By Nopporn Wong-Anan
KANTARALAK, Thailand (Reuters) - Thailand and Cambodia senttroops and heavy guns on Saturday to their disputed border,where hundreds of soldiers faced off for a fifth day over anancient Hindu temple.
Despite the military build-up, both sides said they werewilling to negotiate an end to the stand-off at the PreahVihear temple, which has raised investor fears of a majorconfrontation.
The diplomatic sparring between Bangkok and Phnom Penh hasintensified ahead of high-level talks on Monday involving thetwo countries' defence ministers.
Thailand summoned Cambodia's ambassador on Friday torespond to Prime Minister Hun Sen's charge that Thai troops had"encroached on our territory" and the situation was"worsening".
In a letter to Hun Sen, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravejsaid Cambodian troops and buildings on the disputed 4.6 sq km(1.8 sq mile) area were a "violation of Thailand's sovereigntyand territorial integrity".
But he added his government was "resolved to seek a justand peaceful solution to the situation".
The temple, perched on a jungle-clad escarpment that formsa natural boundary, has been a source of tension since theInternational Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that it belongedto Cambodia, a decision that still rankles Thais.
The listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site thismonth triggered a political uproar in Thailand, stoked bygroups opposed to Samak, whom they accuse of being a proxy offormer Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a2006 coup.
Thailand's main stock index has fallen more than 23 percentsince anti-government street protests in Bangkok started inlate May, and could drop further if border tensions get worse,analysts said.
NATIONALIST FERVOUR
In Cambodia, Preah Vihear has become a key issue in therun-up to next Sunday's general election as Hun Sen's rulingparty and the opposition jockey for votes by stokingnationalist fervour.
"They should focus on issues like fighting poverty andcorruption instead of using Preah Vihear for their politicalinterests," said Kek Galabru, head of the LICAHDO rights group.
Lieutenant General Sujit Sitthiprapha, commander ofThailand's Second Army, said more troops were sent to theborder after Cambodia reinforced its forces at the temple.
A Reuters witness saw a convoy of eight Thai army trucksferrying several hundred soldiers armed with M-16 rifles to theborder. In another convoy, trucks were towing heavy artilleryguns.
"If things escalate, we can use those troops right away,"Sujit said, although he added the soldiers at the temple "werestill talking to each other".
Thailand estimates it is facing 1,200 Cambodian troops inand around the temple, although Phnom Penh disputes thatfigure.
Chea Mon, Cambodia's military commander at Preah Vihear,said the situation was calm at the temple where his men facedabout 400 Thai soldiers.
"We are protecting our borders. We will leave it togovernment leaders to solve this issue," he said by telephone.
(Additional reporting by Ek Madra in PHNOM PENH; Writing byDarren Schuettler; Editing by Alex Richardson)
