By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama announced his resignation on Thursday following increasing political pressure involving the listing of the Preah Vihear Temple as the world heritage.
The resignation would be effective on July 14, ending his five months and eight days in the office.
"To release people's suffering and for the sake of national unity and reconciliation, the country is more important than my political position, therefore-- although I have done nothing wrong-- I would take responsibility by resigning from the position," he said in a scheduled press conference.
The Preah Vihear temple's world heritage status caused political burden for Noppadon as the opposition, senators and street protest accused him of mishandling and would cause loss of the national sovereignty over the site.
The Hindu temple, ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962 belongs to Cambodia.
The Constitution Court ruled Tuesday a joint communiqu้ he signed with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to support Phnom Penh's application was unconstitutional.
"With respect to the court's decision, the ruling would set a precedent for legal study. The Foreign Minister has conducted the case in the line with the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs' procedure. Nobody intended to violate the law," he said.
The opposition meanwhile lodged an impeachment of Noppadon to the Senate speaker to begin the process.
Noppadon declined to comment over the impeachment saying that he would follow the legal procedure.
He blamed the opposition and street protesters for fanning out nationalism and anti-Cambodia sentiment for political gain.
"Some certain group even brought such sentiment to harass my elder sister in (my home town) Nakhon Ratchasima," he said.
The sentiment was boosted to create hate and disunity between Thai and Cambodian people, he added.
"As the dust was clear, I'm confident, the truth would appear, as rationale comes to replace sentiment, time would prove what the foreign ministry and I did was the right thing and that we protected territory and national interest," he said.
"I did not betray the nation, I did not hurt the country," he said.
The resignation would be effective on July 14, ending his five months and eight days in the office.
"To release people's suffering and for the sake of national unity and reconciliation, the country is more important than my political position, therefore-- although I have done nothing wrong-- I would take responsibility by resigning from the position," he said in a scheduled press conference.
The Preah Vihear temple's world heritage status caused political burden for Noppadon as the opposition, senators and street protest accused him of mishandling and would cause loss of the national sovereignty over the site.
The Hindu temple, ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962 belongs to Cambodia.
The Constitution Court ruled Tuesday a joint communiqu้ he signed with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to support Phnom Penh's application was unconstitutional.
"With respect to the court's decision, the ruling would set a precedent for legal study. The Foreign Minister has conducted the case in the line with the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs' procedure. Nobody intended to violate the law," he said.
The opposition meanwhile lodged an impeachment of Noppadon to the Senate speaker to begin the process.
Noppadon declined to comment over the impeachment saying that he would follow the legal procedure.
He blamed the opposition and street protesters for fanning out nationalism and anti-Cambodia sentiment for political gain.
"Some certain group even brought such sentiment to harass my elder sister in (my home town) Nakhon Ratchasima," he said.
The sentiment was boosted to create hate and disunity between Thai and Cambodian people, he added.
"As the dust was clear, I'm confident, the truth would appear, as rationale comes to replace sentiment, time would prove what the foreign ministry and I did was the right thing and that we protected territory and national interest," he said.
"I did not betray the nation, I did not hurt the country," he said.
9 comments:
As a Cambodian people, I will never buy Thai products, I will never use Thai service or even visit Thai.
Thai is GREEDY to get Khmer Territory.
You know what, I am telling you that since most of the Cambodian living abroad I hardly see Cambodian fly through Thai's airline. I've always witness them gone through Singapore.
Down the Thai!!
Nakhon Rachasima?
Please say that name right.
This is one of Khmer's provinces.
It is called in Khmer as :
Nokor Reacheasima
I don't know he is probably Khmer originally.
Give this province back to Cambodia.
HUN SEN should ask the Thai to also return this provinces to its owner (Cambodia).
Khmer will win if we incite this matter for them to reunite with fellow Khmer.
Wake up those Khmer in Thailans!!!
Shin Mobile rules cell phone owners in Cambodia,
Casinos in Au Chrao co owned by Siameses,
Brothels in Nokorn Wat buri and Phnom Penh buri half owned by Siameses,
Koh Kong soon be sold out to Shin Mobile Holdings Co,
Boycott Siameses is to boycott current ruler in Cambodia.
10:30PM you are right!!!!!
Yes, and the monkeys in Cambodia always bite the hand that feed them.
all thai leaders can come to exile in cambodia. cambodia need good intellectual people like you all. god bless cambodia.
6.06: Crocodile in Ayutthaya and Sokorthai also bite the man who feed them meal as well. See history King Chayavarman VII gave Siam independent in Sukorthai in exchange the Siam fought back to Khmer and even Siam did worst things to invade Khmer sovereignty. Hope this should be clear to you as the international robber.
I really admire Mr PATTAMA for his patriotism.While khmer minister HOR NAM HONG who was well known to be THE khmer killer and still has his job until today.Cambodia still have a long way to go.
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