WASSANA NANUAM and APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Bangkok Post
Up to 1,000 protesters are expected to converge at the border with Cambodia near Preah Vihear temple for a protest asserting Thai sovereignty today.
The rally looks set to go ahead despite last-minute pleas by the government and army that protesters should stay at home and avoid causing trouble.
The People's Alliance for Democracy has called the gathering, but its leaders are divided over whether it should go ahead.
The rally to protest against Cambodia's decision to build new houses and bring in Cambodians to the disputed area is led by PAD member Veera Somkwamkid alone.
A source in the group said some of the five core leaders opposed the rally but did not want to show their opposition for fears that it would paint the PAD in a negative light.
PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila urged the government to make clear how it would deal with the increasing encroachment of Cambodians in the area unsettled by the two countries and called on the government to ensure safety for the demonstrators.
Army chief Anupong Paojinda said yesterday soldiers would stop the demonstrators from reaching the 4.6-square-kilometre area at the Khao Phra Viharn national park office in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket.
Gen Anupong said the army supported the government's policy of solving the land dispute with Cambodia through negotiations. It was worried the demonstration could affect the talks.
"Allowing them to enter the [disputed] area may cause misunderstandings and clashes between soldiers. Any arrests could also affect our attempts to find solutions," Gen Anupong said.
The army chief also expressed his concern about the safety of demonstrators, saying the disputed area had not been cleared of landmines.
Some people in Si Sa Ket also disagreed with the protest.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva asked the public to have faith in his government's attempts to solve the issue.
He said all ministries agreed that negotiations were the best way to protect Thai sovereignty in the disputed area. "It is of no use going there, as it poses risks," he said.
Mr Veera yesterday filed complaints with Kantharalak police seeking legal action against the Cambodians for having encroached on the disputed area.
He said the rally would continue until the government issued clear measures to expel the Cambodians.
Meanwhile, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief Kasemsun Chinnavaso dismissed a report that Khao Phra Viharn park chief Suwan Wattanapitakpong was punished for allowing more than 20 protesters to take over the park's office on Thursday.
They hoped to use it as the base of the rally today.
"I have not forced him to transfer. He made his own decision with no pressure. He has been working there for over nine years. He probably wanted to work in other areas," Mr Kasemsun said. "I approved his transfer request. I am also trying to find a new post for him."
The rally looks set to go ahead despite last-minute pleas by the government and army that protesters should stay at home and avoid causing trouble.
The People's Alliance for Democracy has called the gathering, but its leaders are divided over whether it should go ahead.
The rally to protest against Cambodia's decision to build new houses and bring in Cambodians to the disputed area is led by PAD member Veera Somkwamkid alone.
A source in the group said some of the five core leaders opposed the rally but did not want to show their opposition for fears that it would paint the PAD in a negative light.
PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila urged the government to make clear how it would deal with the increasing encroachment of Cambodians in the area unsettled by the two countries and called on the government to ensure safety for the demonstrators.
Army chief Anupong Paojinda said yesterday soldiers would stop the demonstrators from reaching the 4.6-square-kilometre area at the Khao Phra Viharn national park office in Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket.
Gen Anupong said the army supported the government's policy of solving the land dispute with Cambodia through negotiations. It was worried the demonstration could affect the talks.
"Allowing them to enter the [disputed] area may cause misunderstandings and clashes between soldiers. Any arrests could also affect our attempts to find solutions," Gen Anupong said.
The army chief also expressed his concern about the safety of demonstrators, saying the disputed area had not been cleared of landmines.
Some people in Si Sa Ket also disagreed with the protest.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva asked the public to have faith in his government's attempts to solve the issue.
He said all ministries agreed that negotiations were the best way to protect Thai sovereignty in the disputed area. "It is of no use going there, as it poses risks," he said.
Mr Veera yesterday filed complaints with Kantharalak police seeking legal action against the Cambodians for having encroached on the disputed area.
He said the rally would continue until the government issued clear measures to expel the Cambodians.
Meanwhile, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief Kasemsun Chinnavaso dismissed a report that Khao Phra Viharn park chief Suwan Wattanapitakpong was punished for allowing more than 20 protesters to take over the park's office on Thursday.
They hoped to use it as the base of the rally today.
"I have not forced him to transfer. He made his own decision with no pressure. He has been working there for over nine years. He probably wanted to work in other areas," Mr Kasemsun said. "I approved his transfer request. I am also trying to find a new post for him."
10 comments:
now, is that real that pad thugs are more powerful than siem weak gov't control? siem gov't is a joke? because they can't even control these unruly protesters! remember how they used to ask cambodia to control the riot in phnom penh? now we ask siem gov't back to control these illegal protest in which their only motive is bias and one-sided, not to mention it is violating international law, etc.! one has to wonder out loud, really!
if cambodian police acted in self-defense, it is the siem's gov't who is responsibility for not able to control these illegal protesters, etc... we warned them not to make trouble and not to act uncivilized with cambodia.
cambodia should use tear gas against their pad thugs if they enter cambodia!
to protect our Cambodia sovernty you use real bullets, not tear gas.
No you burn them alive!
Burns them up with W85 heavy machine guns! it's Thai Gov't that sending these yellows shirt to protest on purpose, after that their army came in, and pretend to rescue their people, but they will stay and occupy the lands like they did on 10/15/08...don't get fool by this new tricks, as soon as, they step inside, just keep shoot ta hell out of them....
Kill them all if they dare to step into Cambodia soil.
សៀមអាវលឿងបះទង្គិចជាមួយសៀមអាវក្រហមនេះបើតាមព័ត៍មានពីសមរភូមិពីប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ
នៅរសៀលថ្ងៃសៅរ៍ទី១៩។ហើយជើងអាកាសរបស់សៀមសុំឩទ្ថម្ភាចក្រ
ចុះចតនៅប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ។បាតុកកម្មទាំងពីរ
បណ្តាលឲ្យរងរបួសជាង៣០នាក់រវាងគ្នានឹងគ្នា
ដួច្នេះសូមកងខេមរភូមិន្ទមេត្តាប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ថេជានិច្ច
ពីព្រោះសៀមមានល្បិចច្រើនណាស់សូមអរគុណ
កងទ័ពកម្ពុជា។បាតុកម្មរបស់ថៃទាំងពីរក្រុមមានរបួសជាទម្ងន់រាងៗខ្លួនហើយបានប្រាប់កងខេមរភូមិន្ទ
កុំភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលនៅរឿងឲ្យសោះ។ប៉ុន្តែកងទ័ពកម្ពុជា
របស់យើងសូមមានការប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ថជានិច្ចពីព្រោះ
សៀមវាល្បិចច្រើនណាស់ដូចជាគណបក្សប្រឆាំង
នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឥញ្ជឹងដែរ។
Thai people are just like the teenagers that don't listen to their parents for not having a relationship with boy too soon. They don't care. To hell with their government they say until it's too late. Bet Thaksin is all smile.
This seemed ridiculous all forces are not armed and if this occured very bad our forces will get injured without protected gears. Hun Sen would say uh oh I told you be very careful. 4,000 siam versus 1,000 forces + 500 villagers. This is unacceptable remembered US had pouring in $58M for road contruction nothing had been happened. At least they should bought some gears for our forces such as protected bortons, helmets and bullet proofs vest. Where is all the money? All for CPP members.
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