We have to have bilateral talk with Cambodia ... but our parliament won't let us talk with you: Thai perfidious Catch-22 on public display

Why make such a fuss about it? That’s nonsense. - CHAI CHIDCHOB PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Border talks minutes 'can't be debated'

Details of 3 meetings precluded from House

18/08/2010
Mongkol Bangprapa
Bangkok Post

A Catch-22, coined by Joseph Heller in his novel Catch-22, is a logical paradox arising from a situation in which an individual needs something that can only be acquired by not being in that very situation; therefore, the acquisition of this thing becomes logically impossible. Catch-22s are often spoken with regard to rules, regulations, procedures, or situations in which one has knowledge of being or becoming a victim but has no control over it occurring.

A joint House-Senate session has voted to prevent the minutes of three parliamentary meetings held to discuss border issues from being debated in parliament.

The majority of the members of yesterday's session agreed with a House committee on parliamentary affairs recommendation that the minutes of three joint closed-door meetings held in 2008 and last year be off limits in parliamentary debates.

The meetings focused on developing a framework for border negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia, and Thailand and Laos.

Yesterday's joint session voted on whether the minutes of three closed-door meetings on border issues should be barred from parliamentary debate.

The first meeting was held on Oct 28, 2008 to discuss a framework for land demarcation negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia.

The second meeting took place on Mar 24-25 last year and was held to discuss a framework for land demarcation discussions between Thailand and Laos.

The third meeting took place on April 27 and was aimed at developing a framework for negotiations on the mechanisms of the Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee. Forty-eight members voted against the move.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the minutes of the meetings would be made public, but they were off limits in parliamentary debates.

Meanwhile, about 100 members of the so-called Thai Patriots network, allied with the People's Alliance for Democracy, yesterday gathered outside parliament to oppose House approval of the minutes of the three meetings, particularly those pertaining to border issues with Cambodia.

Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of the network, said the group would camp outside parliament overnight.

Mr Chaiwat said the group had given the government 24 hours to take action against Cambodian settlers encroaching upon the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple. Failure to act would cause the group to take legal action against the government for dereliction of duty, he said.

Mr Chaiwat said parliament's approval of the minutes could lead to a loss of territorial sovereignty.

He said the government must revoke the 2000 memorandum of understanding on land demarcation Thailand signed with Cambodia.

Mr Chaiwat said the group would take its rally to Government House if the government fails to heed its demands.

Parliament Speaker Chai Chidchob slammed the network as being "nonsensical".

He said parliament had no hidden agenda in its border negotiations with neighbouring countries.

"There's nothing to it. Why make such a fuss about it? That's nonsense," he said.