PREAH VIHEAR, CAMBODIA, August 3, 2008: Buddhist monks and government officials held a peace vigil Friday at an ancient temple near disputed border land, lighting incense and praying in the shadow of armed troops from Cambodia and Thailand. Mist hovered over the mountaintop Preah Vihear temple as some 1,000 people prayed for an end to the tense standoff that started July 15 and has fueled nationalist passions in both countries. “We are gathering here to pray to the souls of our ancestors asking for peace,” said Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon, referring to Khmer kings who built the temple from the 9th to 11th centuries. “We also pray for success in our defense of our territory.”
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