UN calls for Thai-Cambodia truce

24 April 2011 Last updated at 03:48 GMT Both sides blame each other for starting the latest military exchanges UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Cambodia and Thailand to declare a ceasefire, as border clashes continue for a third day.

Mr Ban said the countries' border dispute could not be resolved by military means and both sides needed to engage in "serious dialogue".

The fighting took place west of the disputed Preah Vihear temple, where deadly clashes erupted in February.

Ten soldiers have so far been killed in the clashes, which began on Friday.

The two sides exchanged heavy weapons fire on Sunday, military commanders on both sides confirmed.

"The secretary-general calls on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and to take immediate measures to put in place for an effective and verifiable ceasefire," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

Thousands of villagers evacuated from their homes because of the fighting were sheltering in camps on either side of the porous border.

Following February's fighting near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, an informal truce had appeared to be holding.

Both sides blame each other for Friday's exchange of fire near two other disputed temples that left at least six soldiers - three from each side - dead.

Shelling and gunfire broke out again in the same area on Saturday and claimed the life of one Thai soldier and three Cambodians, according to officials.

Indonesia, which has been trying to broker a lasting peace deal between the two neighbours, has also called for an immediate ceasefire.

Parts of the Thai-Cambodian border have never been formally demarcated, causing continuing tensions between the two countries.

An international court awarded the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962 but both sides claim ownership of the surrounding area.

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Monitors for Thai-Cambodia border

22 February 2011 Last updated at 10:39 GMT The area around the temple has been the scene of numerous clashes in the past Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to allow Indonesian observers to monitor disputed border territory that has been the scene of deadly fighting between the two nations, an official says.

The agreement was reached at a meeting of the Asean regional group in Jakarta.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said unarmed observers would be on both sides of the border.

At least eight people were killed earlier this month in clashes near the 11th Century temple of Preah Vihear.

The temple - high in mountains which form the border between the two nations - was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the international court.

But both sides claim ownership of the surrounding area, and there have been several skirmishes there in recent years.

The most recent violence was in early February, when each side accused the other of violating its sovereignty.

Reports from Jakarta said up to 40 military and civilian observers would be sent to the area.

"This is an observer team, not a peacekeeping or peace enforcement team. The observer team will be unarmed," Mr Natalegawa said.

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