The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia which was caused by Thai repeated acts of aggression has become the international affairs and forced the United Nations Security Council to convene a meeting in New York on 14 February 2011. The armed conflict, which occurred from 4-7 February 2001, has concerned European Union and its parliament enough to issue a strong condemnation.
The conflict has also alarmed many Thai academics who put the blames squarely on Thai internal politics. "I would say the internal politics in Thailand are very much responsible for what's happening on the border with Cambodia," says a prominent Thai academic, Pavin Chachavalpongpun. "That's not to say the conflict wouldn't happen without it, but it is a significant factor", he added.
That hawkish elements within the government and military are whipping up the nationalist fervour by provoking the fighting to show a strong hand to curry favour with hard-line voters in the upcoming poll. Thai PM Abhisit is declining to rein in the extreme elements. His noisy demands that the Cambodians remove their national flag flying over the temple site and Thai army anger over a plaque on the site proclaiming "This is Cambodia" lend weight to the theory.
The dispute is a double-edged sword for Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, raising questions about whether he can proceed with planned elections and bring long-term stability to one of Southeast Asia's linchpin economies.
The sporadic violence has prompted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to send a team to assess damage to the 1,000-year-old Hindu temple which was designated as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2008 and is regarded as a high point of the Khmer civilization that once dominated much of mainland Southeast Asia.
Alexander Mohr, an international relations expert and partner for international relations at the European government relations firm Alber & Geiger in Brussels, and former lecturer on international relations at the French University “Institut d’etudes Politiques de Paris,” France, in an article published in The Nation on 1 March 2011 under the title: “Border conflict could be an opportunity to redefine Asean,” has concluded that: “The involvement of a third party could have great potential to solve the problem between the two countries and at the same time re-define the role of Asean in the region in the long run.”
The " involvement of a third party " freaks Thailand out big time and certainly the involvement of a third party means a level playing field.
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Source:http://www.youtube.com/user/DNNTHAILAND
A lots of debates in Thai parliament after 4-7 border clashed one Thai MP make a comment " why we enter to Khmer territory and pick a fight with them Khmer always happy to shoot at us every time the clash happen Khmer get more recognition from international community what if there's an intervention from superpower what we're going to do " some MP not happy with Kasit remark " Khmer dare to fight with us because they got 4 superpowers backers , why our foreign minister make more enemy" Kasit called PM hun sen a bad boy was also back fired " bad boy is cute but the bad old man is unacceptable" said 1 MP .
Professor songrit from udon varsity I quote" we always think if we use MOU 2000 will put us in the disadvantage position why we not realize Cambodian might think they in the disadvantage position too the boxers haven't start enter the ring and we start arguing about the rules that referee may use ,we never try to understand what our neighbors want we only know what we want and we only want our neighbors good to us beside we never friendly to them how can we get a long as a good neighbors at any given day we may pick a fight .Dr Surin wants to make (ASEAN without border) and now we want to fight for territory.do any Thai politician know all Cambodian Laos viet politicians no! but our neighbors known our politicians to the details ,especially PM hun sen know Thai politics inside out he knows what Thai wants what Thai thinking about Cambodia and utilize the situation to his advantage every time a problems or clash with us he knows what to do , I am not saying we not ready , but we have to realize Khmer people go through the colonization go through ethnic cleansing go through civil war all kind of pressured and hardship that Thai never encounter , and they don't want to through that path again and they will fight at all cost."
If there's a third party involve Thai will be in difficult situation we have to realize the third party is person with full knowledge of laws and nothing to with Thai laws anymore it out of our hand and we know what is the answers said one law professor.
Dr sonai on the interview with Thaivision TV I quote " In Thailand everybody cry loud respect the court verdict how about the world court verdict don't we respect it if Thailand is human body the scar of Prear Vihear is on our leg very minimal it long gone why we try to humiliate ourselves in the international stage.
We been brainwashed from generation to generation even sayan sanya song (Khmer killed us like crabs& fish) and how cruel are Khmer people I'm not really known what are our ancestors grieved with Khmer but this is the 21 century let it go ,we sent our children oversee study and see the world in Europe it used to be boundary wall but now EU without boundary said commentator voice of people TV.
If Thai academics really want good result in Khmer Thai relationship to happen they must keep a steady voice in their media not just pumping theirs opinions out only after their government policy hits a snag.That I would called it hypocrisy.How about Thai religious leaders where are they?.I only see Asoke group who used the word Asoke without really know its meaning to come out and protest against Cambodia.
As an outsider now I start to believe that Thais are tricky people used academic as a tool for damage control.Keep your volume constant in a consistent way if you are sincere Thai academics! you can not fool too many people too many times.
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