By The Nation on Sunday
Published on August 22, 2010
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured) declined to comment yesterday on reports that some Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers for encroaching on disputed land near Preah Vihear Temple. He said the reports had not been confirmed.
Foreign Ministry secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said three villagers could have been arrested after seeking wild products in the woods and straying into the disputed area. The ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh for information.
Chavanond stressed that the Thais were not arrested as hostages and had nothing to do with Thai-Cambodian border dispute.
"The villagers' daily life is to get into the woods to find wild products. They usually carry weapons, as it is dangerous on the border, including from wild animals and guerrillas. However, the Foreign Ministry assures that it will make progress in helping Thais get back home and that the problem will not get worse," he said.
Reacting to reports that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was ready to join bilateral talks with his Thai counterpart over the Thai-Cambodia border dispute at the Asia-Europe Meeting next month, Chavanond said Thailand was ready to talk with Cambodia as long as it respected Thailand's procedures. Through bilateral talks, Thailand was ready to join hands with Cambodia to find a solution on a fair basis.
He said no soldiers guarded the border unless it was in sensitive disputed areas, where villagers might unknowingly wander. And Cambodian soldiers might not negotiate with them if they were not authorised to do so.
Second Army Region Commander Lt-General Veevalit Chornsamrit said the situation on Thai-Cambodia border was still normal and there were no signs suggesting possible violence.
The number of soldiers guarding the area was still at the normal level, he said.
Each country's military could still talk to each other while trying to secure their national sovereignty. Commanders of the nearby areas shared a meal every Monday, as usual. They agreed to keep the situation normal without using arms. However, other conditions were for the government to talk and decide.
Veevalit said the issue of the border line was a responsibility for the Joint Boundary Commission, which has members from both countries.
Meanwhile, the United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon was ready to help Cambodia and Thailand resolve their deadly border dispute, a UN spokesman said on Friday.
"The Secretary-General hopes that Cambodia and Thailand will resolve the dispute along their border amicably through dialogue," Farhan Haq told a press briefing. "He stands ready to help the parties."
Foreign Ministry secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said three villagers could have been arrested after seeking wild products in the woods and straying into the disputed area. The ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh for information.
Chavanond stressed that the Thais were not arrested as hostages and had nothing to do with Thai-Cambodian border dispute.
"The villagers' daily life is to get into the woods to find wild products. They usually carry weapons, as it is dangerous on the border, including from wild animals and guerrillas. However, the Foreign Ministry assures that it will make progress in helping Thais get back home and that the problem will not get worse," he said.
Reacting to reports that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was ready to join bilateral talks with his Thai counterpart over the Thai-Cambodia border dispute at the Asia-Europe Meeting next month, Chavanond said Thailand was ready to talk with Cambodia as long as it respected Thailand's procedures. Through bilateral talks, Thailand was ready to join hands with Cambodia to find a solution on a fair basis.
He said no soldiers guarded the border unless it was in sensitive disputed areas, where villagers might unknowingly wander. And Cambodian soldiers might not negotiate with them if they were not authorised to do so.
Second Army Region Commander Lt-General Veevalit Chornsamrit said the situation on Thai-Cambodia border was still normal and there were no signs suggesting possible violence.
The number of soldiers guarding the area was still at the normal level, he said.
Each country's military could still talk to each other while trying to secure their national sovereignty. Commanders of the nearby areas shared a meal every Monday, as usual. They agreed to keep the situation normal without using arms. However, other conditions were for the government to talk and decide.
Veevalit said the issue of the border line was a responsibility for the Joint Boundary Commission, which has members from both countries.
Meanwhile, the United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon was ready to help Cambodia and Thailand resolve their deadly border dispute, a UN spokesman said on Friday.
"The Secretary-General hopes that Cambodia and Thailand will resolve the dispute along their border amicably through dialogue," Farhan Haq told a press briefing. "He stands ready to help the parties."
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