By Allen Myers, Phnom Penh
Posted by The Nation
PM Abhisit is working overtime to prevent international observers seeing what his troops have been and are doing. But can he hide them from the Buddha?
Who, if anyone, is in charge of the Thai Air Force?
Is it the Thai Defence Minister? Someone else in the government? A military commander? The yellow shirts? The question arises because all of these people, and more, seem to be issuing orders to Thailand's Air Force and/or explaining its actions. And mostly they disagree with each other.
Let's start with the yellow shirts. Although they put PM Abhisit into office by occupying the Bangkok airport, they are upset with his inability to disband Unesco, overrun Preah Vihear or convince the rest of the world that Thailand is the only country that has any heritage worth mentioning.
On February 3, there was a yellow-shirt demonstration in Bangkok led byMajor-General Chamlong Srimuang. According to The Nation, Chamlong called on the Thai government "to withdraw Thailand from membership of the World Heritage Committee, disavow 2000's memorandum of understanding on bilateral border demarcations" with Cambodia and to "send F-16 fighters flying over the controversial spots along the Thai-Cambodian border". The report continued: "The Thai Air Force could be used in lieu of ground or naval forces against the Cambodians, who only have some dilapidated MiG-21 fighters."
The same article quoted the Thai Defence Minister, General Prawit Wongsuwan, as saying "Military ties between Thailand and Cambodia remained firm and friendly". However, the minister has some peculiar ideas about friendship. Or perhaps a major-general in the yellow shirts outranks a general in the government. Whatever the reason, five days later Prawit had adopted Chamlong's idea regarding the Air Force. Prawit told the Thai Cabinet "'that Cambodia was unlikely to exacerbate the situation because it did not have a strong military. "Cambodia's air force is not powerful, and I warned my counterpart [Cambodian Defence Minister] Tea Banh that we would fly jet fighters if they did not stop,' Prawit was quoted as saying." (The Nation, February 9.)
Two days later, two Thai fighter planes flew along, and possibly across, the border near the Preah Vihear Temple. Thai DeputyPM Suthep Thaugsuban said that this had not happened, and anyway it was only normal flight training. Suthep was contradicted by Air Chief Marshal Prachin Chantong, who said that two Thai planes "flew very close to the Cambodian border by mistake". Prachin reportedly said that the planes were participating in the Cobra Gold military exercises with the US and Singapore.
It might be too cynical to discount the "mistake" explanation. Mistakes seem to be endemic in the Thai Air Force, perhaps because its personnel can't be sure whose orders they are supposed to be following. A more serious mistake occurred on February 14, when two Thai F-16s crashed; fortunately the pilots ejected safely. Initial reports indicated that the planes may have collided with each other. Perhaps Major-General Chamlong told them "Turn right" while Air Chief Marshal Prachin was telling them "Turn left."
However, we should also mention the possibility that the crashes were not a mistake in the usual sense of the word. In both Thailand and Cambodia, the majority religion is Buddhism. It is a central Buddhist belief that a person's good or bad behaviour today affects their future fortune. Some Buddhists might be inclined to see the loss of two military planes as karmic retribution for the Thai military's shelling of both the Temple of Preah Vihear and Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak.
PM Abhisit is working overtime to prevent international observers seeing what his troops have been and are doing. But can he hide them from the Buddha?
11 comments:
Part 1:
"Phnom Penh Post, February 17, 2011
COMMENT
The view from Cambodia [PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE]
By Michael Hayes
When I was publisher and editor-in-chief of the Phnom Penh Post I was sued once by then-Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, accused of spreading disinformation and trying to create political instability. Over the years, several Cambodian government officials even accused me and my newspaper of attempting to “destroy the nation”.
At the very least I’ve never been called a spin doctor for the Cambodian government. But on the issue of the current border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand surrounding Wat Preah Vihear I’m as angry as all Cambodians are at what we perceive as a Thai-initiated conflict of grossly unjust proportions.
