By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
PM Abhisit : Cambodia must make first move to defuse conflict
FM Kasit : Situation has changed since Thaksin's appointment
Thailand yesterday terminated the memorandum of understanding on overlapping maritime areas with Cambodia that was signed during Thaksin Shinawatra's administration in 2001.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was adopting a "wait-and-see" approach on the current conflict with the neighbouring country.
Speaking via telephone conference from Tokyo, Foreign Ministry Kasit Piromya said the circumstances surrounding the MoU had changed as Thaksin was now appointed an adviser to the Cambodian government.
"Thaksin knows the Thai position, so Thailand cannot negotiate with Cambodia based on this agreement," he said.
Responding later by video conference to questions from reporters at Government House, Abhisit said: "It was not Thailand that had started it [the current dispute] - it was the Cambodians.
Therefore, it is they who have to review their position. Right now, we are adopting a wait-and-see approach."
When asked if he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at an official dinner last night in Tokyo, Abhisit said his counterpart was seated quite a distance from him and that there was a vase between them obstructing his view.
Thailand signed the MoU on the area of overlapping maritime claims in the continental shelf in 2001, but the two countries have not yet made progress on developing and sharing of benefit in the area, Kasit said.
The 26,000-square-kilometre area, with abundant natural gas, is regarded as being in Thailand's national interest and everyone involved should participate in the development of the resource in accordance with the new Constitution, he said.
The Cabinet will discuss the MoU's termination next week and will inform Phnom Penh at an early opportunity, Kasit added.
The termination has further fuelled tensions in relations between Thailand and Cambodia, as the two countries on Thursday announced the downgrading of bilateral ties and recalled their ambassadors.
Thailand and Cambodia granted natural-gas concessions in the overlapping area to many companies, but they cannot exploit the resource as long as the countries are unable to reach any agreement.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, meanwhile, threatened to close the Thai-Cambodian border to trade if Cambodia continued to take an aggressive stance towards the government.
Noppadon Pattama, foreign minister under the Samak Sundaravej administration, said recalling the Thai ambassador was "damaging to Thailand and placed the country at unnecessary risk".
"It's inappropriate to use politics to pressure a neighbouring country," he said.
Suriyasai Katasila, spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy, denounced Thaksin for allowing himself to be use by Cambodia and praised the government for the measures taken in response to Cambodia.
He urged the government to review bilateral agreements between the countries, especially ones that place Thailand at a disadvantage on the issue of overlapping claims.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan dismissed the threats late yesterday and said closing the border would be "an overreaction" that would hurt Thai businessmen more than it would hurt Cambodians living in the area.
He added that Thailand should respect the contents of the agreement on oil and gas exploration.
"They should abide by their international obligations," he said. "This kind of panic [reaction] by the Thai government - they should hold onto their credibility." Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled by a coup. He faces a two-year jail sentence in Thailand for abuse of power for allowing his billionaire wife in 2003 to successfully bid on a prime plot of Bangkok land in a government.
FM Kasit : Situation has changed since Thaksin's appointment
Thailand yesterday terminated the memorandum of understanding on overlapping maritime areas with Cambodia that was signed during Thaksin Shinawatra's administration in 2001.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was adopting a "wait-and-see" approach on the current conflict with the neighbouring country.
Speaking via telephone conference from Tokyo, Foreign Ministry Kasit Piromya said the circumstances surrounding the MoU had changed as Thaksin was now appointed an adviser to the Cambodian government.
"Thaksin knows the Thai position, so Thailand cannot negotiate with Cambodia based on this agreement," he said.
Responding later by video conference to questions from reporters at Government House, Abhisit said: "It was not Thailand that had started it [the current dispute] - it was the Cambodians.
Therefore, it is they who have to review their position. Right now, we are adopting a wait-and-see approach."
When asked if he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at an official dinner last night in Tokyo, Abhisit said his counterpart was seated quite a distance from him and that there was a vase between them obstructing his view.
Thailand signed the MoU on the area of overlapping maritime claims in the continental shelf in 2001, but the two countries have not yet made progress on developing and sharing of benefit in the area, Kasit said.
The 26,000-square-kilometre area, with abundant natural gas, is regarded as being in Thailand's national interest and everyone involved should participate in the development of the resource in accordance with the new Constitution, he said.
