Paliament gives the go ahead for Cambodia border talks

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on October 30, 2008

New round of talks on boundary demarcation with Cambodia will begin on November 10 following the approval of the negotiation mandate from parliament.

The boundary at the disputed area near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear which has been at the core of the conflict for a long time would be recommended as priority for demarcation, said Foreign Ministry's Director of Treaties and Legal Affairs Department Virachai Plasai.

Prior to the parliament's mandate, the cabinet approved the appointment of Vasin Teeravechyan, former Thai Ambassador to South Korea, as the new Chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) of the Thai side.

The framework of the JBC negotiation was based on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on survey and land boundary demarcation signed by both countries in 2000.

Although mentioned by the MOU as related documents in the negotiation, Thailand would never accept the France-made maps, Virachai said.

"We acknowledge the existence of the maps which are the results of the demarcation works of commission of delimitation of the boundary set up under the 1904 and 1907 treaties of Siam-France but we don't accept," he said.

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva expressed his concern over the maps since they were made in favour of Cambodia. The International Court of Justice had ruled in 1962 that the Hindu temple of Preah Viehar belonged to Cambodia in accordance with those maps.

Attempt to convene the JBC was speeded up after a border skirmish at the area near Preah Vihear on October 15 which killed four soldiers of both sides and injured many others.

Meanwhile, Virachai said Thailand would raise the issue of antipersonal mines found in the area of Phu Ma Khua in Si Sa Ket province to the meeting of state parties of the Ottawa mineban convention in late November.

The Foreign Ministry has sought explanation from Cambodia over the recently planted PMN2 type landmines which seriously injured two Thai paramilitary rangers who lost their legs on October 6.

The move would not jeopardise the boundary demarcation talks since both Thailand and Cambodia were obligated as state parties of the Ottawa convention not to plant antipersonal mines, Virachai said.

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Thailand rejects France’s 1904 Maps [-Cambodia should reject Thai occupation of Khmer provinces such as Nokoreach Seima, Chantabor, Kuckhan, etc...]

Thursday, October 30, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An official from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Thailand will not recognize Cambodia’s use of the 1904 map drawn by France as the base map for delimiting the borders between Thailand and Cambodia. On Thursday, The Bangkok Post quoted Virachai Plasai, director-general of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, as saying that Thailand will reject any attempt made by Cambodia to use the 1904 French map as a basis for border delimitation. Virachai Plasai said that, according to this map, all the disputed Khmer temples are located inside Cambodia.