The Nation
As politicians and diplomats squabble, the Thai and Cambodian armies stay calm on the border
Strange as it may seem, the Thai and Cambodian armies are playing it cool. Unlike their political leaders, they are not at each other's throats as diplomatic ties between the two counties go into a tailspin after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as his government's chief economic adviser.
Military insiders say that Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh, have been in constant communication and are looking for ways to contain the diplomatic fallout so they don't have to face each other on a battlefield.
There have been suggestions of a friendly soccer match between the two militaries. Yesterday morning, two Cambodian soldiers strayed over the Thai side of the border. They were briefly questioned but were permitted to return to the Cambodian side with gift baskets full of fruits and other goods.
It's not exactly raising glasses of champagne or wine in a toast to good relations, but nevertheless the Thai army's gesture should serve as a good lesson for the diplomats of the two countries.
It appears the top brass in both countries knows very well that the cost of a military clash would be too devastating for the people of both countries and the consequences too grave.
According to military sources, there is an understanding among the militaries on both sides of the border that the ongoing rift between the two governments is political in nature. Military commanders agree that some of it stems from historical baggage that the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen carries against Thailand and the Democrat Party.
During his recent encounter with the press, Hun Sen dug up some old stuff and threw it in Thailand's face. The charges included Thailand's alleged support for former Khmer Rouge leaders.
While the role of Thailand - as well as China, Vietnam and many others - in relation to the Khmer Rogue should be scrutinised, we must do so by understanding the then Cambodian conflict in its proper context.
Southeast Asia was split along political lines that pitted Vietnamese-backed Indochina against the core Asean members. Everybody got blood on their hands, including Hun Sen, who got into politics when the current Thai premier was "running around playing" with other children.
Hun Sen may not care much for Abhisit, but his attitude towards Thailand is largely shaped by history. Thaksin's personal relations with Hun Sen, along with his promises of a brighter future, may have offered him a way to move bilateral ties forward. But the Democrats, rightly or wrongly, thought the price was too high - thus, the current predicament.
The two armies, on the other hand, appear to be trying to turn the page on this disturbing past that, as stated, pitted communist Indochina against others in the region. This is because the two militaries realise it's better to let bygones be bygones. No one stands to benefit from digging up the past, except the truth, of course.
Strange as it may seem, the Thai and Cambodian armies are playing it cool. Unlike their political leaders, they are not at each other's throats as diplomatic ties between the two counties go into a tailspin after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as his government's chief economic adviser.
Military insiders say that Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh, have been in constant communication and are looking for ways to contain the diplomatic fallout so they don't have to face each other on a battlefield.
There have been suggestions of a friendly soccer match between the two militaries. Yesterday morning, two Cambodian soldiers strayed over the Thai side of the border. They were briefly questioned but were permitted to return to the Cambodian side with gift baskets full of fruits and other goods.
It's not exactly raising glasses of champagne or wine in a toast to good relations, but nevertheless the Thai army's gesture should serve as a good lesson for the diplomats of the two countries.
It appears the top brass in both countries knows very well that the cost of a military clash would be too devastating for the people of both countries and the consequences too grave.
According to military sources, there is an understanding among the militaries on both sides of the border that the ongoing rift between the two governments is political in nature. Military commanders agree that some of it stems from historical baggage that the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen carries against Thailand and the Democrat Party.
During his recent encounter with the press, Hun Sen dug up some old stuff and threw it in Thailand's face. The charges included Thailand's alleged support for former Khmer Rouge leaders.
While the role of Thailand - as well as China, Vietnam and many others - in relation to the Khmer Rogue should be scrutinised, we must do so by understanding the then Cambodian conflict in its proper context.
Southeast Asia was split along political lines that pitted Vietnamese-backed Indochina against the core Asean members. Everybody got blood on their hands, including Hun Sen, who got into politics when the current Thai premier was "running around playing" with other children.
Hun Sen may not care much for Abhisit, but his attitude towards Thailand is largely shaped by history. Thaksin's personal relations with Hun Sen, along with his promises of a brighter future, may have offered him a way to move bilateral ties forward. But the Democrats, rightly or wrongly, thought the price was too high - thus, the current predicament.
The two armies, on the other hand, appear to be trying to turn the page on this disturbing past that, as stated, pitted communist Indochina against others in the region. This is because the two militaries realise it's better to let bygones be bygones. No one stands to benefit from digging up the past, except the truth, of course.
1 comment:
When Thai newspaper stop bullshi*t. Returned two stray Cambodian soldiers? It is so Bull, man. Thai army occupy Khmer land, and you call the owner stray?!
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