A soldier unrolls cartridges of ammunition in Preah Vihear in this file photo. Civil unrest in Thailand makes a speedy resolution to the months-old border standoff unlikely. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)Friday, 28 November 2008
Written by Brendan Brady and Thet Sambath The Phnom Penh Post
But as Bangkok erupts in civil unrest, Cambodia unlikely to take advantage of its neighbour's upheaval to press its point
AFTER ratcheting up its rhetoric last month, the government has since resisted taking jabs at Thailand over their disputed territory, even as escalating political upheaval in Bangkok has made progress in border negotiations impossible.
"Nothing has changed in our negotiations with the Thai government," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong. "They claim they are fine and still able to communicate [over diplomatic affairs]."
The government remains tight-lipped on its ability - or inability - to engage with the besieged regime.
"The protests don't affect us. That's their internal dispute and we won't interfere," said Koy Kuong.
But as rioting in Bangkok boils over into full-blown civil unrest, forcing the Cabinet to go into hiding and putting the government's foreign affairs on the backburner, Cambodia faces the possibility of losing another chance to advance negotiations over its shared border.
Some Asean member states have asked Thailand to postpone a regional summit it is supposed to host in Chiang Mai next month, and the scheduled bilateral talks in Siem Reap in January could also fall by the wayside.
Even if the summit is held, Cambodia will not put the border dispute on the agenda, according to Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan.
"We're not going to pressure Thailand. Through bilateral talks, we can talk in a friendly way."
Changing its tune
The government has been advancing a patient line on Thailand's internal turmoil. But this hasn't always been the case during the five-month-old standoff.
Hun Sen on October 13 delivered an ultimatum to Thailand that it must withdraw its forces from Cambodian territory, warning of a "full-scale conflict" if Bangkok did not comply.
But, after a border clash a couple of days later that claimed the lives of three Cambodians, Hun Sen downplayed the threat of war.
Telling reporters that "Cambodia is poor and will not show its muscles", Hun Sen assumed a decidedly humbler tone, which he has largely maintained since.
This approach has frustrated Yim Sovann, a lawmaker from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, who said Thailand's reliability as a negotiator should be raised during the Asean summit in December.
"Since July, there have been many meetings but no results," he said.
But Chea Vannath, an independent commentator on social and political affairs, said that "while what's happening within each country affects the other in border talks, the reality is that patience is expected".
She also said that Hun Sen, while a seasoned veteran in persevering through domestic conflicts, had limited experience in formal international diplomacy, and therefore may still be finding his range in speaking on a dispute that's in the global limelight.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, thought the Cambodian government was wise to avoid embarrassing Bangkok.
"The bottom line is there's no way for an agreement now because the Thai Cabinet and parliament are unable to convene."
If Cambodia were to petition for third-party involvement, the international community would sympathise with the domestic difficulties in Thailand that left the hands of its government tied, he said.
"Cambodia has every right to do that, but it could damage the long-term relationship between the two sides," he said.
Saving face is paramount in Asian diplomatic etiquette, he added, and pressing an already beleaguered regime could be seen as stepping outside the accepted rules of engagement.
"The Thai government is falling, so to step on it by pressing it for a resolution would be viewed as adding insult to injury."
AFTER ratcheting up its rhetoric last month, the government has since resisted taking jabs at Thailand over their disputed territory, even as escalating political upheaval in Bangkok has made progress in border negotiations impossible.
"Nothing has changed in our negotiations with the Thai government," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong. "They claim they are fine and still able to communicate [over diplomatic affairs]."
The government remains tight-lipped on its ability - or inability - to engage with the besieged regime.
"The protests don't affect us. That's their internal dispute and we won't interfere," said Koy Kuong.
But as rioting in Bangkok boils over into full-blown civil unrest, forcing the Cabinet to go into hiding and putting the government's foreign affairs on the backburner, Cambodia faces the possibility of losing another chance to advance negotiations over its shared border.
Some Asean member states have asked Thailand to postpone a regional summit it is supposed to host in Chiang Mai next month, and the scheduled bilateral talks in Siem Reap in January could also fall by the wayside.
Even if the summit is held, Cambodia will not put the border dispute on the agenda, according to Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan.
"We're not going to pressure Thailand. Through bilateral talks, we can talk in a friendly way."
Changing its tune
The government has been advancing a patient line on Thailand's internal turmoil. But this hasn't always been the case during the five-month-old standoff.
Hun Sen on October 13 delivered an ultimatum to Thailand that it must withdraw its forces from Cambodian territory, warning of a "full-scale conflict" if Bangkok did not comply.
But, after a border clash a couple of days later that claimed the lives of three Cambodians, Hun Sen downplayed the threat of war.
Telling reporters that "Cambodia is poor and will not show its muscles", Hun Sen assumed a decidedly humbler tone, which he has largely maintained since.
This approach has frustrated Yim Sovann, a lawmaker from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, who said Thailand's reliability as a negotiator should be raised during the Asean summit in December.
"Since July, there have been many meetings but no results," he said.
But Chea Vannath, an independent commentator on social and political affairs, said that "while what's happening within each country affects the other in border talks, the reality is that patience is expected".
