Source: Koh Santepheap newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization
The $2.1 million compensation claim against the Thai government for damages to a Cambodian market and 264 stalls has been a new sticking point in the Khmer-Thai border issues, reports Koh Santepheap.
The Thai government had, through the media, rejected outright the Cambodian claim by saying that the market and those stalls were built on Thai territory.
Answering a question from Cambodian journalists during a press conference after the Asean-EU Meeting in Phnom Penh on 28th May, Thai Foreign Minister, Mr. Kasit Piromya (pictured), has given an indication that the Thai rejection has not been a forgone conclusion. He said that the location of the burnt market has not been determined of which country it belongs. Therefore, the compensation claim lodged by Cambodia cannot be decided until the ownership of the location has been determined by the Khmer-Thai border Commission who will start demarcating the areas in June. He added that the market was damaged during the fighting and under the rules of engagement, it is considered a collateral damage.
Regarding the proposed construction of a replica of the Preah Vihear temple planned by Thai investors, Mr. Kasit said that their only aim was to attract local Thai tourists who are interested in Preah Vihear temple. He said that Preah Vihear temple had already been replicated in Samut Prakan province. He added that not only Preah Vihear temple that had been replicated. Other Cambodian temples, Japanese, Chinese and Italian landmarks had also been replicated in many tourist areas in Thailand also.
Mr. Kasit said that Cambodia and Thailand are like brothers because the two countries had very similar traditions, similar cultures and similar ways of living. He added that Thailand had helped Cambodia in many areas of developments such as education, health, electricity and other sectors that can help boost the developments in Thailand also.
He said that Thailand wants to strengthen relations with Cambodia and to resolve border issues with Cambodia through peaceful means by using the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2000. Thailand did not oppose the listing of Preah Vihear temple by Unesco, he said. On the contrary, Thailand is applauding the list of Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.
Thailand and Cambodia are scheduled to start border demarcation works in the Preah Vihear areas in June. However, many analysts don't expect the works to make any progress because both countries have staked a claim to many areas in the vicinity of the temple which are considered "overlapping areas" by Thailand, but are considered to be "Khmer territories" by the Cambodian government. The two sticking points are the use of different maps between the two countries and the Thai insistence of the use of the word "Phra Viharn" as a reference to the name of the temple in the official documents which Cambodia vehemently opposed.
The $2.1 million compensation claim against the Thai government for damages to a Cambodian market and 264 stalls has been a new sticking point in the Khmer-Thai border issues, reports Koh Santepheap.
The Thai government had, through the media, rejected outright the Cambodian claim by saying that the market and those stalls were built on Thai territory.
Answering a question from Cambodian journalists during a press conference after the Asean-EU Meeting in Phnom Penh on 28th May, Thai Foreign Minister, Mr. Kasit Piromya (pictured), has given an indication that the Thai rejection has not been a forgone conclusion. He said that the location of the burnt market has not been determined of which country it belongs. Therefore, the compensation claim lodged by Cambodia cannot be decided until the ownership of the location has been determined by the Khmer-Thai border Commission who will start demarcating the areas in June. He added that the market was damaged during the fighting and under the rules of engagement, it is considered a collateral damage.
Regarding the proposed construction of a replica of the Preah Vihear temple planned by Thai investors, Mr. Kasit said that their only aim was to attract local Thai tourists who are interested in Preah Vihear temple. He said that Preah Vihear temple had already been replicated in Samut Prakan province. He added that not only Preah Vihear temple that had been replicated. Other Cambodian temples, Japanese, Chinese and Italian landmarks had also been replicated in many tourist areas in Thailand also.
Mr. Kasit said that Cambodia and Thailand are like brothers because the two countries had very similar traditions, similar cultures and similar ways of living. He added that Thailand had helped Cambodia in many areas of developments such as education, health, electricity and other sectors that can help boost the developments in Thailand also.
He said that Thailand wants to strengthen relations with Cambodia and to resolve border issues with Cambodia through peaceful means by using the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2000. Thailand did not oppose the listing of Preah Vihear temple by Unesco, he said. On the contrary, Thailand is applauding the list of Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.
Thailand and Cambodia are scheduled to start border demarcation works in the Preah Vihear areas in June. However, many analysts don't expect the works to make any progress because both countries have staked a claim to many areas in the vicinity of the temple which are considered "overlapping areas" by Thailand, but are considered to be "Khmer territories" by the Cambodian government. The two sticking points are the use of different maps between the two countries and the Thai insistence of the use of the word "Phra Viharn" as a reference to the name of the temple in the official documents which Cambodia vehemently opposed.
1 comment:
Mr. Kasit and Thailand are playing a hide-and-seek games with Cambodia.
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