Thai and Cambodian troops clash

[Flashermac]

Strongman father dreams of glory for 'heroic' son

 

 

Hun Manet is no stranger to the Thai military. Even ordinary Thais know about the eldest son of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen from the border conflicts near Preah Vihear temple. The Thai military top brass has kept a close watch on Hun Manet since he went to West Point in the United States more than a decade ago.

 

The Cambodian strongman attended the graduation ceremony of his son at the famous US military school in 1999. Since then the Thai army has known that Hun Sen has a long-term plan to place his son in control of the Cambodian armed forces and succeed him in the top job of the Cambodian government.

 

The first step was fulfilled when Hun Sen defied criticism from opponents to promote Hun Manet to the rank of a two-star general, as deputy chief of the unit assigned to specifically protect Hun Sen.

 

Senior Thai military officers noted that Hun Sen was also using his son as a military link between Phnom Penh and Washington - as seen in the increased military aid and training, including US anti-terrorism tactics, given to the Cambodian forces.

 

After graduating from West Point, now-Maj Gen Hun Manet pursued a Master's degree in economics in the United Kingdom, where he started building contacts with Thai students and officers studying there. His connections with Thailand expanded when he had several chances to attend military conferences in Thailand and made numerous trips to Bangkok.

 

"Hun Manet is down-to-earth even though he is the prime minister's son. He is an easy-going guy and very friendly," one of his Thai friends in the army said. "We all know that he is destined to be the next Cambodian prime minister.

 

"Hun Sen loves his son, always listens to him and sometimes gives his son some advice," the same officer added.

 

It is believed that Thai army officers used their personal contacts with Maj Gen Hun Manet to convince his father to help the 7 Thais, including Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth, after they were arrested by Cambodian security authorities on Dec 29.

 

His name is now well-known among the Thai people after he was given his new assignment: commander of the Cambodian forces fighting Thailand in the present conflict over the 4.6 square kilometre area. The Cambodian media reported his participation - with Lt Gen Chea Mon, chief of the Cambodian army's fourth region, and Lt Gen Srey Duek, who is in charge of the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear - on Jan 28 after the Thai army pressured Cambodia to demolish a stone tablet bearing the statement "Here is Cambodia" at Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda two days earlier, followed by a call from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that Phnom Penh remove the Cambodian national flag at Wat Keo Sikha Kiri Savara, which is situated in an area also claimed by Thailand as part of Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province. The tablet was destroyed but Mr Abhisit's counterpart, Hun Sen, refused to remove the flag. He ordered his son to be stationed at Preah Vihear to lead the Cambodian army in the border clashes instead of ordering him to return to Phnom Penh.

 

"Since then Thai intelligence officers who monitor Cambodia's military communication lines have heard his voice commanding Cambodian soldiers", including the communique on Feb 4 when the first clash took place, a Thai intelligence officer said.

 

After the second clash on Feb 6, the Thai army has not heard his voice, and there has been speculation that he has been injured. That rumour turned out to be false.

 

Another rumour was that his younger brother, Col Hun Mani, was injured on Feb 4 when his tank was hit by a Thai artillery shell which, according to the Thai army's claim, killed 64 Cambodian soldiers, damaged 15 other tanks, six artilleries and four BM 21 multi-rocket launchers.

 

But even this could not be confirmed.

 

[color:red]Maj Gen Hun Manet took the leading role in the fighting on the night of Feb 6, in what the Thai army believes was in retaliation for the loss of Cambodian forces and the slight damage to Preah Vihear temple. The target of that raid were the Thai soldiers based at Phu Ma Khua, and he decided to launch the attack at night because he realised that timing and experience would give his troops an advantage. One thing gave the Thai army the upper hand: superior weapons.[/color]

 

There has been no report of any losses among the Cambodian soldiers as they were aware that radio communications had been intercepted by Thailand. On the Thai side, 14 Thai soldiers and two villagers were injured. One of the troops later died.

 

Thai army officers believe that Hun Sen's decision to send his son to lead Cambodian soldiers in the border clash was intentional. "Hun Sen wanted his son to get credit and recognition from the Cambodian people, to pave the way for him to be promoted in the army," one Thai army source noted.

 

Leading the fight against "Siam" has already put his name in the Cambodian history books, the source added.

