BANGKOK, May 23 (MCOT)- Indonesia as the current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will initially send a team of surveyors, not observers, to inspect the Thai-Cambodian border area but will not enter the 4.6 sq km contested area, according to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured).
Mr Abhisit said the earlier meeting of Defence Ministers of Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia had concluded that the surveyors from Indonesia would be despatched and working for two days at the border areas.
In Thailand's border, the premier said, they will inspect six or seven locations in Si Sa Ket province and will strictly not enter the contested area.
When the surveyors return to Indonesia, the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) will meet in Cambodia and if the results conclude with an agreement to withdraw Cambodian troops from the 4.6 sq km area, then observers from Indonesia could come to inspect the areas.
"The Cabinet meeting today discussed the common stance of Thailand on Thai-Cambodian border issue. I am confident that the government's action will not cause Thailand to lose territory. The surveyors from Indonesia must not wear uniforms and the scope of their work must be clearly defined. They will not be called observers as the observers can come after troop withdrawal," he said.
Mr Abhsiit on Monday chaired a meeting at Government House of Cabinet ministers tasked with reviewing Thai-Cambodian problems to discuss and prepare for a meeting of the United Nations UNESCO the World Heritage Committee in Paris in June 2011 and the case Cambodia raised to the International Court of Justice.
Last month Cambodia asked the World Court to clarify a 1962 ruling about the ancient temple on its disputed border with Thailand following the latest armed clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled 49 years ago that the 11th-century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand. However both countries claim ownership of the 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding area.
Mr Abhsiit said that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti who heads Thai delegation to the World Heritage Committee meeting leaves Bangkok for Paris Monday night for the meeting and to meet his Cambodian counterpart.
He said Thailand will assert its stance that the committee should postpone or otherwise not consider the management plan for the surrounding area of Preah Vihear Temple as proposed by Cambodia to avoid further conflict.
If it was agreed upon, the issue would be withdrawn from the agenda, he said.
The prime minister said he had been reported from the agencies concerned on the preparation for fighting the case in the International Court of Justice but could not disclose the details.
Regarding the possibility that the change of government after the July 3 general elections might impact the World Heritage Committee decision, Mr Abhisit said he believed the panel will make its decision before the Thai poll result.
Thailand stands firm on its decision to bid to host the heritage committee meeting next year, he said.
Mr Abhisit also said he hoped that there would be no more border clashes as the push for the observers was intended to resolve the border problem. (MCOT online news)
Mr Abhisit said the earlier meeting of Defence Ministers of Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia had concluded that the surveyors from Indonesia would be despatched and working for two days at the border areas.
In Thailand's border, the premier said, they will inspect six or seven locations in Si Sa Ket province and will strictly not enter the contested area.
When the surveyors return to Indonesia, the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) will meet in Cambodia and if the results conclude with an agreement to withdraw Cambodian troops from the 4.6 sq km area, then observers from Indonesia could come to inspect the areas.
"The Cabinet meeting today discussed the common stance of Thailand on Thai-Cambodian border issue. I am confident that the government's action will not cause Thailand to lose territory. The surveyors from Indonesia must not wear uniforms and the scope of their work must be clearly defined. They will not be called observers as the observers can come after troop withdrawal," he said.
Mr Abhsiit on Monday chaired a meeting at Government House of Cabinet ministers tasked with reviewing Thai-Cambodian problems to discuss and prepare for a meeting of the United Nations UNESCO the World Heritage Committee in Paris in June 2011 and the case Cambodia raised to the International Court of Justice.
Last month Cambodia asked the World Court to clarify a 1962 ruling about the ancient temple on its disputed border with Thailand following the latest armed clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled 49 years ago that the 11th-century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand. However both countries claim ownership of the 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding area.
Mr Abhsiit said that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti who heads Thai delegation to the World Heritage Committee meeting leaves Bangkok for Paris Monday night for the meeting and to meet his Cambodian counterpart.
He said Thailand will assert its stance that the committee should postpone or otherwise not consider the management plan for the surrounding area of Preah Vihear Temple as proposed by Cambodia to avoid further conflict.
If it was agreed upon, the issue would be withdrawn from the agenda, he said.