We are not alone. Since this issue flared up two years ago, I have not met one Asian or Western diplomat, one foreign aid worker or one expatriate businessman in Phnom Penh who disagrees. Even a few Thai friends have sheepishly expressed support for the Cambodian side on this spat.
The nagging question that perplexes us all is why Thailand is trying to export its domestic political problems and dump them on poor Cambodia? The sentiment here is that if the Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts want to fight it out, do so somewhere in Thailand, but don’t use Cambodia as a scapegoat.
The view from Cambodia is simple: the issue of sovereignty over the temple was decided back in 1962 when the case was submitted to the International Court of Justice in The Hague."
Anet Khmer
Part II:
“If Thailand didn’t want to abide by the court’s ruling then why did it agree to submit the case in the first place? And why are they groaning now and firing artillery shells at the temple almost 50 years later?
Moreover, when Thailand says: Well, we controlled the temple in the 1800s and before, the Khmers have a simpler reply: Yeah, but WE BUILT IT! We started construction in the early 9th century, modified and improved it for 250 years and then continued to pray there and celebrate our Gods for another three centuries until you guys stole it after you sacked and looted our capital at Angkor Wat three times between 1352 and 1431. Thank you very much. End of story.
Cambodia has no interest whatsoever in another protracted violent conflict with anybody. The Kingdom is still trying to recover from 30 years of civil war, Pol Pot madness and the ensuing guerilla conflict in the 80’s and 90’s that in total cost the lives of over 2.5 million Cambodians and left the country in ruins. Every dollar spent on the military conflict there is a dollar lost for building desperately needed roads, schools and hospitals.
The Thai accusation that Cambodia has had some secret plot to steal Thai land along the border is also seen as ludicrous.
Everybody knows that since 1970 Cambodia has been too consumed with domestic strife to take even one meter of land from any of its neighbors. In fact, foreign aid officials who worked on the Thai border in the 80s will readily admit that border creep worked in reverse. It was Thai farmers living in peace—and I’m not accusing the Thai government of some orchestrated campaign here—who took the opportunity to plant a few extra hectares in disputed border areas while internally Cambodia was in complete disarray.”
Please continue to Part III.
Anet Khmer
Part III (the end)
"If there is one thing that is clear, it is that the entire border needs to be systematically surveyed and demarcated, step by step, once and for all.
As for the disputed 4.5 square kms just north of temple, why not consider this: Turn the area into the Cambodian-Thai International Friendship Park and set it up as a jointly managed enterprise by both countries’ Ministries of Tourism. Invite in hawkers, entrepreneurs, whatever from both sides of the border to set up businesses to cater to the millions of tourists who will want to visit the site in the coming decades and beyond. Tax revenues could be shared by both nations equally. Everybody wins.
It could also be a model for other border disputes around the globe.
If the Thais want a protracted, bloody fight on their hands over the temple, they’ve got one. In the 20 years I’ve been in Cambodia the Preah Vihear issue is without question the only one I’ve seen that has united the entire nation. Cambodian TV stations have been running fundraisers off and on with donations large and small pouring in from all quarters for two years. Even the normally truculent Sam Rainsy Party and others in the opposition are fully on board.
It’s clear from a visit to the temple last week that the Cambodian military has dug in for the long haul. New heavy tanks, armored personnel carriers and ammunition “donated by friendly countries” are evident all over the base of the escarpment. Battle-scarred veterans, no doubt from all of Cambodia’s four previously warring factions and including ex-Khmer Rouge who controlled the temple from 1975 to 1998, are now all operating under one flag. And yes, of course there are Cambodian soldiers with weapons bunkered around the temple. If they weren’t there the Thai military could literally walk in and take control of it in five minutes. What government in Phnom Penh could allow that?
If this dispute goes real hot, relations between Cambodia and Thailand will be ruined for years, hundreds on both sides will die needlessly and the economic costs to the two countries will be astronomical.
Cooler heads need to prevail but rest assured the Cambodians will never, no matter what the price, give up control of Wat Preah Vihear.
Why should they? It’s theirs.
Michael Hayes co-founded the Phnom Penh Post in 1992 and was Publisher & Editor-in-Chief from 1992 to 2008."
