Thai-Cambodia in military standoff

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong asked Singapore, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to form a regional "inter-ministerial group ... to help find a peaceful solution to the current crisis and avoid military confrontation between the two ASEAN members."

In his letter to Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo late Monday, Hor Namhong asked that the group comprise the foreign ministers of Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos.

"Thai troops with artillery and tanks are building up along the border, constituting a very serious threat not only to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia, but also to peace and stability in the region," he said in the letter seen Tuesday.

The ASEAN foreign ministers are holding their annual meeting in Singapore this week.

Several thousand Thai and Cambodian troops are to remain along their countries' shared border after Monday's talks failed to resolve a now eight-day dispute over land near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

Representatives from both countries nevertheless reiterated their commitment to avoiding an armed conflict as the one-day meeting ended in the Thai-Cambodian border town of Aranyaprahet.

"The most important thing is to avoid a confrontation so that there is no violence," Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh told reporters, adding that "the temperature ... hasn't been reduced."

Thai Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niempradit refused to describe the talks as a failure, while insisting troops from both countries would remain near the temple but would "not use any violence or weapons."

The dispute over territory near Preah Vihear temple escalated earlier this month when UNESCO approved Cambodia's application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site.