23/11/2009
Bangkok Post
...if the second MoU is also revoked, Thailand could lose current territorial rights over Koh Kut island because Cambodia's acknowledgement of the Thai rights is part of this MoUThe government's move to revoke memorandums of understanding with Cambodia could put Thailand at a disadvantage, leading academics say.
The government should not let a mounting sense of patriotism influence its decision to nullify any MoU with Cambodia, said Puangthong Pawakapan, an international relations lecturer at Chulalongkorn University. She said taking such action could do more harm than good to the nation.
Two agreements have been much discussed, she said, adding one was signed during the Chuan Leekpai administration and the other during the Thaksin Shinawatra government.
The first MoU deals with survey and demarcation of land boundaries, and the second with the overlapping continental shelf area. If the first MoU is torn up, Mrs Puangthong said, any agreement on the survey and demarcation of land boundaries - which both sides have tried to negotiate for many years - would be scrapped.
The revocation of this MoU would inevitably result in a domino effect on another MoU Thailand has reached with Laos, she said. And if the second MoU is also revoked, Thailand could lose current territorial rights over Koh Kut island because Cambodia's acknowledgement of the Thai rights is part of this MoU, she said.
The termination of the MoU on the overlapping maritime boundary is awaiting parliamentary approval after the cabinet resolved on Nov 10 to have it revoked.
"We should not be tempted to resolve Thai-Cambodian conflicts by means of politics ... and we should get rid of the old attitude that Thailand is superior to Cambodia," she said.
Charnwit Kasetsiri, a former Thammasat University rector, said he hoped Thais who still believed Cambodia relied heavily on Thailand as it had in the past would change their attitudes.
Cambodia has now formed cooperation with many other countries since the day the Thai-Cambodian border dispute erupted, Mr Charnwit said.
Cambodia has developed cooperation with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) about having the Preah Vihear temple listed as a World Heritage site and sought economic cooperation with China, Japan and Korea, he said.
Mr Charnwit said if the rift between Thailand and Cambodia drags on, the former could lose hundreds of millions of baht in investment opportunities.
6 comments:
It seems like the smart Thais think that revoking the MOU with Cambodia is a very bad idea and they may never have another chance of getting such a good deal!
Could we conclude then that the MOU signed by the 2 concerned countries gives more advantages and possibly territory to Thailand than she deserves based on past Franco-Siamese treaty?
It is too bad Cambodia is geographically sandwiched between Vietnam and Thailand who are bigger in population, wealth, military power and, last but the most important, craving insatiably for Cambodian land.
It is time to stop being divided!
For your country's sake, every Khmer should think 100 times before doing harm to your country's interest; otherwise, you will eventually have no place to call home.
Anet Khmer
I totally agree with you.
If Hun Sen keep ignoring the border demarcations and the intrusions of east and west, we will be a minorit in our own country.
He is after all.....blind and not to mentioned lack of patriotism.
Cambodia allowed the enemy to infiltrate her home up to the high ranking officials that it is impossible to distinguished her real identity.
We all know full well that the game of power of greed and selfishness has led the kingdom shattered.
It is time that we,cambodians ought to learn from the past, and stop being manipulated by power and greed that Viet has given to some in the name of false patriotism. many times cambodians have fallen into the traps of our neighbors.
Please stop building your happinesses out of other cambodians' sufferings.
Reducing Cambodians' sufferings= Building up cambodians' unity.
Neang SA
Oh my god, did anyone read the words in bold?????? Hun Sen allowed the Thais the rights to Koh Kut???????????? Hmmmm, how much more will this loser Hun Sen be wise up to protect all Khmer territory.
A CPP ASS KISSER SOY SOPHEAP PHONE# 011-855-12819005
CALL HIM AND TELL HIM TO SHUT THE FUCK OFF!!
8:48
No shit! It was singed by AH KWACK AND THAKSIN! AH KWACK friendship is more important than his country!
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