cons ider . ▁ ▁New ▁Age ▁( 1 9 5 5 – present ) ▁ ▁Four ▁years ▁later , ▁the ▁Th ai ▁Government ▁acknowled ged ▁that ▁a ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁could ▁perform ▁a ▁useful ▁role ▁in ▁national ▁defense . ▁On ▁July ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁government ▁created ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Department . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁t ensions ▁fla red ▁over ▁the ▁disput ed ▁Pre ah ▁Vi he ar ▁Temple , ▁situated ▁on ▁the ▁Th ai ▁side ▁of ▁a ▁high ▁cl iff ▁on ▁the ▁Camb od ian ▁border ▁but ▁shown ▁on ▁French ▁maps ▁as ▁being ▁in ▁the ▁Camb odia . ▁The ▁Ch anth ab uri ▁and ▁Tr at ▁borders ▁with ▁Camb odia ▁gave ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Department ▁its ▁first ▁assignment , ▁saf egu arding ▁the ▁coast line ▁and ▁sout he astern ▁border . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ' ▁Ch anth ab uri - Tr at ▁Task ▁Force ▁has ▁been ▁officially ▁assigned ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁this ▁area . ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Th ai ▁Mar ines ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁" Operation ▁Sam - Ch ai " ▁anti - comm un ist ▁operations ▁in ▁Ph etch ab un ▁Province ▁and ▁the ▁" P ha - Ph um " ▁anti - comm un ist ▁operations ▁in ▁Chi ang ▁R ai ▁Province . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁they ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁anti -