By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
The boundary dispute with Cambodia and controversy over Preah Vihear Temple have become mixed up and widely politicised as political groups inflame the issues and accuse each other of losing Thai territory.
Some of the most vociferous of those charges and issues are:
The issues of borders and World Heritage listing of Preah Vihear were linked as the PAD tried to say that listing was equivalent to the loss of Thai sovereignty over areas where the temple was situated.
Based on the Siam-Franco treaties signed in 1904 and 1907, as well as an annex map made by the Siam-French joint boundary commission, the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear Temple was situated on land under Cambodian sovereignty.
The Thai government has basically argued that the court ruled only on the temple complex, and left questions about the boundary between the two countries unclear.
The PAD is concerned that the 2000 MOU recognised the Siam-Franco treaties and the French map as basic documents for boundary demarcation. And, as a result, Thailand may lose many parts of its claim to land by the temple, in accordance with the map, it said.
PAD member Veera Somkwamkid submitted a demand to the government yesterday to revoke the 2000 MOU.
Foreign Minister Kasit said the MOU could not be terminated, as it was the sole legal instrument and framework for boundary negotiation with Cambodia.
"The MOU is not a matter of territory loss. It could not change the boundary line which was already demarcated more than a century ago," Kasit said.
In fact the border between Thailand and Cambodia was demarcated during French colonial time. The MOU merely provided facilities for the two countries' boundary committee to jointly survey the border and find boundary pillars which were partly damaged, he said.
With the MOU, negotiation on boundary demarcation would be conducted in accordance with customary international law, Kasit said.
The MOU also prohibited the two countries from making any changes before the joint boundary committee completed its work, he said.
Former foreign minister Noppadon called yet another press conference to challenge Prime Minister Abhisit's claim that territory was lost when Noppadon supported Phnom Penh over World Heritage listing for the historic temple.
A joint communique he signed with Cambodia's deputy Prime Minister Sok An in 2008 to support the Preah Vihear proposal sought to protect Thai sovereignty. It made clear Cambodia would not take the disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres as a buffer zone for the temple, he said.
"Let's see the truth. Prime Minister Abhisit always uses doublespeak. The Thai government since the Chuan administration has recognised Cambodia's right over Preah Vihear and areas relinquished by Thailand to the temple when it declared the area of Phra Viharn national park in 1998," he said. "The 2008 joint communique, which was later revoked, changed nothing."
Some of the most vociferous of those charges and issues are:
- Nationalist groups under the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) umbrella have accused the government of possibly losing territory to Cambodia due to a document signed in 2000 by the Democrat-led administration headed by Chuan Leekpai.
- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has shifted the blame to former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama for giving Cambodia the chance to list the Preah Vihear as a world heritage site.
- Natural Resource and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti called a press briefing on his return from the World Heritage meeting in Brazil to claim credit for convincing the committee to delay consideration of Cambodia's management plan for Preah Vihear.
- Unlike Abhisit, Suwit thanked PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang for a protest staged in front of Unesco's regional office in Bangkok last week, in support of his efforts to block the Cambodian temple plan. Suwit implied that his mission was defending Thai sovereignty over the Preah Vihear.
- Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya called another press conference yesterday to defend the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on boundary demarcation, while his yellow-shirt alliance group turned their guns on the government for demanding its abolition.
The issues of borders and World Heritage listing of Preah Vihear were linked as the PAD tried to say that listing was equivalent to the loss of Thai sovereignty over areas where the temple was situated.
Based on the Siam-Franco treaties signed in 1904 and 1907, as well as an annex map made by the Siam-French joint boundary commission, the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear Temple was situated on land under Cambodian sovereignty.
The Thai government has basically argued that the court ruled only on the temple complex, and left questions about the boundary between the two countries unclear.
The PAD is concerned that the 2000 MOU recognised the Siam-Franco treaties and the French map as basic documents for boundary demarcation. And, as a result, Thailand may lose many parts of its claim to land by the temple, in accordance with the map, it said.
PAD member Veera Somkwamkid submitted a demand to the government yesterday to revoke the 2000 MOU.
Foreign Minister Kasit said the MOU could not be terminated, as it was the sole legal instrument and framework for boundary negotiation with Cambodia.
"The MOU is not a matter of territory loss. It could not change the boundary line which was already demarcated more than a century ago," Kasit said.
In fact the border between Thailand and Cambodia was demarcated during French colonial time. The MOU merely provided facilities for the two countries' boundary committee to jointly survey the border and find boundary pillars which were partly damaged, he said.
With the MOU, negotiation on boundary demarcation would be conducted in accordance with customary international law, Kasit said.
The MOU also prohibited the two countries from making any changes before the joint boundary committee completed its work, he said.
Former foreign minister Noppadon called yet another press conference to challenge Prime Minister Abhisit's claim that territory was lost when Noppadon supported Phnom Penh over World Heritage listing for the historic temple.
A joint communique he signed with Cambodia's deputy Prime Minister Sok An in 2008 to support the Preah Vihear proposal sought to protect Thai sovereignty. It made clear Cambodia would not take the disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres as a buffer zone for the temple, he said.
"Let's see the truth. Prime Minister Abhisit always uses doublespeak. The Thai government since the Chuan administration has recognised Cambodia's right over Preah Vihear and areas relinquished by Thailand to the temple when it declared the area of Phra Viharn national park in 1998," he said. "The 2008 joint communique, which was later revoked, changed nothing."
4 comments:
Ah thai is in a lose-lose situation now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They fight with each other for nothing.
This is the way that dog fighting food and when they get nothing so they bite and bark at each others! Shame Siamese !!!
Thailand has lost nothing to Cambodia. In the past, Thailand successfully managed to get many of khmer provinces. And presently, Thailand wants more from Cambodia. Cambodia has suffered enough already. I am extremely disappointed with the incompetence of khmer leaders.
Cambodia lost the case because the man who is in charge of this question is incompetent, he would never be able to handle it, replace him by someone more competent. Sok An is good in cock fighting but not in international laws..
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