PREAH VIHEAR

RCAF soldiers have finished building a steel stairway up Preah Vihear province's Trop mountain, signalling the end of a project entirely funded by one army officer. "Construction of the stairs has finished, and some people have already climbed them to the top of the mountain," Yim Phim, commander of Brigade 8, said Sunday. He said that the construction of the 310-metre-long stairway was funded entirely by RCAF General Keo Pong and cost US$20,000. "It is interesting to climb this mountain because you can view the area surrounding [Preah Vihear] temple. I believe more people will visit the mountain when armed confrontation between Cambodian and Thai soldiers stops and security is assured for them," Yim Phim said. Trop mountain is located about 2 kilometres from Preah Vihear temple. Phorn Eung, military officer in Brigade 8, said Sunday that soldiers at the border were facing harsher conditions since the wet season began. "The situation is normal at the front line, but soldiers are facing malaria right now because it is the rainy season," Phorn Eung said.