Thais, Cambodians in Standoff

11th-Century Hindu Temple, Surrounding Territory in Dispute

PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia, July 17 -- Cambodia and Thailand sent more troops Thursday to a disputed border area around a spectacular 11th-century Hindu temple that stands atop a mile-high cliff. The buildup proceeded despite agreement by the two sides to hold talks next week to avoid military action.

The standoff -- in its third day -- is the latest escalation in a long-standing conflict over land around Preah Vihear, a temple that is similar in style to the more famous Angkor Wat in northwestern Cambodia.

Despite escalating rhetoric and the presence of heavily armed soldiers, the atmosphere at Preah Vihear appeared relaxed on Thursday. Cambodian soldiers snapped photographs of their Thai opponents just yards away, and some tourists, including at least one American woman, visited the temple.

After years of Thai-Cambodian feuding over ownership of the monument, the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia. The Thai government formally accepted that decision, but the two sides have never agreed on the precise location of the border. Each country claims an area of about 1.8 square miles around it.

The dispute came to a head last week when a U.N. body approved Cambodia's application for World Heritage Site status for Preah Vihear. Protesters in Thailand have decried their government's decision to endorse the application, saying it undermines Thai claims to the disputed territory.

Ownership of ancient temples is an extremely sensitive subject in both countries. Many Thais continue to feel that Preah Vihear was stolen from them. And five years ago, a Thai actress's alleged remark that Angkor Wat belonged to her country set Cambodians to rioting in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. Mobs torched the Thai Embassy and a number of Thai companies there.

Thailand's Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukbhasuk said the Thai air force was prepared to fly Thai citizens out of Cambodia if the dispute got out of control.

A senior Thai military official acknowledged Wednesday that the troops are on "disputed" ground.

The two countries' defense ministers are to meet on Monday to try to ease tensions.

More than 400 Thai troops -- up from 200 on Wednesday -- were facing down 800 Cambodian soldiers -- up from 380, according to Cambodian Brig. Gen. Chea Keo.

Domestic opponents of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej accuse him of bypassing parliament and backing Cambodia's World Heritage application to UNESCO, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in exchange for business contracts for the cronies of toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

To some extent, the demonstrators appear to be playing to nationalist sentiment to gain support for their larger goal of unseating Samak, whom they accuse of being a proxy for Thaksin.

The border standoff began after three Thai protesters crossed into Cambodia on Tuesday to visit the temple and were briefly detained. Soon afterward, Thai troops deployed to the border. The army has been tight-lipped about reasons for the troop movements, saying only that it is protecting Thai sovereignty.

One protest leader, Pramoj Hoimook, said Cambodians have settled on Thai soil, "and we want to correct that."

The only clashes so far have been between Thai protesters and Thai villagers who say they resent their lands becoming ground zero for a political battle. One such clash took place Thursday about five miles from the temple in Thailand's Sisaket province, and about 10 people were injured, said Sisaket Gov. Seni Jitkasem.

Samak condemned the Thai protesters for "trying to ignite a conflict." But he has not said anything about why the troops moved to the border. "Now the troops on both sides are confronting each other. What madness is this? There are people who want to provoke this," Samak told reporters, referring to the anti-government protesters.