[Former Thai FM] Surakiart wants Thai-Cambodian ties to look beyond border dispute

The Nation
May 9, 2013
 

Former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai suggested Thursday that Thailand and Cambodia should look towards cooperation for joint border development and not get bogged down by the dispute over the Hindu Preah Vihear Temple.

The Thai legal team did a good job in the International Court of Justice in the interpretation of the 1962 judgement but the Cambodian team also had their strengths in the court battle, he said. "Both teams have weaknesses and strengths, and we should not look at this thing like cheering a football team," he said. "We could feel distress if our team loses."

Both countries should look far beyond the conflict over the boundary. There are four ways to end the boundary disputes, he said:

- demarcation;

- If the two sides cannot reach an agreement on the demarcation but the border area has no useful resources, just leave it;

- if there are some useful resources but both countries cannot reach a compromise, they should wait for a good time to make a deal;

- if there are plenty of resources in the area, both countries should try their best for joint development.

Thailand and Cambodia are at loggerheads over Preah Vihear after Cambodia requested the ICJ to interpret the 1962 judgement. The court, more than 50 years ago, had ruled that the temple is in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia but Thailand argued that the area adjacent to the temple belongs to it.

A court victory will not help to develop good ties between the two countries, as the loser might not accept the court judgement, Surakiart said. "However, as the case is already in the court, and if Cambodia declines to withdraw, we should wait for the verdict and find the best solution to have cooperation with Cambodia on border development," he said.

The people of both countries should tell their governments to seek cooperation, rather than fighting for national dignity as such a battle would never benefit the people, he said.