Wednesday July 16, 2008
BANGKOK POST AND AGENCIES
Supreme Commander Gen Boonsrang Niempradit has urged people protesting in Si Sa Ket over the Preah Vihear temple controversy not to escalate the tensions with Cambodia after three Thais crossed into the disputed border area.
The crossing of senior monk Phra Khampheng, Vicharn Tabsorn and Chanikarn Kengnok, members of the ultra-nationalist Dharmayatra group, into the overlapping zone around 7am yesterday, prompted Gen Boonsrang to call Cambodian Defence Minister Teah Banh to secure their release.
Suranaree Task Force commander Maj-Gen Kanok Nettarakawaysana and Si Sa Ket governor Seni Jittakasem also went to Preah Vihear to hold talks with Cambodian authorities on the issue.
The three Thais were freed after four hours of negotiations, they said.
The Dharmayatra group has camped out on the Thai border in Kantharalak district of the northeastern province since June 22 to protest against Thai support for Phnom Penh's listing of the temple as a World Heritage site.
They are also demanding the return of the Preah Vihear temple to Thailand although the kingdom lost a legal battle with Cambodia over it in the International Court of Justice in 1962.
The World Heritage Committee has now listed the Preah Vihear temple.
Yesterday's events turned tragic for ranger Vilai Arom, who stepped on a landmine during a border patrol of the area. His leg was blown off in the blast.
Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith and director-general of the national authority of Preah Vihear temple Hang Soth, said that Thai troops had crossed over into Cambodian territory to help the three protesters.
But Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat and the Si Sa Ket governor denied that Thai troops had intruded on Cambodian soil.
Lt-Gen Nipat Thonglek, head of the Border Affairs Department under the Supreme Command, said the protesters posed no harm to Cambodia as they protested peacefully by meditating.
Khieu Kanharith was quoted as saying in Phnom Penh that 170 Thai troops and civilians had crossed into Cambodian territory. He said a group of Thai soldiers were being detained inside Cambodia and would be there overnight. Still, he was confident the situation was under control and would not flare up.
But a reliable Thai source dismissed his account, saying there were no Thai troops under detention in Cambodia.
Worried about the tensions, Gen Boonsrang called on nationalists to pay heed to warnings by the military not to let the situation get out of control and stressed that the overlapping area of 4.6 sq km would be handled by the authorities and legal experts.
Those who did not know the problem and were ultra-nationalist but had taken their own steps without paying heed to any warnings would cause confusion, Gen Boonsrang warned.
The supreme commander called on ultra-nationalists staging protests over the Preah Vihear issue to stay calm. Patriotism was good, but it must be based on reason and fairness, he said.
Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday called on the Senate to impeach Prime Minster Samak Sundaravej over the temple row.
PAD leaders Pibhop Dhongchai, Suriyasai Katasila and Sirichai Mai-ngarm submitted 46,530 signatures to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej demanding the impeachment of Mr Samak for violating Article 270 of the charter.
His cabinet had endorsed the joint communique without parliamentary approval, the PAD said.
Treaties and Legal Affairs Department director-general Krit Kraichitti yesterday told the House panel on border affairs that the listing of the temple ruins did not include the 4.6-sq-km overlapping area with Cambodia.
Mr Krit insisted that Cambodia had proposed the listing of the temple only. He and Lt-Gen Dan Meechu-at, head of the Survey Department under the Supreme Command, were yesterday invited by the panel chaired by Samphan Lertnuwat, a list-MP of the People Power party, to testify over the listing of the Preah Vihear temple.
The crossing of senior monk Phra Khampheng, Vicharn Tabsorn and Chanikarn Kengnok, members of the ultra-nationalist Dharmayatra group, into the overlapping zone around 7am yesterday, prompted Gen Boonsrang to call Cambodian Defence Minister Teah Banh to secure their release.
Suranaree Task Force commander Maj-Gen Kanok Nettarakawaysana and Si Sa Ket governor Seni Jittakasem also went to Preah Vihear to hold talks with Cambodian authorities on the issue.
The three Thais were freed after four hours of negotiations, they said.
The Dharmayatra group has camped out on the Thai border in Kantharalak district of the northeastern province since June 22 to protest against Thai support for Phnom Penh's listing of the temple as a World Heritage site.
