Preah Vihear, Nov 10: A couple of weeks after their deadly border shootout, a Cambodian infantryman on Monday admitted that Thai troops have better weapons, but he is confident his pink "magic scarf" will ward off bullets.
"Thai soldiers have modern weapons, but I am not scared," says Chum Khla. "I have magic charms to protect myself."
As well as the scarf which he ties around his head, the 28-year-old soldier wears a protective talisman belt and carries two small Buddhist figurines.
"I have had countless gunfights in the past with former Khmer Rouge fighters, but I have never been in any danger," he says, owing his safety to the amulets.
Outgunned in their border standoff which began in July, Chum Khla and his comrades carry on traditions of using mystical Buddhist objects and tattooing spells on their bodies to protect themselves.
The contrast between the Thai and Cambodian sides facing off in disputed territory near the ancient Preah Vihear temple is startling.
The Thai military is backed by state-of-the-art jets and heavy weapons, while many Cambodians wear flip-flops as they carry Cold War-era arms.
Days after October 15 clashes on disputed land left three Cambodians and one Thai dead, many Thai soldiers were fitted with body armour.
Cambodian commanders, meanwhile, gave their troops colourful scarves with mystical symbols said to have been imbued with protective powers by a Buddhist monk.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, November 10, 2008, 00:00