JBC chair: Thai-Cambodian diplomatic spat on Thaksin may affect border talks

BANGKOK, Nov 6 (TNA) – The Thai co-chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) admitted Friday that the diplomatic spat between the two countries following the appointment of convicted Thai premier as economic adviser to the Cambodian government may affect the future talks on the border dispute between the two neighbouring countries.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday recalled the Thai envoy to Phnom Penh, in its first retaliation to Cambodia after it appointed convicted former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as personal advisor to Cambodian Premier Hun Sen and advisor on economy to his government.

Cambodia later withdrew its envoy to Thailand in a reciprocal action.

The Thai foreign ministry reasoned that the Cambodian decision to appoint Mr Thaksin and its stated intention to deny Thailand's request to extradite the ex-Thai premier to face jail in Thailand means that the neighbouring country could not differentiate between the bilateral relations of the two nations and personal ties, and that Cambodia is now intervening Thailand's domestic affairs and harming the Thai justice procedure.

Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in his capacity as border commission co-chairman, said that the Thai decision to recall its ambassador to Phnom Penh is considered normal retaliation against the Cambodian government, while Cambodia also responded at the same level of reciprocal action by withdrawing its ambassador to Bangkok.

Mr Vasin said that no special procedure is needed if the two countries want to restore their diplomatic ties.”It depends on the circumstances,” he added. “If the situation eases up, the relationship between the two kingdoms will be restored automatically.

"If the Cambodian government revokes its order appointing Mr Thaksin as its adviser, it can be assumed that the ambassadors of the two countries can resume their duties," JBC co-chairman Vasin said.

He admitted, however, that the latest diplomatic spat on the Thaksin case will make the work under the JBC framework more difficult, although it has not yet had a direct impact on the commission.

He described that three JBC minutes can still not proceed as they have not been approved by the Thai Parliament.

"Whether the work under JBC framework will be delayed or not depends on the policy of the government and Parliament," said the JBC co-chairman. "Until now I have not been informed any order from the government."

Tensions between the neighbouring countries flared after the United Nations cultural body UNESCO approved Cambodia's bid in July last year to list the 11th century temple as a world heritage site, while the question of sovereignty over the 4.6 square kilometres of surrounding land has never been clearly resolved.

The two neighbouring countries however reiterated to solve the border conflicts peacefully through JBC mechanism, while there were some clashes between the soldiers of two countries along the border.