2 Thai Rangers wounded by landmines near Cambodian frontier

SI SA KET, Oct 6 (TNA) - Two Thai Rangers lost their legs as they stepped on landmines while patrolling along the Thai-Cambodia border near the disputed Preah Vihear temple in Sri Sa ket province Monday.

The incident took place just three days after soldiers from both countries
were wounded in a brief exchange of gunfire near the disputed area.

The explosion tore off both legs of 42-year-old Ranger Somboon Kingwichit
who stepped on a landmine, while Ranger Boonsit Sanaeha, 46, rushing to
the scene to help his colleague, lost his left leg as the second mine was
triggered.

Other Rangers cleared an area for an emergency army helicopter landing
zone and the injured were transferred to a hospital in nearby Ubon
Ratchathani province. Both soldiers are in critical condition.

Tensions between the two neighbours escalated in July after Preah Vihear
temple, which belongs to Cambodia, was awarded world heritage status by
the United Nations Education ,Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO). Some Thai nationalists protested at the Thai-Cambodian border.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs
to Cambodia, but the surrounding land remains in dispute.