BANGKOK, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva feared that his former ally, the Yellow Shirts protesters' main aim of rallying in the capital was to oust the government.
At that time, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which led the Yellow Shirts protesters, made only three demands:
The government must revoke the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Thai-Cambodia border signed in 2000, pull Thailand out of the Unescco World Heritage Committee, and expel Cambodians from the disputed area.
"Their intention is not to push for the revocation of the memorandum. Their intention is to oust the present government," Abhisit said on Jan 24.
At that time, it was hard to believe the premier's claim on the matter as the Yellow Shirts kept maintaining that they were interested in the three demands only, and would end the ongoing rally held since Jan 25, if the government gave in to their demands.
The Yellow Shirts claimed that the MoU had put Thailand at a disadvantage and they are concerned of the decision that the world heritage body was expected to make in June, on the management plan of the Preah Vihear Temple in Cambodia.
The management plan of the temple covered a disputed area with Thailand and Cambodia, claiming sovereignity over 4.6 sq km adjacent to the 11th century temple listed by Unesco as a world heritage site in 2008.
The overlapping claim covered an area leading to the temple's entrance and its surrounding although the temple was ruled to be located in Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962.
The Abhisit administration has refused to bow to the three demands.
The prime minister said Cambodia and Thailand would be left with no other option but to use force to settle their border dispute if the MoU was cancelled.
Thailand views as important, its membership at the Unesco World Heritage Committee, as it is a platform for the country to voice out its stand on the management plan of the temple.
"The World Heritage Committee would be hearing the Cambodian side of the story, only if we pull out of the committee," he said.
Thailand protested the management plan for the temple submitted to the committee during its meeting in Brazil last July, as the plan covered the disputed area.
The committee subsequently postponed its decision on the management plan to its next meeting in Cairo, in June this year.
Yesterday, the Yellow Shirts declared that they would put more pressure for the present government to step down.
The declaration was made after a two-day clash which ended yesterday between Thai and Cambodian soldiers at the disputed area which left two people dead and 10 soldiers injured from the Thai side.
PAD leader Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang said the government had failed to run the country and resolve the border dispute with Cambodia, and claimed the incident would not have occurred, had the government met their three demands earlier.
Abhisit said the MoU helped in bringing a calm situation at the border.
"We will intensify our campaign to pressure Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign and the Democrat-led government to step down," said Chamlong.
Abhisit must have realised when he made the claim two weeks ago, because everytime the Yellow Shirts goes marching in the street, it posed a threat to the downfall of a government as proven in the past three administrations.
The Yellow Shirts protesters played some kind of role leading to the ouster of the Thaksin Shinwatra, Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sunaravej governments.
5 comments:
PAD leader Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang said the government had failed to run the country and resolve the border dispute with Cambodia, and claimed the incident would not have occurred, had the government met their three demands earlier.
REALLY? Let's how that is possible, here are THREE DEMANDS of the PAD that could PREVENT the incident from occurring:
1) The government must revoke the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Thai-Cambodia border signed in 2000
2) Pull Thailand out of the Unescco World Heritage Committee
3) Expel Cambodians from the disputed area.
Judge for yourself my fellow Thais and Cambodians friends...
Either the PAD are really stupid, really ignorant, or they believe that ALL PADS followers are just plain naive and dumb people.
Either way, to listen to that speech and believe it in your heart that that three demand would prevent this week's incident is an insult to your intelligence--now if you had none, there is very little we can do about it!
Please ask yourself these questions and prepare to be awake, PAD followers!
Listen now; How can expelling Cambodians from their land forcefully prevents a forceful and deadly retaliation incident from occurring? You think because their is no MOU, Cambodians will leave their land?
No, if there is no understanding, an insult like that demand would have not just resulted in mere skirmish but already A FULL BLOWN WAR. Listen now and think about that.
Second, demand number 2, pulling out of World Heritage. Cambodia does not need Thai to be in World heritage to manage it's own temples. Even if Thai lead the world heritage and convinced the world the unlist the temple, Cambodians will still be able to managed the temple by themselves--and when that happen. If Thai pulls out, then Thai lose all saying in how the World Heritage decides to protect this area. Your lost, not ours. Not only that, you will lose World Heritage protections of many other ancient Khmer heritages deep inside Thailand--even your own Ayuthia heritage sight won't be protected under the status anymore.
Thirdly, revoking the memorandum of understanding, Cambodia though a small country, would have no choice but to declare full war on Thailand because as it currently stands, based on international mapped created and deposited by France and accepted by ICJ, the Thai military forces right now are in Cambodian land, not "white zones". it is the MOU that gives you this "white zone" and allow the Cambodians to tolerate this invasion.
So in no way, does following PAD Thai dish demands PREVENT THE INCIDENT, don't let your leaders speak for you and use your thick head to reason about what you been told! Think for yourself PAD! Stop being a TOOL!
If any one of those three demands are met, with the exception of pulling out of world heritage(Khmer could care less), then war of greater scale will surely break out and that little skirmish will be nothing compare to it...Nobody wants to be invaded. So Cambodians are no different, don't think you can push them around because they are a small country.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the PAD are the same. They are playing game to gain political benefit.
5:12
The PAD do wants war, what are u talking about?
WE MUST CONDEMN THAILAND'S ACT OF DESTROYING THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE!!!
It is culturally and religiously uncalled for Thailand to intentionally aim at the UNESCO registered KHMER Preah Vihear temple. We should remind every tourist about their evil act; parallel to the TALIBAN that bombed the Buddhist status in Afghanistan. IT IS VERY UNBECOMING OF THAILAND TO DO SUCH A THING!!!
9:11, That is precisely what I am talking about.
But their are stupid people who believe in things like, "this[the little battle wars] would not have happen" if PAD had their way. What what way is that you think? That way is full blown war, and that little skirmish would pale to comparison.
Please read what I am talking about.
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