 

After the latest clash on Feb 6, Maj Gen Hun Manet "approached" Thai army leaders including chief of the 2nd Army, Thawatchai Samutsakhon, and army C-in-C Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha. "I have been in contact with Hun Manet. Both Thai and Cambodian commanders have already reached an understanding," Lt Gen Thawatchai said.

 

"I can confirm that Thai soldiers did not start the war. We got shot first. We never started any invasion and were on the defensive. But let me assure everybody that we are not the underdog," he said, speaking of the Thai position.

 

Whatever the outcome of the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, one sure thing is that Maj Gen Hun Manet has become a hero to his Cambodian countrymen.

 

 

BP

[Flashermac]

Oh, whoopee ... France has magnanimously offered to mediate the dispute between LOS and Hun Sen-land. Abhisit told the Froggies to hop off. It was the French who caused the whole mess when they deliberately drew the map incorrectly to put the temple into then French-IndoChina. Even the World Court admitted the 1907 map was wrong. But that is the map the toadsuckers want to use to settle the current dispute.

 

 

 

[Gadfly]

...the court's decision holds and Thailand accepts that the temple is now Cambodia's. What Thailand challenges now is the Cambodian claim to the rest of the land.

 

Agree, but when you look at the map you helpfully posted, the boundary claimed by Thailand just doesn't look right. It swings down towards the temple and then very sharply, and also very conveniently, cuts up just before the temple. Because Thailand cannot seriously claim the temple now, this makes the boundary claimed by Thailand look, well, artificial.

 

I don't know if the Cambodian boundary is right, but at least it doesn't look as artificial as the Thai boundary. Cambodia is run by a thug and that thug undoubtedly makes the PAD look choir boys, but the PAD isn't doing Thailand any favors with their antics. It really looks as though this whole dispute is being driven by Thailand's domestic dysfunctional politics.

 

Maybe the Cambodians are gaming the Thais. If so, they are doing a damn good job because Thailand's claims looks very weak.

[Coss]

...the court's decision holds and Thailand accepts that the temple is now Cambodia's. What Thailand challenges now is the Cambodian claim to the rest of the land.

 

Agree, but when you look at the map you helpfully posted, the boundary claimed by Thailand just doesn't look right. It swings down towards the temple and then very sharply, and also very conveniently, cuts up just before the temple. Because Thailand cannot seriously claim the temple now, this makes the boundary claimed by Thailand look, well, artificial.

 

 

That's because it follows the line, of a naturally occurring, almighty, great big cliff.

[Flashermac]

The line the French surveyors were supposed to follow in 1907 - but didn't! The Frenchies deviated without explanation to put the temple on their side. The Thais finally noticed it and corrected it on their maps in the 1930s, but since they never officially challenged the French map the World Court majority said they had lost it.

 

Ever been there? There is a sheer drop behind the temple to the Cambodian plains about 100 meters below, with the temple built on land sloping gently towards the plains of Sisaket, the area it was meant to serve. As you look down into Cambodia, you notice something; there is nothing but jungle almost no sign of villages.

 

[Coss]

Yes I got heat stroke walking up it one day, too far up

 

[ThaiHome]

One explanation I have heard says that the French guy that was doing the survey in 1907 (?) was probably very tired of hacking his way through the jungle by the time he got to this area and rather then map the watershed along the cliff line, which would have required getting to the bottom of the cliff, he instead just put the boundary along a cart path that ran in front of the temple.

 

The Thais lost the 1962 case on purely technical grounds having nothing to do with the actual terms of the treaty that set the border in first place. The dissenting opinions are interesting to read.

TH

[Bar4]

Yes I got heat stroke walking up it one day, too far up

I nearly had a bloody heart attack. But it was worth it. Outstanding view from the temple over Cambodia.

 

It is an obvious natural boundary as noted above. Clearly it "should" be Thai territory.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[shygye]

WoqrcluhU7A

 

[Flashermac]

No, more like this. I've been on the receiving end of probably over 100 of the things - and they ain't no fun. Fortunately, it was the rainy season and the muddy ground absorbed a lot of the blast, so I just got bruised with rocks or dirt clods instead of sliced up with jagged pieces of the lead casing. As I recall, the warhead contains about 5 kilos of TNT or a similar explosive.

 

Nice of the Cambodians to target villages, schools and the national park headquarters. Reports say the Thai Army blasted the crap out of Cambodian tanks.