Phnom Penh Monday, Apr. 25, 2011
Time Magazine (USA)
"The court of international opinion is stacking up against Thailand" -- Thitinan Pongsudhirak, visiting professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Cambodian and Thai troops squared-off for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, the latest in a series of deadly clashes over small but symbolically valued sections of territory along the Southeast Asian countries' shared border. The flashpoints are two ancient temples known in Cambodia as Ta Krabey and Ta Moan, which lie 160 kilometers west of Preah Vihear, a cliff-top temple that is the focal point of the wider border dispute. At least twelve soldiers have been killed and dozens wounded since Friday. Thousands of civilians were evacuated over the weekend from their homes because of mortar and rocket fire, according to officials from both governments.
Each side has accused the other of initiating the new round of fighting, which has been waged mostly with long-range artillery fire. In written statements, Cambodia's foreign ministry said Thai troops launched a "fierce armed offensive", and Thailand's foreign ministry alleged Cambodian troops prompted the flare-up with an "unprovoked attack." The United Nations on Saturday urged both sides to exercise "maximum restraint" and agree upon an "effective and verifiable" ceasefire. The government of Indonesia, which currently holds the rotating chair for the Association of Southern East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the regional political bloc, called for an "immediate cessation to hostilities." Improvised meetings scheduled for this evening between Indonesia's foreign minister and his Cambodian and Thai counterparts were called off on Monday, suggesting a diplomatic resolution is not near.
For decades there have been disputes between Cambodia and Thailand over the demarcation of their 798-kilometer land border, and more recently over claims to maritime territory that is believed to hold deposits of oil and natural gas. The foundation of the current violent standoff was laid in 2008, when the picturesque Preah Vihear temple was given UN World Heritage status as a Cambodian site, over Thai objections. That decision followed a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICT) that granted ownership of the temple to Cambodia, whose people today are the descendants of the Khmer empire that constructed Preah Vihear as well as the two temples that are currently the scene of fighting. Critics in Thailand argue the temples fall within their country's modern day borders.
The most recent clash follows fighting near Preah Vihear in early February in which eight people were killed. Civic groups confirm Cambodia's claim that Thailand used cluster munitions during that episode. Cluster munitions scatter bomblets over vast areas and are considered especially dangerous to civilian populations; 108 countries have agreed to a UN ban on the weapons, though neither Thailand nor Cambodia is a signatory to the treaty. After the clashes in February, Cambodia requested unarmed Indonesian peacekeepers be posted along the border. Thailand's foreign minister had agreed to that arrangement but the Thai military, which at times acts autonomously, balked at the deal.
Each side accuses the other of political maneuvering. In his weekly televised address on Sunday, Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Cambodia wished to escalate the conflict to attract international intervention: "Thailand will not fall into Cambodia's trap in which the neighbor tries to intensify the conflict so violently that the dispute can no longer be solved at the bilateral level." In a letter to the UN Security Council, Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong said Thailand's insistence on limiting mediation to bilateral channels was "a pretext for using its larger and materially more sophisticated armed forces against Cambodia." Thailand's economy — $312.6 billion in GDP compared to $11.4 billion in Cambodia in 2010 — dwarfs its neighbor's, and the disparity carries over to military spending: $2.9 billion by Thailand, compared to $191 million by Cambodia in 2009, the most recent year in which the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has gathered statistics on both countries.
Analysts say the border spat has been complicated by domestic political divisions in Thailand. Since the telecom mogul-cum populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra was removed as prime minister in a military coup in 2006, the country has been bitterly split. The army's role in that ouster and in the fatal suppression of protestors in Bangkok last year has polarized popular support for the military, which has long styled itself as the guardian of the state and monarchy. Thailand's ruling party is expected to call an election as early as next month and speculation has swirled about the intentions of the Thai army, which fears a return to power of "Red Shirt" politicians affiliated with Thaksin.
"In any country where the army seeks a prominent role in politics, it needs a security dispute to command attention and influence," says John Ciorciari, an assistant professor at University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. The Thai military is strongly wedded to the border dispute with Cambodia because their most loyal supporters, the "Yellow Shirt" activists, used the issue as a rallying cry to bring down prime minister Samak Sundaravej, a successor and ally of Thaksin, in 2008, alleging his stance against Cambodia was timid. "Now Abhisit is in the position of having to placate this constituency," says Ciorciari.
