Army keeps tight lid on border protesters; 'red shirts' vow to hold further protests in Bangkok
Sep 21, 2009
By Nirmal Ghosh, Thailand Correspondent
Straits Times (Singapore)
BANGKOK - THAI nationalists who clashed on Saturday with locals and police near an ancient temple on the Cambodian border dispersed on Sunday, after making speeches in an event tightly controlled by the army.
The group from the royalist yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said it had come to the border to fight for Thailand, and that it was the 'duty of every Thai'.
It brushed off resentment from locals, who were fearful that the activists would provoke a war with Cambodia, saying local villagers did not understand the issue.
And though the mood at the border was calm on Sunday - in contrast to the violent clashes a day earlier - there was every indication that the contentious Preah Vihear temple issue will continue to pose a challenge for the Thai government as domestic political players use it to inflame passions.
On Sunday, a group of 33 activists from the People's Rights and Liberty Protection Group, led by Mr Veera Somkwamkid, was taken by the army in a bus to a cliff called Mo I Daeng, from where the main structure of the Preah Vihear temple was visible on the next ridge. Journalists travelled in a separate bus.
From the cliff, the activists unfurled a white banner that said 'Get out of our land'. Some carried pictures of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and one held aloft a figure of a garuda, which is half-man and half-bird and carries the Hindu god Vishnu. It signifies the King's reign and is Thailand's official symbol.
The group is part of the PAD and while senior PAD leaders have distanced themselves from Mr Veera, he and others said on Sunday that they remained very much a part of the PAD. The PAD activists demanded that the military push out Cambodians from the disputed land, an area of about 485ha.
Citing a 1904 border demarcation, Mr Veera said: 'The PAD would like the Cambodian government to quickly move its people and soldiers out of this area, or else Thai people will have to do their duty in protecting the country's sovereignty.'
Asked whether he was conscious that his actions might ignite a war with Cambodia, Mr Veera replied that the war had already been started - by Cambodia.
Locals in the area remained deeply resentful of the PAD, and the military personnel at the site also appeared clearly unhappy with the turn of events on Saturday. Between 3,000 and 5,000 of the nationalists fought local Thai residents and police that day after trying to reach the temple. Dozens of people were injured.
Sep 21, 2009
By Nirmal Ghosh, Thailand Correspondent
Straits Times (Singapore)
BANGKOK - THAI nationalists who clashed on Saturday with locals and police near an ancient temple on the Cambodian border dispersed on Sunday, after making speeches in an event tightly controlled by the army.
The group from the royalist yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said it had come to the border to fight for Thailand, and that it was the 'duty of every Thai'.
It brushed off resentment from locals, who were fearful that the activists would provoke a war with Cambodia, saying local villagers did not understand the issue.
And though the mood at the border was calm on Sunday - in contrast to the violent clashes a day earlier - there was every indication that the contentious Preah Vihear temple issue will continue to pose a challenge for the Thai government as domestic political players use it to inflame passions.
On Sunday, a group of 33 activists from the People's Rights and Liberty Protection Group, led by Mr Veera Somkwamkid, was taken by the army in a bus to a cliff called Mo I Daeng, from where the main structure of the Preah Vihear temple was visible on the next ridge. Journalists travelled in a separate bus.
From the cliff, the activists unfurled a white banner that said 'Get out of our land'. Some carried pictures of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and one held aloft a figure of a garuda, which is half-man and half-bird and carries the Hindu god Vishnu. It signifies the King's reign and is Thailand's official symbol.
The group is part of the PAD and while senior PAD leaders have distanced themselves from Mr Veera, he and others said on Sunday that they remained very much a part of the PAD. The PAD activists demanded that the military push out Cambodians from the disputed land, an area of about 485ha.
Citing a 1904 border demarcation, Mr Veera said: 'The PAD would like the Cambodian government to quickly move its people and soldiers out of this area, or else Thai people will have to do their duty in protecting the country's sovereignty.'
Asked whether he was conscious that his actions might ignite a war with Cambodia, Mr Veera replied that the war had already been started - by Cambodia.
Locals in the area remained deeply resentful of the PAD, and the military personnel at the site also appeared clearly unhappy with the turn of events on Saturday. Between 3,000 and 5,000 of the nationalists fought local Thai residents and police that day after trying to reach the temple. Dozens of people were injured.
9 comments:
Do not worry, Samdach or Ach (shit) Hun Xen will protect our mother land. Thai soldiers can come anytime and we will handle it. It is just a piece of cake. Thai soldiers have never been in the war, they do not know how to fight because they have no war experience, not like Khmer Rouge Emperor Hun Xen.
I really don't care Yellows People killing Red People, all i care is turn ins that soldier who burns the boy alive! cambodia must continue to press Thai commander to turn in that bastrad over to cambodia and punish the bastard....
Don't play soft with Thailand!!
Thai people can kills each other for the entire country, and don't bother me at all, if so, we can take our lands back...
What an idiot saying that the Cambodian villager do not understand the issue. What more they needed to understand? This is their land.The PAD need to understand themselves, why they cause so much problem over Cambodia land. It is not yours.
Get out losers. You are the great destraction to my country.
i'm verry concern if 10 PAD been shot dead by khmer soilder will they still talk tought like they do now? back off this is cambodia soilder we are not your goverment.
Ignorant PAD!
Dear all khmer soldier don't be hesitate to shoot all them YELLOWS SHIRT, and burns them alive with ANTI-TANK MACHINE GUNS! as soon as they step inside our lands, just keep shooting.....No More Mr. Nice Guy!! Cambodia must remain tough, don't let Thailand taken advantaged on our people along the border...
One day,the pads' ashes will spread a long the side of the Preah Vehear temple. If we have too much of it, we always use as the fertilizer.
You are over cooked PAD, no one wanted you anymore even the dog of Sisaket.
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