BANGKOK, April 8 (MCOT)- A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday denied a claim that the Thai military used cluster bombs during the recent border clashes with Cambodia, saying the Thai military has strictly complied with international laws.
Thani Thongphakdi (pictured), Director-General of the Department of Information, denied the claim by the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) that the Thai ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva confirmed the Thai army used cluster bombs in breach of an international agreement during border skirmishes with Cambodia in early February.
The ministry spokesperson clarified that the claim was a misunderstanding as the Thai ambassador to the United Nations notified the activist coalition that the ammunition the Thai army had used were actually termed Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), a type of ordnance that is not cluster bombs as the CMC claimed.
The Thai ambassador to the UN explained that the Thai army was forced to counterattack as Cambodian troops fired BM21s, a 122mm multiple rocket launcher, designed to hit unlimited targets including civilians. Therefore, the Thai military had no choice but to counterattack the military target in self-defence, Mr Thani said.
The Thai army exercised utmost restraint to prevent any damage to civilians and used no excessive force in countering the attack. It also strictly complied with international laws, the ministry spokesman said.
At least eight people on both sides have died in fighting that began on Feb 4. The activist coalition claimed that the Thai army killed two people with cluster bombs during the deadly skirmishes. (MCOT online news)
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Cluster bombs not used in border clash: Sihasak
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on April 9, 2011
Thailand's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said yesterday that activists had misquoted him about the use of cluster bombs in the military skirmish with Cambodia in February.
Members of the UK-based Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) claimed that they had evidence and confirmation from the Thai representative in Geneva that Thailand had used cluster bombs in the border skirmish.
CMC representatives met Sihasak on Monday to discuss the issue, and then issued a statement condemning Thailand for using cluster bombs in the military showdown.
"Unfortunately, I was misquoted in the press release. I never used the term 'cluster munitions' at any point in the meeting when referring to the 'dual-purpose improved conventional munitions' type of weapon we used," Sihasak told The Nation.
Before meeting CMC representatives, the ambassador said he had double-checked with Thai top brass on the type of weapons that had been used in the border skirmish.
CMC director, Laura Cheeseman, meanwhile, insisted that two separate on-site investigations had proved that 155mm Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) were used by the Thai military during the border clash.
"These are cluster munitions," she told The Nation.
Though the Thai military has denied using cluster munitions, it has never really disclosed the exact sort of weapon they used during the February skirmish. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the Thai side had used DPICM, which could not be considered "cluster munitions".
"The main purpose of using this weapon was to retaliate against the Russian-made BM21 multi-rocket launcher that was used indiscriminately by Cambodia," he said.
He added that the weapon was used in "self-defence", under the principles of "necessity, proportionality and in compliance with the military code of conduct".
Cambodia and Thailand are not among the 108 countries that have signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that prohibits the use, transfer and stockpile of cluster bombs.
By definition, cluster munitions are projectiles that are either dropped from the air or launched on the ground before they separate into smaller explosive fragments that cover a wide area. This sort of weapon was widely used during the Vietnam War, and people are still facing the risk of unexploded ordnance.
A diplomatic observer said it was clear that the CMC wished to play up this incident to put more pressure on Thailand to join the convention. Thailand had sent a delegation to attend the first CMC forum in Vientiane last November, but decided not to become a signatory.
Thani Thongphakdi (pictured), Director-General of the Department of Information, denied the claim by the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) that the Thai ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva confirmed the Thai army used cluster bombs in breach of an international agreement during border skirmishes with Cambodia in early February.
The ministry spokesperson clarified that the claim was a misunderstanding as the Thai ambassador to the United Nations notified the activist coalition that the ammunition the Thai army had used were actually termed Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), a type of ordnance that is not cluster bombs as the CMC claimed.
The Thai ambassador to the UN explained that the Thai army was forced to counterattack as Cambodian troops fired BM21s, a 122mm multiple rocket launcher, designed to hit unlimited targets including civilians. Therefore, the Thai military had no choice but to counterattack the military target in self-defence, Mr Thani said.
The Thai army exercised utmost restraint to prevent any damage to civilians and used no excessive force in countering the attack. It also strictly complied with international laws, the ministry spokesman said.
At least eight people on both sides have died in fighting that began on Feb 4. The activist coalition claimed that the Thai army killed two people with cluster bombs during the deadly skirmishes. (MCOT online news)
-------------------
Cluster bombs not used in border clash: Sihasak
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on April 9, 2011
Thailand's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said yesterday that activists had misquoted him about the use of cluster bombs in the military skirmish with Cambodia in February.
Members of the UK-based Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) claimed that they had evidence and confirmation from the Thai representative in Geneva that Thailand had used cluster bombs in the border skirmish.
CMC representatives met Sihasak on Monday to discuss the issue, and then issued a statement condemning Thailand for using cluster bombs in the military showdown.
"Unfortunately, I was misquoted in the press release. I never used the term 'cluster munitions' at any point in the meeting when referring to the 'dual-purpose improved conventional munitions' type of weapon we used," Sihasak told The Nation.
Before meeting CMC representatives, the ambassador said he had double-checked with Thai top brass on the type of weapons that had been used in the border skirmish.
CMC director, Laura Cheeseman, meanwhile, insisted that two separate on-site investigations had proved that 155mm Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) were used by the Thai military during the border clash.
"These are cluster munitions," she told The Nation.
Though the Thai military has denied using cluster munitions, it has never really disclosed the exact sort of weapon they used during the February skirmish. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the Thai side had used DPICM, which could not be considered "cluster munitions".
"The main purpose of using this weapon was to retaliate against the Russian-made BM21 multi-rocket launcher that was used indiscriminately by Cambodia," he said.
He added that the weapon was used in "self-defence", under the principles of "necessity, proportionality and in compliance with the military code of conduct".
Cambodia and Thailand are not among the 108 countries that have signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that prohibits the use, transfer and stockpile of cluster bombs.
By definition, cluster munitions are projectiles that are either dropped from the air or launched on the ground before they separate into smaller explosive fragments that cover a wide area. This sort of weapon was widely used during the Vietnam War, and people are still facing the risk of unexploded ordnance.
A diplomatic observer said it was clear that the CMC wished to play up this incident to put more pressure on Thailand to join the convention. Thailand had sent a delegation to attend the first CMC forum in Vientiane last November, but decided not to become a signatory.
3 comments:
denial deny what so ever but the evidences pointing toward the culprits and who else could it be who fired the weapons from the other side to cambodia territory or some kind of third party army .
it is a war crimes to any country that use such a weapons this weapons is prime targets is civilian .
it depend on cambodia if her want to take matters any further it got the backer from the CMC to support the evidences that is very vital.
it can trace back to the manufacturer
thai can deny all its want but not the thai who make decision this weapons is illegal.
If there's a smock must be a fires some where if the evidences overwhelm it no point for the excuses thailand should face the music.
thai Cluster bombs killed 1 thai soldier by mistakes ha ha .
during the war with lao in1988 thai bombed its military by mistakes.
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