The fighting and nationalistic groundswell emanating from the clashes have also helped Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen score political points by unifying the country against a common enemy, he added. Ultimately, however the perceived role of the Thai army in fueling ongoing tension, by intentionally refusing settlement options, for its own political gain has made Thailand's position inferior to Cambodia's in the eye of international observers, says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a visiting professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington D.C. He says, "The court of international opinion is stacking up against Thailand."
10 comments:
The Thai is clearly in the wrong here.
The Thai military conveniently use the border dispute with Cambodia to turn attention away from division in Thai society.
These Thai scum seem to have their heads stuck in the 18th century.
If Prayuth was an all out war, Prayuth will at some point just relying on using just artillery from a distance. He will have move to move his soldiers closer for a real combat. Will see how the Thai soldier will perform with close combat setting.
Thai-go ahead with your strong military force.
With your perfect aggressively behavior, one day you will be the world leader of the Asian nations and a supper power for the sex business.
Thailand and Thai people, especially PAD Thai groups and Rouge Chan-Ocha are very bad. Thai people (PAD) don't even know that the Preah Vihear, Ta Maon, Ta Krabei belong to Khmer.
Thai is a very stupid nation because of older Thai people who betrayed and cheated Khmer people. The young generation like PAD and Chan-Ocha have been brainwashed by their King and Queen who are Siam crooks and thieves from Khmer Empire. The people in the world did not know about the history of Siam and Khmer Empire and did not know where Thai and Thailand were coming from originally. So there, Thai can play the trick and cheat or lie so easy because the foreigners did not know. What is that stupid nation doing in the world to make them proud? Or are they regret that they lied about their history? Thai King and some of Thai people including the Thai leaders are very very very stubborn and ridiculous.
Thai don't realize that they have done a lot of damages to many Angkorian temples in Khmer Empire country since Thai (originally named Tai-Chinese people) were migrated from Nanzhao province in Southern China in the late 12th into Khmer Empire land after Mongol destroyed and controlled China. Thai did not respect the Khmer King Jayavarman VII who allowed them to settle in Khmer Empire country until they attacked Khmer Kings and Khmer people and then looted and stole the land. They took advantages of the weakness of Khmer Empires after Khmer Empire became exhausted and lost some many armies by helping Tai-Chinese called SIAM who were destroyed by Burmese and helping Die Viet who were fighting with Mongol, being so busy to fight with Champa Empire who invade Khmer Empire territory.
I can't images how disgraceful Thai people are and Vietnamese.
Thai and Vietnamese people have been brainwashed by their disgraceful older people who betrayed the Khmer Empire Kings and people.
It is very sad when Khmer people today have NOT been credited and given back as return from powerful neighbors Thailand and Vietnam in the modern day (20th or 21st century), but Thai and Vietnamese just looked down on Khmer (Cambodian or Kampuchea today) just because they are successfully defeated Khmer people and cheated by taking advantages of the weakness of Khmer Empire and destroyed Khmer people and took the land.
Looking at Thai and Vietnamese, they are really thieves and crooks in the modern days and they are getting better than Khmer people until they tried to create the extinction of Khmer people. What wrong with Vietnamese people and leaders? What with Thai leaders and people?
Looking at Laos and Laotian people, they did not do anything to Khmer people and Kings, but they are still respecting Khmer people and Kings.
They both are very ugly and disgraceful nations in the world.
Right now, Cambodian and Thai are at war. How disgraceful Thai is by claiming and lying every Angkorian temple and land to be their owns, but they did not build those temples. Also, they destroyed and ruined the those temples of Khmer Angkor. Now, when it comes the high price and values, they wants to steal and claim the temples for money and tourist. How greedy Thai is!
Thailand should use Cluster Munitions to pray on Hun Sen' Thugs!
1:35 PM
Great idea, but you will the first, because Hun Sen has his own body grade to protect him.
Var Kim Hong does recognize that Cambodia, if compared to the colonial Service Geographique de l’Indochine scale map 1/100,000 and the 1985 delimitation treaty, will loses 9,000 hectares; and compared to U.S Army Mapping Service scale map 1/50,000 with the 1985 Treaty, would lose about 7,900 hectares to Vietnam. This statement was confirmed by Var Kim Hong to Mr. Touch Bora Esq through a telephone conversation on 30 August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. (Sydney time), which Mr. Touch Bora Esq wrote in his letter dated on 9 September 2002 sent to Sam Dach Ta Noroudom Sihanouk concerning over border affairs.
