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BANGKOK - Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Sunday that intense negotiations were needed to defuse a border standoff with Cambodia over a disputed Khmer temple.
More than 500 Thai troops are facing off with at least 1,000 Cambodian soldiers around a small Buddhist pagoda on disputed land near the ruins of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, which belongs to Cambodia.
"The situation at no man's land needs negotiation," Samak said, adding that it will take time and effort to reach any agreement.
"It has to be step-by-step," he said on his weekly television address.
"They claim the area belongs to them. We claim it belongs to us."
Officials from both countries plan to meet on Monday to try and defuse the nearly week-long crisis, but a Cambodian army commander has said they have little hope that the talks will produce results.
Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP on Sunday that his country had sent letters to the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly informing them of the situation, a move that appeared to irk Samak.
"They (Cambodia) are trying to solve it by going to United Nations," Samak said.
"I will say no more -- the complaint has reached the UN, the Thai foreign ministry will take care of the matter."
The confrontation began Tuesday after three Thai protesters tried to jump a fence to reach Preah Vihear and the situation almost erupted into violence Thursday when witnesses said troops twice pointed their guns at each other.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance lies in Thailand and 4.6 square kilometres (1.8 square miles) of the surrounding land remains in dispute. - AFP/vm
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