Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Army: Thai military officers not attending Thai-Cambodian border meeting in Indonesia

BANGKOK, April 5 (MCOT online news) - Thailand's Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jaggabatara on Tuesday said that Thai army officers will not attend the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting taking place in Indonesia and that Indonesian observers will not be allowed to be present at the disputed Thai-Cambodian border.

The supreme commander announced Thailand's stance after meeting commanders of Thailand's three armed services as Indonesia, as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), called for both the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and GBC meetings to be held on Thursday and Friday in Bogor, Indonesia.

The arrangement was part of an agreement to settle the boundary conflict between the two ASEAN neighbours and included a plan to dispatch Indonesian observers to the disputed area adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.


Gen Songkitti stated that the Thai army will not attend the upcoming GBC meeting in Indonesia as both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 1995 that the border meeting, chaired by the defence ministers of the two countries, were to be held annually on a bilateral basis and that Thailand and Cambodia would take turns as host.

"The military adheres to the commitment that the two neighbours have made over the bilateral talk basis," said Gen Songkitti. "Besides, the United Nations Security Council resolution and the meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers stated clearly that Thailand and Cambodia should hold talk bilaterally under existing mechanism."

The Thai supreme commander added that the Thai army is ready to attend the GBC meeting in Cambodia when the right time and place comes.

"If the army attends the meeting in Indonesia, this means it does not follow the 1995 MoU and the army cannot do so as it needs parliamentary approval on the matter," said Gen Songkitti.

Gen Songkitti however said Thailand is willing to host the GBC meeting if Cambodia is not ready to hold the meeting.

Regarding the plan of Indonesia to dispatch observers to the disputed Thai-Cambodian border, the supreme commander reasserted that the Thai armed forces must protect the country's sovereignty and cannot allow any troops of any country to trespass the Thai territory as this can affect the kingdom's national security strategies.

Gen Songkitti reiterated that the presence of another country's troops means that Thailand's sovereignty is violated.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cambodia should stop kissing Thai's Ass! If Thai continue to play childish games...let them fooling around by themselves, we must going forward...

Anonymous said...

So far, Thai-thief can't do anything to evict khmers from khmer's lands...

Anonymous said...

Cambodia must continue to improve her military power, don't be too peaceful and relaxing...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I went to some islands in Koh Kong. Most islands, and along the coast of Puy Yipon( Japanes Coast) Khmer were/are cleared by force to make way for Chinese. Khmer have been live in this islands and coastal area generation after generation. Their way of life were to fish or foraging any sea food. However, now these people were moved to live in the jungle with nothing to eat, dying because there are no hospital, and worst are not allow to plant anything for food. Anybody can see this. To get there, take high way to Koh Kong, after 2nd bridge, take left turn, drive all way, pass Tamor Sor/White Rock, you will see thousands of house built and house our unfortunate Khmer whome have been removed by force to live in a place they do not want to live. Some portion of road are being built by Khmer army for Chinese devlepment, this mean including cut down our trees and ship out to China.Folks, this is not develompent, it is raping our resources, raping our Khmer way of life, raping our culture, and we should not, must not allow this to happen.

11:14 PM

Anonymous said...

Hun xen/manet need to kick ah siam or thai out of the 4.6 sp/m lands back to where they belong.

Anonymous said...

I told you not to trust Thai people at all. they are all the same " cheating with sweet word"

Khmer Aussie