200 police deployed near P. Vihear

Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 16/09/2009

Police Region 3 commander Pol Lt-Gen Krisda Phankongchuen said on Wednesday he had 200 police deployed from Si Sa Ket and nearby provinces to the area near the Preah Vihear temple to deal with the planned rally by yellow-shirt demonstrators.

Supporters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) from various provinces, particularly those in the Northeast, plan to rally against the Cambodian government on Saturday. They claim Phnom Penh has sent traders and settlers to occupy Thai territory near the ancient Khmer temple.

“The policemen will join with the military force stationed in the area to prevent the demonstrators going into the 4.6 square kilometres of disputed land along the Thai-Cambodia border,” Pol Lt Gen Krisda said.

The policemen were ordered not to carry weapons and prohibited from using force to deal with yellow-shirts.

Police in eight northeastern provinces under the supervision of Police Region 3 were ordered to be ready to provide reinforcements if required.

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