Seven Thai men and an unnecessary provocation

Thai Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth (R) and another activist walk at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. A Thai ruling party politician charged with illegally entering Cambodia told a court in the capital Phnom Penh Thursday that he had crossed the disputed border by accident, his lawyer said.

(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)


Published: 4/01/2011
Opinion by Veera Prateepchaikul

Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and his six teamates have only themselves to blame for the consequences of their foolhardy adventure into Cambodian territory.

What would you do with Panich Vikitsreth, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, if you were the Democrat Party leader?

My answer is that I would fire him from the party, for the simple reason that his mission to the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province, purportedly to investigate a complaint by local villagers of intrusions into Thai territory by Cambodian forces, was not only thoughtless but plain stupid.

Not to mention the doubtful claim made by People’s Alliance for Democracy spokesman Panthep Puapongpan who quoted Mr Panich as telling a PAD member, Thepmontri Limpapayom, that the border inspection trip was authorised by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Was Mr Abhisit so naive as to endorse such a thoughtless mission by a Bangkok MP, a total stranger to the area to the point he had to seek help from PAD members? I doubt it.

The prime minister has all the resources at his fingertips, for example the border patrol police and troops who deployed in the area who could pinpoint which territory belongs to who and which territory is still being disputed between Thailand and Cambodia.

Instead of seeking cooperation from the border patrol policemen who are faimiliar with the terrain who will serve as escorts, the innocent Democrat MP sought the company of Veera Somkwamkid, a core leader of the Thailand Patriot Network, a splinter faction of the PAD. It was not at all a wise choice given Mr Veera’s active role in organizing anti-Cambodian protests over the disputed area around the Preah Vihear ruins.

Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth

That the Democrat MP and his six teammates, including Veera, were arrested by Cambodian troops for intrusion into Cambodian territory was not all all surprising. They have defied warnings from border patrol policemen not to venture into the area in question. Worse still, the video clips posted on YouTube on Sunday showed that Mr Panich was well aware that he was on Cambodian territory.

As a matter of fact, the seven Thais should thank their lucky stars that they were arrested instead of getting killed or maimed by one of countless active landmines planted along the border by warring Cambodian factions and Thai troops during the decades-long war in Cambodia.

Nevertheless, their foolhardy adventurism has unnecessarily strained the relations between Thailand and Cambodia and has embarrassed the Abhisit government. Planned protest by the Thailand Patriot Network to force Phnom Penh to release the seven detained Thais will only worsen the situation and make it more difficult for any back-door diplomatic effort to secure the release of the detainees.

For the time being, Mr Panich and his seven teammates have to face the fate they deliberately chose from the beginning. They only have themselves to blame.