The Cabinet will discuss the MoU's termination next week and will inform Phnom Penh at an early opportunity, Kasit added.
The termination has further fuelled tensions in relations between Thailand and Cambodia, as the two countries on Thursday announced the downgrading of bilateral ties and recalled their ambassadors.
Thailand and Cambodia granted natural-gas concessions in the overlapping area to many companies, but they cannot exploit the resource as long as the countries are unable to reach any agreement.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, meanwhile, threatened to close the Thai-Cambodian border to trade if Cambodia continued to take an aggressive stance towards the government.
Noppadon Pattama, foreign minister under the Samak Sundaravej administration, said recalling the Thai ambassador was "damaging to Thailand and placed the country at unnecessary risk".
"It's inappropriate to use politics to pressure a neighbouring country," he said.
Suriyasai Katasila, spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy, denounced Thaksin for allowing himself to be use by Cambodia and praised the government for the measures taken in response to Cambodia.
He urged the government to review bilateral agreements between the countries, especially ones that place Thailand at a disadvantage on the issue of overlapping claims.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan dismissed the threats late yesterday and said closing the border would be "an overreaction" that would hurt Thai businessmen more than it would hurt Cambodians living in the area.
He added that Thailand should respect the contents of the agreement on oil and gas exploration.
"They should abide by their international obligations," he said. "This kind of panic [reaction] by the Thai government - they should hold onto their credibility." Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled by a coup. He faces a two-year jail sentence in Thailand for abuse of power for allowing his billionaire wife in 2003 to successfully bid on a prime plot of Bangkok land in a government.
13 comments:
Better check clearly how the internationals solve the maritime pact and you will find out that Thais have a stronger case.
"The 26,000-square-kilometre area, with abundant natural gas, is regarded as being in Thailand's national interest and everyone involved should participate in the development of the resource in accordance with the new Constitution, he(AH KASHIT) said"
= It seems that Thailand under AH ABISHIT illegal government want to force Thailand constitution down the throat of Cambodian leaders! Who would give a fuck about Thailand constitution because it is for Thai leaders and Thai people!
"Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, meanwhile, threatened to close the Thai-Cambodian border to trade if Cambodia continued to take an aggressive stance towards the government."
=Fuck AH Suthep Thaugsuban and if he want to close the fucken border and go ahead! Cambodia had been cheat of the weight and measurement which cost Cambodian farmer in million of dollars every years and all the fucken trade with Siem is one way trade anyway!
Nobody can cure crazy Siem dirty politic!
Win or lose, Cambodia will obide by the World Court's decision. Can't say that about the Siamese thieft.
If only Thai playing by the rule in the first place, it would have gone this far. Now that PM Hun Sen is standing up to them and they are getting piss off.
Thailand has no choice! but to begs PM Hun Sen not to go to UN/ICJ court, Thai will lose the fucken FACE!
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
Siam Bandit PAD Suriyasai, we Cambodian were waiting in this situation to reclaim our Preah Vihear Temple area back,soon we will take your government to U.N Security Council, International Justice Court. Keep your arrogants PAD, Yellow Shirts, Privy Thai Royal council bandits.
New Phally
about the world court. if the thais dont recognized it. why the hell they go to court for. what would happened if they were the winner in the world court. would they refused to accepted it. bunch of kids,flip floping.
about thaksin, how much does hun sen trust him. does thaksin going to abusing his children badly because he like his friend,hun sen. does he like his friend blood more than his own blood even those his own blood want to throw him in jail for a couple years.
does he going to open up freely for kampuchea. if he does,he will be acuse of treason for sure. oh yes, i like to see this. war is immenent at the border.
we already won in the international court. we dont have to go back to int. court again. they had more than ten years to apeal but they didnt. the case was closed thirty years ago.
Guy! Thailand is bluffing...ok! they are not going to close their fucken border with cambodia, they are bullshit lying and Fake-threaten...
If Thailand really close their border they will hurts their own people too..!
cambodia will, eventually, i'm sure! we're sick and tired of playing siem joke and game, really!
i think nowadays, it's about doing the right thing in cambodia. nominating thaksin for economic adviser is the right thing for cambodia, really!
Cambodia always welcome Thai people since the day the Mongol kicking Tai ass out of Nanchao.
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