19 April, a meeting, in the Lao capital among the Lao Thailand, the Viet Nam and Cambodia.

Opponents warn that it could pave the way for dams plus 10 being considered as along the lower Mekong.

"Our lives and livelihoods depend on the health of the Mekong River," said Kamol Konpin, Mayor of the city of riverside Thai Chiang Khan.

"As local populations have already suffered dam built upstream in China and watched the ecosystem change, we are afraid that the dam of Xayaburi will bring more suffering".

China has placed three dams on the upper Mekong, but otherwise its traditional 4 900 kilometers flows free.

The Xayaburi would be cut across a stretch of the River flanked by hamlets, cliffs and wooded hills where resident minority ethnic groups, forcing the relocation of up to 2 100 villagers and affecting tens of thousands of others.

Environmentalists say such a dam would disrupt the migration of fish, block nutrients for agriculture downstream and even foul bowl of rice of the Viet Nam by slowing the speed of the river and allowing salt water to seep into the Mekong Delta.

A Thai company would build the hydroelectric project of 1,260 megawatts. However, Thai villagers along the River are staging protests and planning to deliver letters to the Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Lao Embassy in Bangkok, where the Thai Government has maintained an official silence on the issue.

Pianporn Deetes, international rivers based on the United States, said environmentalists are ready to bring their case to court if Abhisit does not provide a positive response.

Last month, 263, 51 non-governmental organizations countries sent letters to the Governments of Laos and Thailand asking that the project be put on the sidelines.

In Laos, said in February that the Xayaburi would be "project hydroelectric ecological first on the Mekong" and which "has no significant impact on the current of the Mekong.".

"We are excited about this project," said the statement.

Official media of the Viet Nam, a rare disagreement with its Communist neighbour, dynamited dam, while scientists and environmental groups have called for its construction to be delayed for 10 years until that further research is conducted.

"It appears that lower Mekong have not yet learned the lessons of the impact of the Chinese dams", said Pianporn. "Xayaburi is so important, because it was triggered the destruction of the lower Mekong.".

Accessibility links

View the original article here