Rumor Blamed For Embassy Attack

Cambodia apologized and offered compensation Thursday for a riot that damaged the Thai Embassy and severely strained relations with its neighbor.

The United States condemned the violence.

The embassy was partially burned and vandalized by mobs during riots Wednesday that also damaged several Thai-owned hotels, restaurants and other businesses, left one Thai dead and seven injured.

In retaliation, the Thai government closed its borders with Cambodia, downgraded diplomatic ties and suspended economic cooperation with its smaller neighbor.

Cambodia's government apologized and said it would pay compensation "quickly and unconditionally" for damage caused to the Thai Embassy and its staff.

"We condemn the vicious attacks," said the State Department in Washington. "We call on the Cambodian government to take all necessary steps to restore order and to investigate the incidents."

"Diplomatic facilities are inviolable under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; it is important that the Cambodian government take all steps necessary to respect this international obligation," the statement continued.

The violence was sparked by Cambodian media reports — which turned out to be based on rumors — that a Thai television actress had insulted national pride by suggesting that Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple, a national symbol, is on land that should be part of Thailand.

"We did not expect this to go this far … It was a mistake. We apologize and regret what happened to Thailand and her people," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.

The government statement, broadcast on radio and television, said a committee would try to find ways to compensate damaged Thai businesses. Among the companies hit was a mobile phone network belonging to the family of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thailand's military arranged emergency flights from Bangkok to Phnom Penh's airport Thursday to evacuate 703 of its citizens.

Thai officials estimated the damage at $23 million, including lost business opportunities.

Thaksin ordered a suspension of all business, cultural and other activities with Cambodia and downgraded diplomatic ties fro, ambassadorial to charge d'affaires level.

"All ongoing government projects on technical and economic cooperation between the two countries are henceforth suspended," said an official letter to the Cambodian ambassador, who was also expelled. Thailand also withdrew its ambassador from Cambodia.

These measures would remain in force until Cambodia gives a full explanation for its inaction against the rioters, compensates the damage and punishes the culprits, the letter said.

The national carrier, Thai Airways, suspended flights to Phnom Penh until at least Monday. Thai authorities ordered all border crossings closed, and rounded up 67 illegal Cambodian workers for expulsion.

In Bangkok, hundreds of Thais demonstrated outside the Cambodian Embassy. They burned the Cambodian flag and pulled out the brass seal and lettering on the embassy's wall, but dispersed after the national police chief read an appeal for calm by Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Crowds returned after dark, but were kept away from the embassy by large numbers of police.

The Thai actress at the center of the controversy, Suwanan Kongying, again denied she ever said Cambodia illegally annexed Thai territory that includes the Angkor Wat temple.

An editor of the Cambodian newspaper that published Suwanan's alleged comments on Jan. 18 told The Associated Press that his report was based on rumors and probably incorrect.

Angkor Wat, a sprawling temple in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer empire, which ruled parts of Southeast Asia for about 600 years from the 9th century.

For an impoverished country wracked by political turmoil, Angkor and a complex of similar temples have been a source of national pride. An image of the massive complex adorns Cambodia's flag and a popular national beer is called "Angkor."

Cambodians have a historical distrust of their bigger neighbors Thailand and Vietnam, who they fear would like to annex their territory. Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, ending the repressive Khmer Rouge regime.