[Thai] Military News: Thailand digs itself into a deeper hole on cluster bombs & rejection of border observers

In fact, in the artillery exchange that took place between Thailand and Cambodia, an Al Jazeera journalist was at the Thai military artillery unit, and the journalist said the Thai started the artillery exchange.

Thailand's Defense Minister, Pravit, just yesterday deny Thai military used cluster bombs

By Ranger, Thai Intel’s national security journalist
Originally posted on http://thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com

Thai Intel just got a comment from a reader, who said, quote:

Actually, the so-called “rogue state” is Cambodia, as seen by the first shot fired into Thailand’s territory. Even after a cease fired agreement, the country still fired during the night. Furthermore, Cambodia’s special forces has also tried to ambush the Thai military in Thai soil. Not only does this show the state of inconsideration of the Cambodia army, but also the aggression it has.

Not only are the attacks meant on the military, but a local village and school was also destroyed from Cambodian attacks, a few civilians lost their lives as well. An excuse of miss placed shots can not be use because the village is quite far from military positions.

If you think Cambodia is defending the old temple monument because of their love, think again. Would a country to worships a temple, as old as the one in dispute, use it as a strong hold for its army? would one use it as a barrack? would one use it to stock armament? I don’t think so.

Those who think Thailand is the rouge state is delusional and ignorant.

Thai Intel just wants to say that actually, several local press such as Thai Rath, which is pro-Democrat party, said the start of the current crisis between Thailand and Cambodia stems from the Thai prime minister, Abhisit, sending a group of Thais into Cambodia on a spying mission.

• Then by now, most neutral observer have agreed that at the time when the situation between Thailand and Cambodian was already tense, Thailand sent in tractors to build a road in the disputed territory. Those tractors building road caused the Cambodians to fire on the tractors to stop them. By the way, the road, is for security purpose so that Thai military vehicles can better move into the dispute territory.

Now there is news that Thailand have actually used cluster bombs in the clashes with the Cambodia.

Meanwhile, as Thailand keeps repeating that cambodia is the agressor, one thing is clear, Cambodia wants nutural observers in the dispute territory. Why, because such observers could help prevent clashes.

Thailand meanwhile, refuses these observers.

Why? So that it could take action against the Cambodians without anyone knowing. In fact, in the artillery exchange that took place between Thailand and Cambodia, an Al Jazeera journalist was at the Thai military artillery unit, and the journalist said the Thai started the artillery exchange.

The following is from the Bangkok Post on Thailand’s digging itself into a deeper hole on the cluster bombs issue:

The international anti-cluster munitions group insists Thailand is only “muddying the waters” by attempting to refute the allegation that it used cluster bombs during border clashes with Cambodia in late February.

Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) director Laura Cheeseman yesterday said the Thai army admitted to using Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) in fighting with Cambodia. The DPICM, she said, is a “classic example of a cluster munition”.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi yesterday released a statement rebutting the CMC’s claim. He said the group “misinterpreted” a statement made by Thai Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva Sihasak Phuangketkeow.

Cheeseman: Thailand ‘muddying the waters’

Mr Thani said the Permanent Representative had told the CMC that Thailand had used DPICM, not cluster munitions.

“How Thailand could come to such a conclusion is baffling,” Ms Cheeseman stated. “The DPICM is the classic example of a cluster munition, which is essentially a large canister that opens up after deployment to disperse many submunitions over a wide area.”

Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng echoed an earlier denial made by Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon that the army has no cluster bombs in its arsenal.

“We may have some weapons with similar features to cluster bombs but they do not work like cluster bombs. They are not cluster bombs,” Col Thanathip said.

A source in the army said the weapon in question could be the Caesar self-propelled howitzer, whose artillery burst into bomblets.

The army suspended its use after the border clashes in February.

Ms Cheeseman also countered an argument made by acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn that armies of different countries can categorise weapons differently. No country besides Thailand has ever questioned if the DPICM is a cluster munition, she said in an email to the Bangkok Post.

In the Foreign Ministry’s statement, Mr Thani said Thailand’s use of DPICM was in response to Cambodia’s attacks with BM-21 rocket launcher systems, which struck at targets indiscriminately.

“Such attacks had impacted Thai civilians. It was therefore necessary for Thai troops to act in self-defence against such military targets.”

Ms Cheeseman said instead of trying to muddy the waters with the question of definition, the Thai government should take steps to ban all cluster munitions by joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that prohibits the use, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs.

The following is from DPA, on Cambodian complain about Thailand’s rejection of neutral observer.

Cambodia criticizes Thai stance on border dispute observers

Apr 9, 2011, 8:00 GMT

Jakarta – Cambodia on Saturday expressed frustration over conflicting messages from Thailand on Indonesia’s role as mediator in a border dispute between the two nations.

Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers agreed in February to accept Indonesian observers stationed along their common border to monitor a ceasefire in a dispute over land surrounding an 11th-century Hindu temple.

But Thailand’s military insisted the issue be resolved bilaterally and rejected the involvement of Indonesia, the current chair of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

‘We can’t understand,’ Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said in Jakarta. ‘If Thailand wishes really to have a ceasefire on the border, why should they hesitate to receive Indonesian observers?’

Hor Namhong said Thailand accused Cambodia of starting the fighting every time an armed clash broke out.

‘Frankly speaking, it’s really difficult to deal with them,’ he said. ‘The government, the foreign minister, says one thing while the military says another thing.

‘We don’t know who we can trust, who to deal with. We don’t know who really has the right to negotiate.’

Thai and Cambodian diplomats held talks Thursday and Friday in the Indonesian city of Bogor to try to resolve the dispute.

The Bangkok Post reported Friday that Thailand’s Foreign Ministry would take over from the Defence Ministry the task of defining the roles of Indonesian observers and where to post them along the Thai-Cambodian border.

The ministry originally only had responsibility for giving the observers diplomatic immunity while they are stationed in Thailand.

The move upset the Thai military, which announced Tuesday that it would not allow observers to enter the disputed area, the Post said.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya reportedly said he had agreed with Phnom Penh and Jakarta that Indonesian observers could inspect the area.

The Bangkok Post said 15 Indonesian observers would be deployed in Thailand and 15 in Cambodia

Thailand has blamed UNESCO for exacerbating the dispute with its 2008 cision to list the Preah Vihear border temple as a heritage site despite Bangkok’s objections.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the 11th-century temple belonged to Cambodia but stopped short of determining the border demarcation in a nearby contested area.

Both countries claim a 4.6-square-kilometre plot of land near the temple, which has been included under Cambodia’s management plan for UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.