PHNOM PENH, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Monday that dozens of Lao troops had pulled out of disputed border areas in northern Cambodia's Stung Treng province after a deal struck between him and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith.
"They began to pull back at 12 p.m. and totally withdrew at 4 p.m. on Saturday," Hun Sen said during a university graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh.
He praised Sisoulith's decision to pull back troops from Cambodian territory, saying that the decision had ended tensions between troops of the two countries.
"I thank His Excellency Thongloun Sisoulith for meeting me (in Vientiane on Saturday) and deciding to withdraw troops before the ultimatum of Aug. 17," Hun Sen said.
The Cambodian leader said he also ordered his troops whom he sent to the disputed border areas on Friday to return to their barracks on Saturday.
The dispute began in April when about 30 of Laotian soldiers had encroached on Cambodian territory in the areas of O Alay and O Ta Ngav in Stung Treng province bordering Laos' Attapu province. On Friday, Hun Sen set a deadline of Aug. 17 for Lao troops to pull back and sent his troops to the contested areas before flying to Vientiane for negotiations with Sisoulith.
On Monday, Hun Sen said the authorities arrested Sourn Serey Ratha, president of minor opposition Khmer People Power, on Sunday for criticizing his deployment of troops to the Laos border, saying that Ratha was insulting the army.
National Police spokesman Gen. Kirt Chantharith said Sunday that Ratha was inciting soldiers not to abide by the order that could affect the affairs of national defense.
According to the National Police's website, Ratha could face the charges of "inciting military personnel to be disobedient" and "demoralization of military personnel" that shall be punishable by a combined imprisonment from four years to 10 years if convicted.
Ratha, 45, returned to Cambodia from self-imposed exile in the United States after receiving a royal pardon in July 2015 for terrorism conviction.
