Cambodian soldiers 'opened fire' on Thai commercial plane

0
inSThai Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul.

13 July 2012 

Bangkok Post

Confusion surrounds reports that Cambodian troops fired warning shots at a Thai commercial aircraft that had strayed off course yesterday while on its way to Cambodia's Siem Reap province. [Cambodian soldiers said it was a Thai spy plane, not a Bangkok Airways plane].

Sa Kaeo province governor, Sanit Naksuksri, said from Phnom Penh yesterday that the plane, which had taken off from Suvarnabhumi airport, had flown off course near the Thai-Cambodian border in bad weather.

Poor visibility and unclear communications resulted in the soldiers mistaking it for a spy plane, he said.

They fired three warning shots at the plane which later landed safely at Siem Reap airport. The shots were reportedly fired at about 11am from soldiers stationed near the O'Neang special economic zone in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, he added.

However, Bangkok Airways, which is the only airline which operates commercial flights to Cambodia, has denied any of its its aircraft were shot at.

Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said he had received an initial report from the airline, which said none of its planes had been attacked.

However, a Bangkok Airways flight bound for Cambodia had returned to Suvarnabhumi airport instead of landing at the Cambodian airport due to bad weather.

Meanwhile, border patrol police were deployed in the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple yesterday.

The move comes in response to Cambodia's announcement last week that it will unilaterally withdraw its troops on Tuesday and Wednesday from a 17.3 sq km demilitarised zone determined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

During this period Cambodia will also organise events to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Unesco's World Heritage listing for the Preah Vihear temple. The celebrations will take place in Phnom Penh and at the temple and Cambodian authorities are inviting diplomats and the media to the temple for the occasion.

The ICJ set the demilitarised zone around the disputed area next to the Preah Vihear temple on July 18 last year after Cambodia filed the territorial complaint with the court.

Both countries are deploying border patrol police possibly to replace soldiers.

Supreme Commander Gen Thanasak Patimapakorn has said both countries will make deployment changes near the temple and in 10 days a Cambodian bomb disposal squad would start clearing land mines in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple together with Thai soldiers.

The ICJ has agreed to Thailand's request to hold a public hearing or listen to oral testimony on the temple case. This will take place on April 15 and 19 next year at the ICJ in the Hague and the verdict is expected to be handed down by October next year. The court wrote to Thailand and Cambodia late last month to inform the countries about the proceedings after Thailand sent a second written observation to the ICJ on June 22 in response to Cambodia's letter defending its position on March 8 this year.

Thailand's ambassador to the Netherlands, Virachai Plasai, will head the Thai team to argue Thailand's case at the court.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is travelling to Siem Reap today to give a speech at a dinner for US-Asean business leaders.

Government spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said Ms Yingluck will present her vision on the development of Asean unity as the bloc heads towards the Asean Economic Community during her speech. She will suggest that cooperation will not only boost the Asean single market, but also strengthen the synergy with the bloc's negotiating partners.

---------------------------------------------

Reports of shots fired at Thai aircraft near Cambodia downplayed 

The Nation/Asia News Network
Friday, Jul 13, 2012

A Thai commercial aircraft came under warning shots while flying over Sa Kaew near the Thai-Cambodian border, according to an unconfirmed report yesterday evening, with the Foreign Ministry saying it was checking the unaccredited claim. Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul told reporters in Phnom Penh that there was no such shooting by Cambodia at the commercial flight.

Having made thorough checks of several agencies and the airline, as well as the Cambodian commander and Thai military attache in Phnom Penh, Surapong had received no confirmation of such an incident, he said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Sukamphol Suwannathat said there would be adjustments in the conditions for troop deployments by Thailand and Cambodia at Preah Vihear Temple under an injunction from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in the wake of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's visit, which also marked the first anniversary of the injunction.

Troops from both countries have been stationed at the site but new conditions of troop deployment would be discussed possibly in a visit to Cambodia today by Yingluck. Sukamphol would not give details of the new conditions, and also refused to elaborate on previous adjustments in conditions of troop deployments.

"The readjustments have been done all along but merely silently, because both sides have to keep the numbers of their own forces confidential. But this time it's Cambodia calling for a new round of adjustment. It's essential that we need to make sure, after upcoming discussions with Cambodia's military, that troop strength must be equal on Cambodia's part, and reported later to the ICJ," he said.

Supreme Commander General Thanasak Patimaprakorn had said earlier that the military would brief Yingluck on the latest situation on the Preah Vihear issue upon request. He said that among the new conditions would be a joint mine-clearing operation at and around the temple site, after both sides' army engineers hold talks next week.

On troop deployments, Thanasak said the adjustments would be imposed equally on both sides, as had been the case all along. The situation had been normal and made "both sides happy". He did not give details about which issues Yingluck would discuss with her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

"As for disputes over territorial waters and an issue relating to an MOU on the temple's perimeter, it depends on the government whether to discuss it this time," he said.

On the troop adjustments initiative raised by the Cambodian media, Thanasak said it would be discussed later whether the changes would involve troop numbers or the kinds of weapons and equipment allowed in the area.

The Thai military and government would follow political practice and constitutional rule if any issues with Cambodia required parliamentary approval, he said.