She also said that Hun Sen, while a seasoned veteran in persevering through domestic conflicts, had limited experience in formal international diplomacy, and therefore may still be finding his range in speaking on a dispute that's in the global limelight.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, thought the Cambodian government was wise to avoid embarrassing Bangkok.
"The bottom line is there's no way for an agreement now because the Thai Cabinet and parliament are unable to convene."
If Cambodia were to petition for third-party involvement, the international community would sympathise with the domestic difficulties in Thailand that left the hands of its government tied, he said.
"Cambodia has every right to do that, but it could damage the long-term relationship between the two sides," he said.
Saving face is paramount in Asian diplomatic etiquette, he added, and pressing an already beleaguered regime could be seen as stepping outside the accepted rules of engagement.
"The Thai government is falling, so to step on it by pressing it for a resolution would be viewed as adding insult to injury."
15 comments:
Thing get worse in Thailand. If there is a coup, Khmers should be prepared for the attacks.
PAD leader said the PM should "seek asylum in Myanmar". -AFP
Fri, Nov 28, 2008
AFP
BANGKOK, THAILAND - The founder of Thailand's anti-government protest movement said Friday he had rejected a personal plea from the prime minister to hold talks on the siege of Bangkok's airports.
Sondhi Limthongkul, who set up the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said demonstrators would not leave until premier Somchai Wongsawat resigned, adding that the PM should "seek asylum in Myanmar".
"Today the prime minister contacted me on the telephone to negotiate. There are no talks - if they want to crack down, please don't wait," Sondhi told protesters at Don Mueang airport.
The Thai premier declared a state of emergency at Don Mueang and the larger Suvarnabhumi international airports on Thursday but police have taken no action amid fears that taking on the protesters could spark violence.
"The government has asked to negotiate - that means the government is defeated," he said.
"I ask Prime Minister Somchai to seek asylum in Myanmar within 24 to 48 hours."
The PAD, a loose grouping of royalists, businessmen, militarymen and the urban Bangkok elite, has vowed to continue its movement until the government elected in December stands down.
The movement says the government is a corrupt puppet administration for exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006 following months of PAD protests.
Khmer can do it without tourist from thailand. Khmer people just need hanoi to stop stealing. That will compensate the lost that we don't need anyway.
Cambodia should take this advantage to attack and solve the -problem once for all while thailand is in turmoil. the longer you delay the thai will gain evry inch of preah vihear,,,,this is what I would do if I'm the leader...thai want to delay the talk...the longer they can drag the better for them...current khmer government is falling to their trap! ataack them now!
Leave Khmer in Thailand alone, Ah Monkeys in Cambodia. Get the fuck outta the mountain!
Go go go. Kill those fucking stupid Thais who wished to encroach on Preh Vihear.
9:20pm, if you're a leader, u wld be condemned for your stupidity. Encouraging war with the Siam during the midst of all this and also especially when we're going thru a financial turmoil. U and 8:26pm must not have any brains at all. Einstein 8:56pm thinks Khmer don't need tourists when we rely heavily on it.
9:20pm, if you're a leader, Cambodia will be the slaver of either one, VN or Thai. You might win the guerilla war, but either Thai or VN will occupy Phnom Penh, just like in the early 19th century. Think about it again. You might win when the Thais are split. Somchai has already chosen his base in Chaing Mai, the origin of the Tai.
Hey, the temple belongs to Khmer in Thailand, and no one is asking Ah monkey in Cambodia for help. So get the fuck outta the mountain.
You can believe whatever you want,but i don't think the dispute on the border between Thai and KHMER will never be solved by peaceful mean.The difference is the MAP used by both side.Thai will not accept 1904 or 1907 map ,while khmer is not going to use map unilaterally draw by Thai either .IF anyone believe that Thai will withdraw to their side of the border ,you may be a little naive.So ,what is left ?.The answer is the inevitable military confrontation or ask the U.N for mediation.But ,the CPP govt is so reluctant to do so,and we the people wonder why ?.
CPP or HUN SEN needs to really upgrade its facilities, infrastructures and airport for one of the best in South East Asia.
If HUN SEN not going to do that he will suffer more by Thai's turmoils.
Khmer PP,
Cambodia should leave Khmer in Thailand alone and stay out of their land. They are no Cambodian citizen.
3:35PM You are fuck! dick-head!, what are you trying to be? You are out of your mind. Get fuck.
Do you think Ah Siam will accept you to be Siam citizen? Don't pretending you are Khmer in Thailand, Ah dick-head.
Stop changing the subject, motherfucker. The temple was build for Khmer on the mountain. The only people who have using it since day1 was Khmer on that mountain.
If the temple was built for Khmer elsewhere, they would not have build it on that mountain where no one have access to it. That is a bit stupid, wouldn't you say?
Therefore, stop twisting history and get the fuck outta that mountain. You have no business up there. The Khmer on the mountain doesn't need any favor. You got that?
The temple was built for all Khmer not for Siam dick-head, and do you still think Khmer who living on the mountain are still Khmer nation? Those Khmer are changing their nation to be a full Siam citizen, I mean all Khmer in Siam land, they said they are not Khmer, so why do you think those Khmer are still can protect the temple from Ah Siam?
Stupid! motherfucker!
Who is twisting the history? Isn't it Ah Siam? Back to school would you!
Bullshit, Ah fake, if it was built for everyone, then the Khmer king must be retarded to put it on the mountain.
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