Thailand, Cambodia try golf diplomacy

Siem Reap (Cambodia), Oct. 23: Cambodia’s defence minister teed off with Thai military officials on Thursday in a spot of ‘golf diplomacy’ ahead of talks aimed at resolving a fierce territorial dispute.

A meeting of mid-level officials in Cambodia’s northwest tourist hub Siem Reap was meant to pave the way for talks on Friday between senior commanders on tensions that erupted into deadly clashes last week. While their juniors held a meeting, Cambodian defence minister Tea Banh arrived a day early for a round of golf with Thai military men.

"The discussion today has resolved a lot of problems," Mr Tea Banh said on his way to the links. "The meeting (on Friday) will clearly ease the situation more because we will discuss ways to make it better." Officials would not give specific results of the day’s talks to defuse the border dispute near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which broke into a firefight a week ago that left one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers dead.

But General Neang Phat, secretary of state at Cambodia’s defence ministry, described the atmosphere on the golf course as "happy". —AFP