Editorial by Khmerization“By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is a blatant aggression and an invasion.”
A while back I wrote in my editorials expressing my fears of Cambodia losing the sovereignty of the 4.6 square kilometres of the so-called “disputed zone” in the Preah Vihear precinct to Thailand. Now, with the Thai sending in the troops to occupy that zone, my fears have been realised. By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is a blatant aggression and an invasion. (
Full details here).
From a Cambodian perspective, with the Thai refusing to withdraw the troops and with the Cambodian villagers being terrorised to flee this village en masse, the Thai occupation of this so-called “disputed zone” is a fait accompli. For those who were belatedly and proudly claimed that “Cambodia will lose nothing”, the likes of PM Hun Sen, Deputy PM’s Sok An and Hor Namhong and their proponents, they should hang their heads in shame and do the honourable thing by resigning.
Cambodia must not be complacent over the issue of these significant national interests and it must do everything to publicise this Thai invasion of Preah Vihear to the world in a grand scale to expose the Thai flagrant disregards for Cambodia’s sovereignty. Cambodia must bring out all the documents and maps related to the Preah Vihear temple and put them on the negotiating table for the Thai side to see. If need be, should Thailand fails to acknowledge the historical facts, Cambodia should involve outside mediation, based on historical facts. And if necessary, Cambodia should not vacillate in bringing Thailand to the International Court of Justice one more time.
Cambodia must vehemently reject the proposition and the notion of sharing this zone with Thailand. Cambodia must be firm in any future negotiations with Thailand, not just on this so-called “disputed zone”, but on border disputes in other areas as well. Cambodia has all the relevant documents and maps from the 1907 treaty and then again the decision of the International Court of Justice in 1962, to prove that the “zone” belongs to Cambodia.
The Thai ignorance of the historical facts regarding territorial claims between the two countries cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged. A week ago, the Thai protesters have called for a return of Battambang (Phra Tabong in Thai), Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces to Thailand, by claiming that they were once Thai territories. (
Full details here).
Well, the Thai should know the history of their presence in that part of the region very well. They must know that they only moved from Nan Chao in southern China to settle in this region in the 13th century, while the Cambodians had settled in the region for more than 2000 years ago. And as recently as the late 18th century (1796?), Thailand had invaded and claimed suzerainty over more than 10 Cambodian provinces. Battambang and Siem Reap have been occupied by Thailand, then called Siam, in 1796(?) and were only returned to Cambodia in 1904 under the French pressure and in exchange for a return of the provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi to Thailand. Other Cambodian provinces, like Surin, Kok Khan (now called Sisaket), Nokor Reach (Korat), Srah Keo (Sakeo), Baschem Borei (Prachinburi), Cholaborei (Chonburi), Aranya Protess (Aranyaprathet), Kanchanak Borei (Kanachanburi), Chanthak Borei (Chanthaburi) and Boeng Kork (Bangkok) and even up to the Ayuddya regions were all Cambodian territories, taken over by Thailand one by one up until the late 18th century (1796?).
My point in bringing all of these former Khmer provinces into the discussion here was to highlight the historical facts and to jog the memories of the Thai people that Cambodia hadn’t taken any Thai lands. But on the contrary, Thailand had taken vast territories of Khmer lands. If the Thai protesters wanted to reclaim Battambang and Siem Reap provinces, then these Thai protesters and, for that matter, the Thai leadership as a whole, must realise that Cambodia has every right to reclaim the territories of the more than 10 provinces lost to Thailand that have been mentioned above.
I would like to end this editorial by expressing my condemnation of the Thai incursion into the Preah Vihear region and, for the sake of regional peace and stability, I call on Thailand to withdraw their troops immediately and unconditionally.//
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Viewing the pictures of Cambodian and Thai troops facing off each other in Preah Vihear).