In fact, the loss is absolutely more than the 1000 square kilometers stated by MP Sam Rainsy in his statement, if we add the size of the historical water of 30000 square kilometers awarded to Vietnam under the 1982 Agreement which has been into affect and now already become under the full control of Vietnam. And this would not be the last if the equidistance principle be used to delimit the maritime boundary, Cambodia will lose an additional area of sea and seabed measuring at least 860 square nautical miles from the Brevie Line to the north, analyzed by Mr. Touch Bora Esq or another 10000 square kilometers confirmed by Mr. Sean Pengse, the President of the Cambodian Border Committee Worldwide, which exclusively include another Koh Poula Wai to Vietnam added to the previous lost islands- Koh Tral (Dao Phu Quoc) and Koh Poulo Panjang (Dao Thu Chu).
This is why sVar Kim Hong said in front of Students´s Movement for Democracy (SMD), and Sam Dach Ta Norodom Sihanouk on 22 Janaury 2000 during our audience with him concerning the border resolution with Vietnam that; “If we want peace, we must sacrifice our flesh to the tiger.” The truth is discovered now that, “Sacrifice the flesh to tiger actually means cutting our land to the Viet.” This word was clearly spoken out from his mouth and there were Sam Dach Ta as witness and 31 members.
We must condemn this Var Kim Hong for his role in helping the traitorous regime of Hun Sen.
Smart Khmer Girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Thailand and Thai people, especially PAD Thai groups and Rouge Chan-Ocha are very bad. Thai people (PAD) don't even know that the Preah Vihear, Ta Maon, Ta Krabei belong to Khmer.
Thai is a very stupid nation because of older Thai people who betrayed and cheated Khmer people. The young generation like PAD and Chan-Ocha have been brainwashed by their King and Queen who are Siam crooks and thieves from Khmer Empire. The people in the world did not know about the history of Siam and Khmer Empire and did not know where Thai and Thailand were coming from originally. So there, Thai can play the trick and cheat or lie so easy because the foreigners did not know. What is that stupid nation doing in the world to make them proud? Or are they regret that they lied about their history? Thai King and some of Thai people including the Thai leaders are very very very stubborn and ridiculous.
Thai don't realize that they have done a lot of damages to many Angkorian temples in Khmer Empire country since Thai (originally named Tai-Chinese people) were migrated from Nanzhao province in Southern China in the late 12th into Khmer Empire land after Mongol destroyed and controlled China. Thai did not respect the Khmer King Jayavarman VII who allowed them to settle in Khmer Empire country until they attacked Khmer Kings and Khmer people and then looted and stole the land. They took advantages of the weakness of Khmer Empires after Khmer Empire became exhausted and lost some many armies by helping Tai-Chinese called SIAM who were destroyed by Burmese and helping Die Viet who were fighting with Mongol, being so busy to fight with Champa Empire who invaded Khmer Empire territory.
I can't images how disgraceful Thai people and Vietnamese are in the world.
Thai and Vietnamese people have been brainwashed by their disgraceful older people who betrayed the Khmer Empire Kings and people.
It is very sad when Khmer people today have NOT been credited and given back as return from powerful neighbors Thailand and Vietnam in the modern day (20th or 21st century), but Thai and Vietnamese just looked down on Khmer (Cambodian or Kampuchea today) just because they are successfully defeated Khmer people and cheated by taking advantages of the weakness of Khmer Empire and destroyed Khmer people and took the land.
Looking at Thai and Vietnamese, they are really thieves and crooks in the modern days and they are getting better than Khmer people until they tried to create the extinction of Khmer people in order to protect their fake histories and maps in the world. What wrong with Vietnamese people and leaders? What wrong with Thai leaders and people?
Looking at Laos and Laotian people, they did not do anything to Khmer people and Kings, but they are still respecting Khmer people and Kings.
They both are very ugly and disgraceful nations in the world.
Right now, Cambodian and Thai are at war. How disgraceful Thai is by claiming and lying every Angkorian temple and land to be their owns, but they did not build those temples. Also, they destroyed and ruined the those temples of Khmer Angkor. Now, when it comes the high price and values, they wants to steal and claim the temples for money and tourist. How greedy Thai is!
Ms Rattana Keo = Fuck husband + Fuck boyfriend at the same time
She is going to fuck her father in law ome time too. Her mother in law know it very well and love the rattana keo treesome cultures because the mother in law love treesome too.
Youn will insert B-21 rocket into ms rattana keo's vagina in order to please her sex life.
Hun Sen will insert another B-21 rocket into ms rattana keo ass hole at the same time too
Her vagina hole is so big that only B-21 rockets can satified her sex life.
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