Vasin: Avoid political gamesSunday November 23, 2008
Bangkok Post
ON THE Record
Vasin Teeravechyan, chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), talks to THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL about the latest attempts to resolve the border spat and the challenges ahead.
What were your impressions before and after the JBC meeting on Nov 10-12 in Siem Reap?
Before the meeting, I thought there would be many problems and I didn't expect much would be achieved, but the results were quite good. I thought Cambodia understood Thailand well enough and the meeting avoided sensitive issues, for example whether to call the temple Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn. Each side knew each other's weaknesses and sought a compromise. The meeting was good but I don't know how long both countries can avoid touching on the sensitive issues.
If the pending issues [the name of the temple and reduction of troops] are not approved by parliament in this session, will it affect the negotiations?
I think it will pass parliament in this session. Other issues which were already agreed by both countries should have no problem moving forward. For example, the issue on the start of an immediate field survey and border demarcation at Preah Vihear temple or the setting up of a coordinating group to take care of future problems could begin immediately because they are explainable. If parliament does not agree, we could tackle these issues with Cambodia.
What would the result be if there was no Article 190 in the constitution?
Certainly, negotiations would be much easier. We used to do bilateral negotiations informally before requesting parliamentary approval when everything has been settled. Things are a little different now because we are required to consult parliament first for an approved framework for negotiation.
The point is we are handling these negotiations with the best intentions. But when people [who are opposed to the ministry's position] refuse to listen to our explanations, they close themselves off from the other sides of the issue.
I have met former deputy foreign minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra and asked him to tell the Democrat party about the Preah Vihear temple issue. I also plan to meet many people to talk about this issue. If issues like this are pulled into a political game, the country cannot survive.
Should the JBC conduct border surveys and demarcation in other areas concurrently with the area near Preah Vihear temple?
Yes, I think so, otherwise the border demarcation process will be delayed. The two survey and demarcation teams should start together. Both sides have agreed on this but have not yet decided on other areas apart from Preah Vihear.
Do you see a change in position by Phnom Penh after finishing the first round of talks?
Yes. The Phnom Penh government showed its commitment to resolving the border problems. It cannot be rushed. If either side tries to rush, it will be at a disadvantage, because they are lots of details to discuss.
Compared to other borders Thailand shares with its neighbours, does the Thai-Cambodian border have more problems?
It does have more problems than the Thai-Lao border. But in fact, all borders have problems because the agreements which Thailand has had with France and the UK in the past were quite rough. When we pointed to the watershed on the map, it was not precise. Sometimes we could not find the names in the new maps, so we have to survey the areas physically to verify the locations before demarcation can be finalised.
When will we use the maps for the discussions?
We hope to do that once the survey teams have completed their work. But the more we touch on the maps, the more problems will arise [because Thailand and Cambodia use different maps as their references].
When you decided to accept this position (Chairman of JBC), what were you most concerned about?
It was the different ideas of people around the country. I was quite stressed because I had to think of people first before doing anything. I also reaffirmed with Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat and everyone I met that I would not get involved in politics.
What were your impressions before and after the JBC meeting on Nov 10-12 in Siem Reap?
Before the meeting, I thought there would be many problems and I didn't expect much would be achieved, but the results were quite good. I thought Cambodia understood Thailand well enough and the meeting avoided sensitive issues, for example whether to call the temple Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn. Each side knew each other's weaknesses and sought a compromise. The meeting was good but I don't know how long both countries can avoid touching on the sensitive issues.
If the pending issues [the name of the temple and reduction of troops] are not approved by parliament in this session, will it affect the negotiations?
I think it will pass parliament in this session. Other issues which were already agreed by both countries should have no problem moving forward. For example, the issue on the start of an immediate field survey and border demarcation at Preah Vihear temple or the setting up of a coordinating group to take care of future problems could begin immediately because they are explainable. If parliament does not agree, we could tackle these issues with Cambodia.
What would the result be if there was no Article 190 in the constitution?
Certainly, negotiations would be much easier. We used to do bilateral negotiations informally before requesting parliamentary approval when everything has been settled. Things are a little different now because we are required to consult parliament first for an approved framework for negotiation.
The point is we are handling these negotiations with the best intentions. But when people [who are opposed to the ministry's position] refuse to listen to our explanations, they close themselves off from the other sides of the issue.
I have met former deputy foreign minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra and asked him to tell the Democrat party about the Preah Vihear temple issue. I also plan to meet many people to talk about this issue. If issues like this are pulled into a political game, the country cannot survive.
Should the JBC conduct border surveys and demarcation in other areas concurrently with the area near Preah Vihear temple?
Yes, I think so, otherwise the border demarcation process will be delayed. The two survey and demarcation teams should start together. Both sides have agreed on this but have not yet decided on other areas apart from Preah Vihear.
Do you see a change in position by Phnom Penh after finishing the first round of talks?
Yes. The Phnom Penh government showed its commitment to resolving the border problems. It cannot be rushed. If either side tries to rush, it will be at a disadvantage, because they are lots of details to discuss.
Compared to other borders Thailand shares with its neighbours, does the Thai-Cambodian border have more problems?
