May 13, 2009
The Nation
Cambodia's compensation claim for conflict damages is another step backward for peace at historic temple site
It goes without saying that both Thai and Cambodian policy-makers should take to heart the old saying - you reap what you sow. It was revealed yesterday that Cambodia has demanded Thailand pay more than US$2 million(Bt69million) in compensation for damages caused by the Thai Army during clashes along the common border.
In a diplomatic note to the Thai Foreign Ministry, Phnom Penh said the April 3 clashes destroyed 264 stands at a market in front of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple and that the destruction has created great hardship for 319 families who lost their livelihoods as a consequence.
In April, Cambodian and Thai troops deployed to this contested area exchanged artillery, mortar and automatic weapons fire. However, this latest wave of tension began last year when the then government of Samak Sundaravej endorsed Cambodia's bid to have Preah Vihear listed as a World Heritage site, providing the then anti-government yellow-shirt movement with ammunition to attack the government and the then foreign minister, Noppadon Pattama.
To make matters worse, Unesco, the UN cultural agency that oversees such heritage listings, ignored an injunction from a Thai court and went ahead and approved Cambodia's bid for the temple to receive the much-desired status. The Thai court had ruled that the then government did not have the approval of Parliament to accede to Cambodia's wishes.
Since then, the disputed border area has witnessed several gun battles. A number of soldiers from both sides have been killed or injured. Both sides have refused to back away from their positions, even after rounds of negotiation and golf games at the expense of the taxpayer.
Tension between Thailand and its neighbours is nothing new, and problems flare up every now and then. Sometimes these incidents come out of nowhere. Sometimes they are accompanied by a good dose of politics, designed for the self-serving gain of certain figures or political cliques. Sometimes they are the result of simple bad judgement by policy-makers.
It is obvious that the current spate of tension between Thailand and Cambodia is tainted by gutter politics - stemming from the Samak government's go-it-alone endorsement without the approval of the Parliament here. To compound the issue, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an ultimatum for the withdrawal of Thai troops from the border area. He did not spell out the consequences if this did not happen, but the war drum was heard loud and clear in Bangkok. Then the former yellow-shirt activist, Kasit Piromya, the current foreign minister of Thailand, stepped in and called Hun Sen a "thug".
In spite of the handshakes and shuttle visits by political bigwigs, the dust has yet to settle. The issue simmers on, as demonstrated by this latest absurd demand from Phnom Penh. It comes at a time when the two sides should be talking about demilitarising the area and coming up with ways to reconcile differences and move on.
Such demands make us feel that Cambodia is not sincere about reconciliation and sees tension as a zero-sum game. But in fact it is the self-serving gutter politics of both countries that are at fault.
It has been consistently pointed out that landmines along the overlapping border have been freshly laid. Knowing that Thai troops patrol these paths year after year, one has to wonder why Cambodian troops would take such action? Moreover, the fact that a growing number of Cambodian villagers are being moved out of the area and replaced by Cambodian troops suggests to the world that Phnom Penh is on the warpath. So much for reconciliation; so much for Asean and its half-baked slogan of "one family".
Perhaps policymakers from both countries should come up with their own money to pay for the damages suffered by people on both sides of the disputed border. Policymakers are notorious for being corrupt. Perhaps they should use some of their ill-gotten gains as compensation for the communities along the border.
It goes without saying that both Thai and Cambodian policy-makers should take to heart the old saying - you reap what you sow. It was revealed yesterday that Cambodia has demanded Thailand pay more than US$2 million(Bt69million) in compensation for damages caused by the Thai Army during clashes along the common border.
In a diplomatic note to the Thai Foreign Ministry, Phnom Penh said the April 3 clashes destroyed 264 stands at a market in front of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple and that the destruction has created great hardship for 319 families who lost their livelihoods as a consequence.
In April, Cambodian and Thai troops deployed to this contested area exchanged artillery, mortar and automatic weapons fire. However, this latest wave of tension began last year when the then government of Samak Sundaravej endorsed Cambodia's bid to have Preah Vihear listed as a World Heritage site, providing the then anti-government yellow-shirt movement with ammunition to attack the government and the then foreign minister, Noppadon Pattama.
To make matters worse, Unesco, the UN cultural agency that oversees such heritage listings, ignored an injunction from a Thai court and went ahead and approved Cambodia's bid for the temple to receive the much-desired status. The Thai court had ruled that the then government did not have the approval of Parliament to accede to Cambodia's wishes.
Since then, the disputed border area has witnessed several gun battles. A number of soldiers from both sides have been killed or injured. Both sides have refused to back away from their positions, even after rounds of negotiation and golf games at the expense of the taxpayer.
Tension between Thailand and its neighbours is nothing new, and problems flare up every now and then. Sometimes these incidents come out of nowhere. Sometimes they are accompanied by a good dose of politics, designed for the self-serving gain of certain figures or political cliques. Sometimes they are the result of simple bad judgement by policy-makers.
It is obvious that the current spate of tension between Thailand and Cambodia is tainted by gutter politics - stemming from the Samak government's go-it-alone endorsement without the approval of the Parliament here. To compound the issue, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an ultimatum for the withdrawal of Thai troops from the border area. He did not spell out the consequences if this did not happen, but the war drum was heard loud and clear in Bangkok. Then the former yellow-shirt activist, Kasit Piromya, the current foreign minister of Thailand, stepped in and called Hun Sen a "thug".