They are also demanding the return of the Preah Vihear temple to Thailand although the kingdom lost a legal battle with Cambodia over it in the International Court of Justice in 1962.
The World Heritage Committee has now listed the Preah Vihear temple.
Yesterday's events turned tragic for ranger Vilai Arom, who stepped on a landmine during a border patrol of the area. His leg was blown off in the blast.
Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith and director-general of the national authority of Preah Vihear temple Hang Soth, said that Thai troops had crossed over into Cambodian territory to help the three protesters.
But Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat and the Si Sa Ket governor denied that Thai troops had intruded on Cambodian soil.
Lt-Gen Nipat Thonglek, head of the Border Affairs Department under the Supreme Command, said the protesters posed no harm to Cambodia as they protested peacefully by meditating.
Khieu Kanharith was quoted as saying in Phnom Penh that 170 Thai troops and civilians had crossed into Cambodian territory. He said a group of Thai soldiers were being detained inside Cambodia and would be there overnight. Still, he was confident the situation was under control and would not flare up.
But a reliable Thai source dismissed his account, saying there were no Thai troops under detention in Cambodia.
Worried about the tensions, Gen Boonsrang called on nationalists to pay heed to warnings by the military not to let the situation get out of control and stressed that the overlapping area of 4.6 sq km would be handled by the authorities and legal experts.
Those who did not know the problem and were ultra-nationalist but had taken their own steps without paying heed to any warnings would cause confusion, Gen Boonsrang warned.
The supreme commander called on ultra-nationalists staging protests over the Preah Vihear issue to stay calm. Patriotism was good, but it must be based on reason and fairness, he said.
Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday called on the Senate to impeach Prime Minster Samak Sundaravej over the temple row.
PAD leaders Pibhop Dhongchai, Suriyasai Katasila and Sirichai Mai-ngarm submitted 46,530 signatures to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej demanding the impeachment of Mr Samak for violating Article 270 of the charter.
His cabinet had endorsed the joint communique without parliamentary approval, the PAD said.
Treaties and Legal Affairs Department director-general Krit Kraichitti yesterday told the House panel on border affairs that the listing of the temple ruins did not include the 4.6-sq-km overlapping area with Cambodia.
Mr Krit insisted that Cambodia had proposed the listing of the temple only. He and Lt-Gen Dan Meechu-at, head of the Survey Department under the Supreme Command, were yesterday invited by the panel chaired by Samphan Lertnuwat, a list-MP of the People Power party, to testify over the listing of the Preah Vihear temple.
9 comments:
the overlapping area of 4.6 sq km would be handled by the authorities and legal experts.
so the overlapping ares do exist, right?
why would Thai troop need to be called off if they are in the overlapping areas?
Mr. Hun Sen must sent the troop more this border!!
Hun Sen must spend all cost including diplomacy by calling back our khmer ambassador from Bankok, complaint to ASIAN, UN, ICJ and fighting to protect our land from A Siam thief!! if you do like this, you will become a hero of Cambodia. My vote for you if you follow this idea.
Now our country faces the biggest problem with A Siam thief. Please all khmer people joint with us to make demonstration infront of Thai Embassy to protest this problem!!
Boycott the thai production!!
Down A saim!!
khmer neak snea ha cheat,
The overlapping 4.6 sq km DOES NOT EXIST. This is just a thai tactic to steal more land from Cambodia. THe truth is All 4.6sqkm land belong to Khmer people in Cambodia.
Next time, you make the incursion in our territorial areas, we'll shoot you.
12:27pm
another day dreaming khmer
holding to believe that overlapping 4.6sqkm.
doesn't exist. it exists and it is.
and you think we can't shoot?
12:45pm
12:54 PM
If hell broke loose, we'll aim at the heart of your economy (Bangkok). You also should understand how crowded is Bangkor.
Of course, we know how to hit where it hurts the most.
This time, if the fucking Thais want to fuck with us, we'll fuck you good. Remember that, and remember it well.
Remember United Khmer People,
Don't forget Khmer Isan, Khmer Surin, Khmer Krom, and Koh Tral. Must return back to Mother Land. Vote for me 2033 Thank You
Give us Koh Pors(snake island), we will send troops from Hanoi to help you to pull Thai troops back. hehehe
From Vietnamese commander
Vietminh Commander I recognize Vietcong land as China province.
Here you new name Wang Xi Ahn.
From China PM Wen Jiabao.
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