Thai Troops 'Burned Cambodian Boy Alive'

A Cambodian soldier stands guard as Thai troops walk near the Preah Vihear temple

Wednesday September 16, 2009

Cambodia has accused soldiers from neighbouring Thailand of burning a boy alive after shooting at villagers in a disputed border region.

Bangkok has insisted the accusations were baseless.

But they come amid simmering tensions between the historic foes over jurisdiction of the land around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which straddles their common border.

Seven soldiers have been killed in the past year during skirmishes near the site.

" We have pictures of the late boy whose hands were tied, along with his remains and ashes. "
Cambodian deputy foreign minister Ouch Borith

Cambodian deputy foreign minister Ouch Borith said he had seen evidence proving the burning took place.

He urged Thailand to investigate what he said was a "brutal and inhumane" act.

Mr Borith said he had seen photographs of the charred body of a boy, but did not provide any evidence Thai soldiers were responsible.

"This is true. We have pictures of the late boy whose hands were tied, along with his remains and ashes," he told reporters.

Cambodian authorities said a 16-year-old boy was arrested by troops on September 11 for cutting down trees on Thai territory.

Soldiers shot and seriously wounded another boy as he fled, the reports said.

Cambodia's foreign ministry sent a statement to its Thai counterpart complaining that the boy's death was a "serious breach of internationally accepted humanitarian principles".

The Thai ministry replied it had been informed by the army that teenagers had trespassed on Thai territory and were given a warning by border troops.

"There was no arrest. They just warned them and pushed back into Cambodia without detention or any clashes," spokeswoman Wimon Kidchob told reporters.