Due to the limitation of a number of characters to be allowed in each posting, I have to post this article 3 times. I am really sorry!
I am just wondering if KI Media team and Mr. Heng Soy could possibly combine the 3 parts of this article and post it again on their site to make it easier for other to read. Thank you very much.
Anet Khmer
The editorial by Mr. Allen Myers, Phnom Penh is very good and quite to the point.
Shame on you the Thai government!
You have the advantages in term of number, money and more modern and sophisticated weapons over Cambodia; however, we will still take you on as Preah Vihear and its surrounding was built and owned by the Khmers and shall always remain the property of Cambodia.
Think twice before you make your move as we are ready to take you on on this issue.
Anet Khmer
TRUE DHAMMA: Khun Thai/Siam PAD's Thugs,especially Khun Abhisit & Kasit both of you are no longer hidden from the MOON,The SUN and the TRUTH by not knowing your suffering is caused by desires or unsatisfactoriness from your GREED,ANGER and DELUSON.
OUR ANCESTORS says Don't trust the Sky don't trust the Star don't trudt THAI/SIAM PAD's THUGS Flip Flop committed a lot of crimes by not knowing Preah Vihear is belong to Khmer Empire "KINGDOM of CAMBODIA" Built by Khmer King not your stupidPAD kings.
KHUN KHA KHANG MANOUS U TINAY...?
KWAM ROO THIM TOUR HOAR OY TOUR MY ROT.
KHUN MY ME DOUNGTA HINN DHAMMA KHUN LOUNG.
A KWAM NGOR NE ANDARAY MARK.
Khanti's Forbearance
1:24 AM
By the same token, please have the author opine his view (with relevant facts)about the Cambodian and Vietnamese border.
I look forward to hearing his view.
Thanks Anet Khmer for the important lecture.
Also thanks to KI. Kind of good Academic-Article are very important for us Khmer, who are now living outside of Cambodia.
Prasat Preah Vihear belongs to all Khmer people around the world included the Khmer from other side of the Cambodian border.
Anet Khmer
1:50 AM
Conversely, does the author have the audacity opine or express his perspective on the Cambodian and Vietnamese border by using relevant facts?
Folks,
You can't fight 2 giants at the same time as they will indirectly and unintentionally join forces to swallow Cambodia whole, especially when Cambodians are not yet united at all on any other issues the same way they are on Preah Vihear.
In addition you have a corrupt and dictatorial government in place supported by even the current King and King Father, China and the rest of the world more or less.
That is the destiny of Cambodia with its divided and hardly united citizens and leaders who think first of themselves, second their families, third their friends, cronies and supporters and last and really last Cambodia and her people.
Cambodia has so many problems so take it easy dealing with one problem at a time.
Anet Khmer
It should not becoming any problem at all.
I'm sure mostly past of people between 2 countrys are not want war!
They're becoming sick of it and seek for only the peaceful.
...Even Abhisit & Kasit came from the top of the school of Oxford University got PhD;Master degree ect,...both of them still blind from birth by not khnowing the caused of suffering from Greed,Anger and Delusion.
No matter what how strong your armies are, even u've million of F-16 or F-116 no one will win only suffering. Both of u are not much differnces from Aldof Hittler,Stalin,Sadam,Mao Ste Toung,and even President Richard Nixon/Kissinger can't defeat Chinese/Vietnamese's communist ...and also your stupidPAD's thugs Thai Kings want to control the world especially our Temple Preah Vihear belong to Khmer Kings and built by Khmer kings not your StupidPAD's Kings.
Our Guardian Lok Ta Dy will protect Preah Vihear as you know what happen to your F-15 and F-16...?. Next time you can buy more F-115-and F-116 from US as you wished and lets your thai farmers more hunger and staved to death and please don't ask Lord Buddha come for help.
Good Luck for war mongers.
Albert Einstein says "I do not know what Weapons World War 3 will fought but World War 4 will be fought with Sticks and Stones.
Khanti's Forbearance
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