H.E. Sompong Amornvivat
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
By the courtesy of
Mr. Krerkpan Roekchamnong
Charge' d'Affaires a.i. / Minister-Counsellor
Thai counsellor in Helsinki, Finland
Espoo, 10 October 2008
Dear Your Excellency Amornvivat,
We, the undersigned Cambodians living in Espoo, Finland, would like to submit this petition to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Thailand requesting for withdrawal of all Thai troops from Cambodia’s territory--Preah Vihear and other areas near Khmer-Thai border.
So far, your government has sent hundreds of troops to occupy many ancient temples, such as Preah Vihear temple, Ta Kwai (Ta Krabey) temple and Ta Morn temple, which are located in the territory of Cambodia. Moreover, the Thai armed forces have destroyed many houses of Cambodian villagers located near the borders. These acts are clear that Thailand has violated the Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the international laws.
We, therefore, strongly condemn the Thai government and the Thai armed forces for such invasion into our territory. We insist that Thai government order the withdrawal of all Thai troops from our ancient temples and our territory without any condition and that the Thai government respect the decision of the International Court of Justice rendered in the Hague in 1962 and that Thailand return all antiques that Thailand has taken from Cambodia over the past years.
We demand that your government and your armed forces, from now on, give up the ambition to take our temples and encroach our territory. In contrast, we want to see Thailand. act in good faith as a peaceful and respective neighbour of Cambodia.
Sincerely yours,
(30 signatures)
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Contact person: Seng Huot Sok
Contact address: Kala-Maija 1 A 5
Tel: (358) 98133867
E-mail: soksenghuot2007@yahoo.com----------------------------------
First, congratulation to you and colleagues for petitioning the Thai foreign minister requesting Thailand withdraw their troops from Cambodian territories. Secondly, I'd like to correct the use of the temple name, Ta Kwai, in your petition. I'd like to inform you that, in fact there is no Khmer temple called Ta Kwai. The word Ta Kwai is a Thai word or a translation of the Khmer word, Ta Krabey (or Grandfather Buffalo) temple. We, as Khmer, should never use the name Ta Kwai to describe Ta Krabey temple. By using Thai word, Ta Kwai, to describe Ta Krabey, a Khmer temple, would send the wrong message and give wrong impression to Thai and foreigners alike that the temple is actually a Thai temple because the name of the temple is in Thai language.
We can't stop Thai people calling Ta Krabey temple Ta Kwai or calling Prasat Preah Vihear Khao Phra Viharn but, as Khmer, we should call these temples by using their correct names, that is their Khmer names.
Khmerization
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