Photo by: Reuters
Thai army tanks are unloaded at a camp in Si Sa Ket province, Thailand, during a period of heightened tension on the Thai-Cambodian border in February.
Thai army tanks are unloaded at a camp in Si Sa Ket province, Thailand, during a period of heightened tension on the Thai-Cambodian border in February.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
By Cheang Sokha
Phnom Penh Post
Thai Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has reportedly backed out of attending a proposed meeting with Cambodian officials in Indonesia next month aimed at easing tensions between the two countries following their deadly military clashes in February.
The Bangkok Post reported yesterday that Prayuth said he and other military leaders had decided not to attend the meeting because they believe the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia should only be settled in a bilateral forum.
“We won’t go. We don’t want the meeting to be held in a third country,” Prayuth reportedly said. “Soldiers of the two countries are very close to each other. Talks should be between soldiers of the two countries only, and a third party should not be involved.”
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said yesterday evening that his office was in the process of “verifying the report” with the military, declining to comment further.
The proposed talks, scheduled for April 7-8 in Indonesia, follow four days of fighting between the two sides in February along the border near Preah Vihear temple that left at least 10 people dead, dozens injured and thousands of civilians displaced. Cambodia and Thailand subsequently appeared before the United Nations Security Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to the dispute, with both bodies ultimately endorsing mediation by current ASEAN chair Indonesia.
Earlier this month, Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva reportedly expressed support for the talks in Indonesia, which Cambodian officials had already agreed to attend.
“I hope the meeting will help ease tension between the two countries,” Abhisit said, according to the Bangkok Post.
Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said Prayuth’s reported rejection of the talks showed “the unfaithfulness of Thailand”.
“We will wait to see the stance of Indonesia, the chair of ASEAN,” Koy Kuong said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat said Cambodian officials were “disappointed” by the Thai military’s announcement.
“This shows that they do not respect the decisions of the United Nations and the ASEAN foreign ministers,” he said.
Thai defence minister Prawit Wongsuwon has also decided not to attend the meeting in Indonesia, the Bangkok Post said, citing an anonymous source within the ministry.
The reported moves raise questions about the control the current Thai government has over its military following Abhisit’s recent announcement that national elections will be held within the next few months. The issue is especially sensitive in a country that has repeatedly been subject to military coups over the past few decades, most recently in 2006.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SAM RITH AND JAMES O’TOOLE
By Cheang Sokha
Phnom Penh Post
Thai Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has reportedly backed out of attending a proposed meeting with Cambodian officials in Indonesia next month aimed at easing tensions between the two countries following their deadly military clashes in February.
The Bangkok Post reported yesterday that Prayuth said he and other military leaders had decided not to attend the meeting because they believe the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia should only be settled in a bilateral forum.
“We won’t go. We don’t want the meeting to be held in a third country,” Prayuth reportedly said. “Soldiers of the two countries are very close to each other. Talks should be between soldiers of the two countries only, and a third party should not be involved.”
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said yesterday evening that his office was in the process of “verifying the report” with the military, declining to comment further.
The proposed talks, scheduled for April 7-8 in Indonesia, follow four days of fighting between the two sides in February along the border near Preah Vihear temple that left at least 10 people dead, dozens injured and thousands of civilians displaced. Cambodia and Thailand subsequently appeared before the United Nations Security Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to the dispute, with both bodies ultimately endorsing mediation by current ASEAN chair Indonesia.
Earlier this month, Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva reportedly expressed support for the talks in Indonesia, which Cambodian officials had already agreed to attend.
“I hope the meeting will help ease tension between the two countries,” Abhisit said, according to the Bangkok Post.
Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said Prayuth’s reported rejection of the talks showed “the unfaithfulness of Thailand”.
“We will wait to see the stance of Indonesia, the chair of ASEAN,” Koy Kuong said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat said Cambodian officials were “disappointed” by the Thai military’s announcement.
“This shows that they do not respect the decisions of the United Nations and the ASEAN foreign ministers,” he said.
Thai defence minister Prawit Wongsuwon has also decided not to attend the meeting in Indonesia, the Bangkok Post said, citing an anonymous source within the ministry.
The reported moves raise questions about the control the current Thai government has over its military following Abhisit’s recent announcement that national elections will be held within the next few months. The issue is especially sensitive in a country that has repeatedly been subject to military coups over the past few decades, most recently in 2006.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SAM RITH AND JAMES O’TOOLE
7 comments:
cambodia have the obligation to stop this psychos one for all show thailand that they cannot win on the battlefield nor in international arena.
thailand prefer to play it rough let teach thailand how the war is cambodian leader have to do something about don't let thailand spin you around like that.
almost 100 years now thing never improve wait for another 100 years if thailand want to fight just fight it right now . mobilize 200,000 more men underarms , buy 150 units of bm 30 ,2 unit of s300 20 units of russian long range missiles that can reach any major airports and rock n roll.
bring it on thailand don't sing it
you want to fight you got one cambodian won't back down why should they its theirs they will fight for at all cost nothing to spears don't show off just jump in the battlefield and see how cambodian respond .
There are no countries in the world that use force to negotiate peacefully. I guess Thailand is more civilized but in fact she is so aggressive. Maybe not so long, Thailand will become Libya, the second.
Country is full of crisis and unlawful.
Talking with Thailand is like to talking with a wrestler/boxer that just show nothing more than his muscle and threat.
Oh wait, Thailand can not be compared to a boxer because she is cheaper than the regular boxer because the regular boxer always accept his loss at the end of the race/competition.
Men Jes Khmas Ke!
cambodian is too soft let the thais walk all over cambodian should protest boycott thai's prodocts protest in front of the thai embassy
like thai people do to cambodia they shot cambodian people they burn cambodian people alive and they get away with it. when theirs people trespass and get arrested they protest even they in the wrong.
Cambodia must be firm on multilateral meeting. Don't agree to any bilateral meetings with Thailand. Please also work hard to take this case to international court as soon as possible. Don't wait and don't let Thailand walks all over our head.
I agree, i think our Govts are too soft toward Thailand, allowing them pushing us to corner again and again...Now Thai don't want the third party in the meeting, they want khmer to obey their order instead...Just you and me! This is their demanding...Like i said, Asean can't do shit?
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