It does have more problems than the Thai-Lao border. But in fact, all borders have problems because the agreements which Thailand has had with France and the UK in the past were quite rough. When we pointed to the watershed on the map, it was not precise. Sometimes we could not find the names in the new maps, so we have to survey the areas physically to verify the locations before demarcation can be finalised.
When will we use the maps for the discussions?
We hope to do that once the survey teams have completed their work. But the more we touch on the maps, the more problems will arise [because Thailand and Cambodia use different maps as their references].
When you decided to accept this position (Chairman of JBC), what were you most concerned about?
It was the different ideas of people around the country. I was quite stressed because I had to think of people first before doing anything. I also reaffirmed with Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat and everyone I met that I would not get involved in politics.
16 comments:
vasin looks like a dumbass...............fuckin seim
Within this month, I saw many of you in the forum spend a lot of time to discuss about her (VJ Ano). Now you all got a reasonable response from her mouth that you will have never expected.
Beside that she's just a trouble-maker. She's a distractor; she had distracted our eyes from Preah Vihear.
*** "It's a Politic." ***
*** "That's a Cambodian Strategy AND Hun Sen's tactics" ***
!!! Beware !!!
He always use this strategy to distract us and like all people from one BIG, MAIN problem to another tiny, small, wasted problem. You know, "she is just a myth."
Now you all are away from the Nation. Did you forget about Preah Vihear or not? I hope you still follow the news of the temple.
It's a myth, a false belief.
!!! Does this female be able to compare to a world heritage temple?? Absolutely and definitely NOT !!!
**********************************
*** WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP ****
**********************************
NEVER did give a fuck about the dj ano news ........... iam always on ki media EVeRY DAY TO SEE WHATS CRACKING WITh THE PREAH VIHEAR STATUS... THATS ALL I CARE ABOUT....................
Bravo....Very Bad Mood of Thai...!
Thai troops pass to khmer sovereigntes and destroy World Heritage(Prasat Pras Vihea) without Parlimentary Agreement, but thai troops withdrawn from there must be agreed by parliment.
Fuck Siem...!
The temple should be called "Preah Viharn" because it belongs to Khmer in Thailand, and Khmer in Thailand are of Thailand citizen.
You must be out of your mind 2:42 If the khmer live in thailand want to claim the preah vihear. they have to fight with thai and claim all their province back from thai put into cambodia map first,then they can claimed.
I am happy, happy, happy...
what's the fuck are you talking about. Preah Vihea is obviously and internationally recognized as belong to Cambodia, so it should be named as Cambodian. There is only one Preah Vihea in this world. Shame on U!!!
Why don't we propose and then negotiate that Thailand should be called Khmerland, and Bangkok become Bancock like some of our audience here have been mentioning it?
Every whites or yellows or Asians or westerner knew that Preah Vihear temple was built by Khmer King, so nothing for us Khmer to worry with this idiot dog Siam is trying to tell the world. No worry at all, what we are now should do is send some of our intelegents or agents to help the Thai government and to help the PAD to fight each others.
And to the Siam people if you are in this forum too must not think Khmer people are bad, this is because you Siam are created this trouble with Khmer first.
Khmer must send the Thai and the Siam some of our fresh land mines and Shoulder to Air Missiles to support them ASAP.
The PAD is needs our land mines to lay around them befor the black dog army coming closer.
May the Siam be destroy!
No matter what at the end this two country Khmer and Thai issue will end up at the ICJ, this two country negotiation will never solve the problem of their border.
So them both will get no choice, but just by force from international to go to ICJ at last.
Then I can asure all Khmer poeple will be rest in peace with their land and temples returned back from Thailand.
Thailand themself knew they (Thailand) will never win the case if the ICJ takes.
And Cambodia also knew this but they (Khmer) just want to be hero to solve this with Thai if they could.
So again all Khmer will be laughing but sorry for Thailand people they will lose their face to international because of their leader at the end.
There is no need for ICJ. All Ah monkeys from Cambodia have to do is to get out of the land that belongs to Khmer in Thailand.
Cambodia must stick to French-Thai map that was ruled by The Hague and used for all a long for many years although the border needs to be resurveyed so that no more land will be lost to the Thai thieves. Cambodia needs expertise and technical team in surveying border map in case Thai thieves want to cheat it. The thieves have been set their eyes on Cambodia because they see the weakness of Cambodia. Cambodia, wakeup, standup and defense before it’s too late. It’s a must!
A cowboy of USA
VASIN is not siamese, he's viet-cong! and of course he looks very Dumbfagggg...
slammy balls!!
DON'T WAST TIME, GO TO ICJ IMMEDIATELY, THE MORE WE WAIT THE MORE THE THAI SIDE GAIN. ASK ICJ DECIDES what we get get it, what Thai get get it.
mr. vasin, you should educate your siem people to respect the icj verdict and the treaty of 1907 map. please tell them just because they weren't happy about the icj decision and the committee that signed the treaty of 1907 doesn't give them the rights to violation the international law at the expense of cambodia, ok! please tell them to respect the cambodian map which is a legitimate map, not your unilateral map that you draw up after the icj verdict. and tell them to stop embarrass your country with their wishful thinking which goes so against the international law, to say the least! thank you!
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