In spite of the handshakes and shuttle visits by political bigwigs, the dust has yet to settle. The issue simmers on, as demonstrated by this latest absurd demand from Phnom Penh. It comes at a time when the two sides should be talking about demilitarising the area and coming up with ways to reconcile differences and move on.
Such demands make us feel that Cambodia is not sincere about reconciliation and sees tension as a zero-sum game. But in fact it is the self-serving gutter politics of both countries that are at fault.
It has been consistently pointed out that landmines along the overlapping border have been freshly laid. Knowing that Thai troops patrol these paths year after year, one has to wonder why Cambodian troops would take such action? Moreover, the fact that a growing number of Cambodian villagers are being moved out of the area and replaced by Cambodian troops suggests to the world that Phnom Penh is on the warpath. So much for reconciliation; so much for Asean and its half-baked slogan of "one family".
Perhaps policymakers from both countries should come up with their own money to pay for the damages suffered by people on both sides of the disputed border. Policymakers are notorious for being corrupt. Perhaps they should use some of their ill-gotten gains as compensation for the communities along the border.
8 comments:
If Thai is always right, Thai will suppress Cambodian until the tongue comes out. It is strange that this article said that Cambodia is not sincere. What the heck this article talking about.
if the thai refuses, then that's a step backward. remember they asked for compensation from cambodia when their embassy sacked. same is asking the same. it's not all about thailand, you know. go back home, siem thieves!
Thailand has gradually revealed its invasion politics by spelling out lines after lines from its scenarios, shamelessly transforming its own shit internal politics to a larger international war crime act to bring Cambodia down. Down with The Thai's shameless politics!
Make no mistake that the world court had rendered its decision regarding Preah Vihear in 1962. If Thailand refuses to pay for damages it has inflicted upon Cambodian civilians on Cambodian soil, Cambodia has the right to take Thailand to the world court once again. "Once a thief always a thief, mind as well pack all your belongings back to Nan Chao." Phnom Penh should ask the Thai embassy personel to leave...and shut the Thai embassy down for good!
Cambodian Town
Long Beach, Ca
In the event of unity, we Cambodian has settle the difference
aside.
Thailand's foreign ministry has admitted, for violation of Cambodia territory, integrity; for this reason the Cambodia Civil Society which handle the case should keep fighting inside a hight court.
New Phally
The Nation is the left wing news in Thailand, the report of this article is to drum up the Thai nationalist. There are many points wrong with this report that i know for the fact. Fist, the mine that the thai soldier stepped on was not new, the cambodian has allowed the media to the location on the border and the area was accupied by the Kmer rouge during the war that i know for the fact was litter with thausand of mines that i had took part in. The thai army never allowed the news media to the exact location and the mine that the thai soldier stepped on was only verified by the coverd- up thai army. Secondly, Hun sen never told the whole thai army to withdraw, he said to those hundred of Thai rangers who just crossed to the Eadgle field to withdraw or there will be consequeces. The Nation news should go to school and learn to translate khmer languge a little bit better. Thirdly, all the cambodian soldiers i talked to have been tired of war and just wish to see peace. Now for the Nation to suggest otherwise is so proposterous. I was once myselfe a refugee to many country Thailand, Phillipine, and Malaysia. I wittnessed fist hand how barbaric the thai army was as compared to other countries in the region. This is the kind of far to left news that cause hatred between people to people or between nations. This the news that no one should read at the time of friction like this.
Firstly, my hat go off to all the Khmer compatriots, scholars, intellectuals, and the Khmers around the world in and outside the Khmer Empire nation, who's tirelesly to helps fought for Khmer Krom to reach our independent in the near future.
Secondly, this coming June the fourth Khmer Krom and Khmer around the world will commemorated and observed the lost of Kampuchea Krom 60th aniversaries. To all Khmer around the world, please help participates in this events by seeking the information from Khmer Krom representative everywhere in your community.
Thirdly, my respectfully goes to the team of KI-Media. So far your team had done a tremendous job for the Khmer benefits and keep up the good works.
Fourthly, to all Khmer abroad please bring back The Fourth Factions or Paris Peace Accord unity strategy models.In the early ninety the only Youn pullout from Cambodia because we Khmers had united. Back then king Seyhanouk had all the power, popularity and was incharged. Every body respected him from Khmer perspective and the international community perspective. If I were him I would use this power and popularity to declare to the world community that the Khmer people still under the supression, aggression of Youn and Seam. In doing so, his reputations and credibility will be installed next to the Great Khmer King Jayavarman VII.
In the case of Kampuchea Krom, if we use this exact models we Khmer will once again liberated Kampuchea Krom from the Youn iron grips.And possibly Khmer Krom can declare their independent or reannexed to Cambodia who knows.
Respectively your,
Khmer Empire
ใครก็รู้ว่าไอ้พวกชาวไทยตั้งแต่สถาบันกษัตริย์จนถึงละอองธุลีทั้ง๖๕ล้านคนนั้นเป็นฝูงโจรทั้งหมด...เขมรชนทุกแห่งต้องร่วมมือกันรักษาประเทศชาติที่มีมานับพันปี!
จากศาสตราจารย์เพ็ญที่วัดพนม
Everyone knows that the Thais are a bunch of thieves from their king to their 65 million subjects...we Khmers in every corner must unite and protect the country which had existed for thousands of years!
Professor Penh, Wat Phnom
Post a Comment