BANGKOK, May 1 (MCOT online news) -- The Thai cabinet will be asked this Tuesday to appointing a committee to counter an appeal lodged by Phnom Penh government to the World Court to clarify its 1962 ruling about the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which sits on the disputed border with Thailand, as clashes between the two neighbouring countries continued.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday during his weekly TV and radio address--held for the last time before he dissolves the lower house and call for a general election--that he would ask the cabinet during its weekly meeting this Tuesday to formally appoint a committee to counter Cambodia appeals to the International Court of Justice.
The Phnom Penh foreign ministry last Friday said it had made a request “for an interpretation of the Court’s judgment … concerning the temple of Preah Vihear which was prompted by Thailand’s repeated armed aggression to exert its claims on Cambodian territory.”
According to the statement, clarification by the court was of “the utmost necessity … in order to peacefully and definitely settle the boundary problem between the two countries in the area.”
In 1962, the court ruled that the 11th century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding the area.
Mr Abhisit assured Thais that although the House of Representatives would be dissolved, expected sometime in early May, his caretaker government would continue to perform its duty in order to “protect Thailand’s benefit and sovereignty.”
The prime minister added although the border conflict is prolonged, it will not affect his planned House dissolution and the upcoming election, as the army can do its job and control the situation.
If the situation remains as it is during the next couple days where no heavy weapons have been used during the clashes, Mr Abhisit said, local residents earlier evacuated to temporary shelters will be allowed to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, Col Prawit Hukaew, spokesman of Second Army Region Command, said two minor clashes continued Saturday near Ta Kwai temple in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district.
The first skirmish occurred at 7.00 p.m. after a number of Cambodian soldiers patrolling near Ta Kwai temple opened fire at Thai soldiers, forcing Thai soldiers to retaliate and fired back. Both sides exchanged gunfire for a short period.
Col Prawit said both sides clashed again at 9.45 p.m. and this time only machine guns and hand grenades were used. The fighting lasted until about 11.00 p.m.
Casualties of both sides were still unknown, he said.
Soldiers of the two countries have been fighting near the temple since April 22 with each side claiming to be attacked by the other first.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday during his weekly TV and radio address--held for the last time before he dissolves the lower house and call for a general election--that he would ask the cabinet during its weekly meeting this Tuesday to formally appoint a committee to counter Cambodia appeals to the International Court of Justice.
The Phnom Penh foreign ministry last Friday said it had made a request “for an interpretation of the Court’s judgment … concerning the temple of Preah Vihear which was prompted by Thailand’s repeated armed aggression to exert its claims on Cambodian territory.”
According to the statement, clarification by the court was of “the utmost necessity … in order to peacefully and definitely settle the boundary problem between the two countries in the area.”
In 1962, the court ruled that the 11th century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding the area.
Mr Abhisit assured Thais that although the House of Representatives would be dissolved, expected sometime in early May, his caretaker government would continue to perform its duty in order to “protect Thailand’s benefit and sovereignty.”
The prime minister added although the border conflict is prolonged, it will not affect his planned House dissolution and the upcoming election, as the army can do its job and control the situation.
If the situation remains as it is during the next couple days where no heavy weapons have been used during the clashes, Mr Abhisit said, local residents earlier evacuated to temporary shelters will be allowed to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, Col Prawit Hukaew, spokesman of Second Army Region Command, said two minor clashes continued Saturday near Ta Kwai temple in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district.
The first skirmish occurred at 7.00 p.m. after a number of Cambodian soldiers patrolling near Ta Kwai temple opened fire at Thai soldiers, forcing Thai soldiers to retaliate and fired back. Both sides exchanged gunfire for a short period.
Col Prawit said both sides clashed again at 9.45 p.m. and this time only machine guns and hand grenades were used. The fighting lasted until about 11.00 p.m.
Casualties of both sides were still unknown, he said.
Soldiers of the two countries have been fighting near the temple since April 22 with each side claiming to be attacked by the other first.
3 comments:
Disgrace Thai have nothing to lose they have something to gain from what they already lost .
The ICJ take consideration of time delivered the verdict in the details why the Thai come back and say otherwise .
Cambodia already won this case since 1962. Cambodia has no need to appeal like this stupid Thai media try to fool the reader.
When he still was an opposition MP, Abhisit argued that ICJ awarded the temple only to Khmer but not the land, Khmer still owed the rental fee of the land where the temple sits on(sic).
This time we need the court to clarify and reenforce the verdict.We need to think ahead of time what the disgraced Thais will try to cause us trouble in the future,they will looking for some loophole in this court case again.
In my previous comment I threw some sarcasm at Thai thieves by suggesting Khmer
lawyers to ask the court to state that: Oxygen and sun light inside that 4.6 sq.km are belonged to Cambodia lest the stupid Thais want to charge some fee on our tourists!
True, Thailand has nothing to lose because the land it is claiming doesn't belong to them. It will defend the case and if by chance it win over Cambodia, that would give Thailand a free rein to go around and making more claims to other parts of Cambodian territory.
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