The prime minister said he had been reported from the agencies concerned on the preparation for fighting the case in the International Court of Justice but could not disclose the details.
Regarding the possibility that the change of government after the July 3 general elections might impact the World Heritage Committee decision, Mr Abhisit said he believed the panel will make its decision before the Thai poll result.
Thailand stands firm on its decision to bid to host the heritage committee meeting next year, he said.
Mr Abhisit also said he hoped that there would be no more border clashes as the push for the observers was intended to resolve the border problem. (MCOT online news)
5 comments:
Cambodians had reasons to feel threatened by the Thais
Cambodia once was a mighty empire, cover from what is now north eastern Thailand through to southern Vietnam. Some of Thailand’s most striking temples, such as Prasat Hin Phimai, Meuang Singh, and Phanom Rung and Prasat Meuang Tam were built when the area was ruled by Cambodia.
At the end of the 18th century Thailand (as Siam was then called) under King Rama I, Brutally invaded Cambodia and seized Battambang and Siem Reap (home of Angkor Wat and historical capital of the Khmer empire). At about the same time the Vietnamese took the Mekong delta in what is now southern Vietnam. The French decided to “protect” Cambodia, preventing further loss of territory, and in the early 19th century the French forced Siam return Battambang and Siem Reap to Cambodia.
At the begining of the World War II, The opportunist Thailand sided with Japan and invaded Cambodia (again), seizing both Battambang and Siem Reap (again), though not the area around Angkor Wat, which remained under the French.
WWII ended The opportunist Thailand lost the opportunity and was required to return the land it had seized to Cambodia. As soon as Cambodia gained independence from the French in 1953, Thailand invaded Cambodia again and reoccupied the land around Preah Vihear temple.
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At the same time Thailand’s Prime Minister/Dictator, Marshal Sarit Thanarat, did much to destabilise the regime of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The American CIA was also involved in the plot since it feared that Cambodia would fall under Chinese communist influence. In response, in 1961 Cambodia severed diplomatic relations with Thailand.
In 1962 the International Court of Justice in The Hague, ruled that Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, not Thailand. The Thai army was keen to back up it claim by force but Thai King told them to respect the court’s decision.
The Thai army never forgot the humiliation, and covertly supported various opposition groups in Cambodia until Prince Sihanouk’s regime was ousted in 1970.
In 1979 Vietnam invaded Cambodia to put a halt to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. The leadership of the Khmer Rouge fled to Thailand en masse. Cambodia faced a difficult task, opposed by the remnants of the Khmer Rouge, supporters of the Royal family and others. A long civil war ensued, with plenty of aid coming from China and Thailand for the oppositions. Eventually the United Nations intervened and a general election was held. It was won by the royalists, but an uneasy coalition was formed with Hun Sen’s party. Hun Sen subsequently seized full power in a coup in 1997.
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In 2003 there were anti-Thai riots in Cambodia, sparked by a Thai actress’ assertion that Angkor Wat should belong to Thailand. This was widely reported in the Cambodian press. The Thai embassy was set on fire, and Thai business premises were attacked and destroyed (including those of Thaksin’s Shincorp).
[Just before the incident in Phnom Penh, a large group of Thai tourists arrived at Angkor Wat and sat down and cried saying: “I can’t believe that Angkor Wat now belongs to Cambodia.” The Cambodian tour guide [...] didn’t say anything because he needed the money.]
As the tuk tuk driver puts it: “I thought the reaction of the Cambodians was reasonable because saying Angkor Wat belongs to them is not a small mistake what else they would say belong to them in the future. Even though the two governments still have a relationship the people are completely finished. I don’t like Thailand at all.” His wife stopped watching Thai-TV, but after a while she started watching it again. “When she does this I get very angry with her and turn it off.”
Keeping in mind that those historical persist well into these days it is now possible to uncover the roots of the anti-Thai riots. The hanging Thai sword over the Cambodian’s heads. Angkor is the national pride of a people whose feeling of external threat. At the same time, the Cambodians had reasons to feel threatened by the Thais.
(thanks from L.C)
Abhishit vejjajiva urinated in his underpants...You play with the wrong guy A-hole!
Thailand will be in deep shit trouble when French point the middle finger at them...in Paris!
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