Nearly 500 Cambodian troops and Thai forces withdrew from a disputed area around Preah Vihear Temple on Wednesday, a year after the International Court of Justice ordered them to.
The move is an attempt to realize the ASEAN vision of peace and prosperity by 2015 and obey the international orders, according to a Cambodian government press release.
The removal of troops is timed to coincide with the 4th Anniversary ceremony of the 11th century Khmer temple being chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Government officials, Cambodian high society, international will attend the ceremony, international journalists and government officials.
Cambodia replaced its troops with 100 Conservation Rangers and 255 national policemen, according to the release.
The court declared the strip of land around Preah Vihear temple a demilitarized zone on July 18 last year to prevent more armed conflict in the border area that has seen attacks from both countries since 2008.
In April of last year, 50,000 people were displaced because of the conflict after several fatal incidents.
In 1962, the court declared the land surrounding and including the temple as part of Cambodia. Thailand disputes the ruling since the territory juts into Thailand with the only convenient road access being from the Thai side of the border. The dispute was exacerbated when Preah Vihear became a UNESCO Heritage site.
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