Thailand says troop drawdown may take weeks

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand said Tuesday that it may be weeks before it can withdraw troops from a disputed border zone with Cambodia, after high-level talks which officials said had eased the military standoff.

The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed at talks Monday to ask their governments to redeploy the thousands of troops stationed around a small patch of land near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

However, no firm steps were taken and a Thai foreign ministry official said the government in Bangkok may ask parliament for approval first, which could delay the process by several weeks.

"Both countries need to pass their domestic legitimacy processes," ministry spokesman Tharit Charunvat told AFP.

The Thai army commander responsible...