02-07-2011 09:40 BJT
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The Cambodian government, says part of the Preah Vihear temple collapsed due to heavy shelling by the Thai army. Fighting, at the disputed border region, has claimed five lives already, since Friday. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, sent a letter to UN Security Council requesting it, to convene an urgent meeting, on the conflict.
Troops of Cambodia and Thailand clashed near the 11th Century temple for more than three hours on Sunday. Both sides accused each other of instigating the skirmish.
A Cambodian commander says a wing of the UN World Heritage-listed Preah Vihear temple collapsed from the Thai artillery bombardment.
A Thai army spokesman said about 10 soldiers were wounded in Sunday night's fighting.
On Sunday night, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a letter to the UN Security Council requesting an urgent meeting aimed at easing the conflict.
It is the second letter Cambodia has sent to UN Security Council to complain about the issue, following one sent on Saturday.
The clashes in the past three days left dozens of the two countries' soldiers and locals killed and injured. Ten thousands of villagers near the disputed border areas have fled their homes for safety.
The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated and the issue of the Preah Vihear temple has been an age-old dispute.
The temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site in 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of some five square kilometers of scrub next to the temple.
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