PREAH VIHEAR, CAMBODIA, July 15, 2008: Two hundred Thai and 380 Cambodian troops are said to be deployed at Preah Vihear temple, which sits on disputed territory along the border. The build-up happened after Cambodia said Thai troops had crossed to its territory – a charge Thailand denies.
It comes days after Unesco listed the temple as a World Heritage Site.
The 11th Century Hindu temple and the land around it have been the subject of a border dispute for decades. The Preah Vihear temple was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, forcing Thai troops who had occupied the area to withdraw. It then became caught up in Cambodia’s civil conflict, falling to the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and only being opened to the public in 1998.
Tension between the two countries has increased since Cambodia applied for World Heritage status for the temple, which was approved by Unesco earlier this month. The application was endorsed by Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, but this caused controversy in Thailand and he resigned last week after a court ruled he had breached the constitution.