Preah Vihear held to ransom by Thai domestic politics

Op-Ed by Khmerization

10th November, 2009

“The Preah Vihear issue is increasingly in danger of becoming a “lost cause” by the day. Therefore, the longer the border conflict drags on, the more Cambodia gain to lose.”

The continued and escalated diplomatic row between Cambodia and Thailand has seen Mr. Hun Sen being demonised and condemned as the instigator of the conflict from all circles of the Thai political spectrum. Strong and unfair condemnations often came from influential people of Thai hardline politicians and political commentators. Newspaper editorials in Thailand, in the English-language as well as the Thai-language press, have all launched scathing personal attacks and put the blames for the bickering squarely on Mr. Hun Sen, forgetting about the preludes and the precursors to the current diplomatic confrontation.

But before launching carpet condemnations, one must examine the root cause of the conflict first. The current diplomatic spat was caused by Thai internal politics which culminated into border conflict with Cambodia. The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which was strongly backed by the Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, used the Preah Vihear issue to depose the Samak-Noppadon and Somchai Wongsawat government, which was a proxy of Mr. Thaksin. The PAD stoked nationalistic fervour and the border dispute flared up which culminated into Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear areas. As a goodwill gesture, instead of using the military and international diplomatic options, Mr. Hun Sen opted for bilateral talks to resolve the issue peacefully, however to no avail due to Thai insincerity and obstinacy.

Furthermore, the incessant taunting of Mr. Hun Sen from the PAD and certain Thai politicians have certainly contributed to the present diplomatic tensions that reached the level we’ve seen today. Since the coup d’etat that toppled Mr. Thaksin in 2006, many Thai politicians and political commentators have all used Mr. Thaksin, Preah Vihear and Mr. Hun Sen as their convenient punching bags for their domestic political consumption. Comments from certain prominent Thai politicians like the current Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya who called Mr. Hun Sen “nak leng” (gangster) and vowed “to use Hun Sen’s blood to clean his feet” have built up tensions which have certainly played a big part in the lead up to the present diplomatic war of words.

While I strongly disagreed with Mr. Hun Sen for appointing Mr. Thaksin that sparked the latest diplomatic tit-for-tat, I can understand his frustration over the continued occupation of the Preah Vihear areas by the Thai army and the deliberate attempt by Thai politicians and parliament to stall the progress of the border resolution by delaying the ratification of the agreements. Fair-minded people would have known that the Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear areas was the root cause of the present diplomatic war. The Thai tactics have frustrated Mr. Hun Sen and their continued patronising policy has exhausted all his patience and pushed him to the brink like a cornered dog who will bite back and bite back hard, when cornered.

While Mr. Hun Sen has been smeared and labelled a troublemaker by the Thai media, the Thai side has not been innocent either. The reckless macho-man-like behaviours of the Thai government by over-reacting and flexing its diplomatic muscles is nothing short of arrogance and a standover tactics. By recalling its ambassador, revoking MoU of maritime border agreements, the threats of border closures and the cancellations of joint projects with Cambodia, Thailand, believing in its superiority complex, has embarked on a collision cause with Mr. Hun Sen with the aim of teaching its poorer and weaker neighbour a hard lesson. The Thai leaders must have known that Mr. Hun Sen is an autocratic strongman who wielded unchallenged powers in Cambodia. These sorts of Thai tactics will not make him budge, but only make him more determined and stronger.

Many Cambodians see the cancellation of the maritime border agreements as a positive step for Cambodia’s border woes. Many Cambodian critics of Mr. Hun Sen claimed that the “26,000 km2 overlapping areas” are actually Cambodian territorial waters under the 1907 treaty. By cancelling the agreements singed in 2001, Thailand has given Cambodia ammunitions to take the case to the international forums, should Cambodia chooses to do so. And the loss from border closures will be mutual. But Thai businesses, rather than Cambodian, will bear the greatest brunt of the closures and will be at the losing end because Thai businesses have invested heavily in Cambodia, especially in telecommunications, hotels, casino and constructions. Furthermore, Thailand gains to lose more than $2 billion in trades surplus with Cambodia.

The continued diplomatic spat has served no purpose for the two people and nations. Prolonged dispute, especially when diplomatic channels have been shut, can escalate into a larger and more dangerous confrontation. The sooner it can be de-escalated or ceased altogether, the sooner for the resumption of land border and maritime border talks to take place.

Both Thai and Cambodian leaders should cease this diplomatic bickering now and concentrate on resolving the more confronting and challenging problems of border conflict. The Preah Vihear issue is increasingly in danger of becoming a “lost cause” by the day. Therefore, the longer the border conflict drags on, the more Cambodia gain to lose.