Bangkok Post
Army commander-in-chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said Wednesday he would never order the withdrawal of Thai soldiers stationed near the disputed areas on the border with Cambodia unless there is a reciprocal withdrawal by Phnom Penh's forces.
“Why do we both remain in the disputed areas?" he said.
"The answer is because one side has broken the rules and the other was left with no choice but to deploy troops to fight to protect its territorial sovereignty,’’ he said.
“If Cambodia does not withdraw its troops, we won’t either. This is the rule and our superiors have also instructed us to do it this way,’’ said Gen Prayuth.
Gen Prayuth said he had a meeting with his visiting Malaysian counterpart General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin in Bangkok on Tuesday, but the Malaysian army chief said little about the border dispute.
Gen Zulkifeli said only that he would respect whatever decision was eventually made by Thailand and Cambodia, because it was an internal issue between the two countries and Asean was not able to intervene, said Gen Prayuth.
It was a problem between Thailand and Cambodia and the two nations should try to resolve it through dialogue, Gen Zulkifeli said, according to Gen Prayuth.
Defence spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will meet his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh to discuss border problems during the 5th Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) in Jakarta.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit would be accompanied by Gen Kittipong Ketkowit, the permanent secretary for defence, and a number of military officers in the trip to Indonesia.
The meeting is for the defence ministers of the 10 Asean member countries to exchange opinions concerning security and military affairs in the region.
Asean's role in solving international problems such as suppression of piracy in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia will also be discussed.
The defence ministers attending the meeting will consider the 3-year operational plan under an ADMM framework for the years 2011-2013 and sign a document on the establishment of the Asean Peace-keeping Networks Centre, a document on an initiative on cooperation on defence industries, and a joint declaration on promotion of cooperation for the defence of Asean against new forms of threats.
Gen Prawit will also hold a bilateral meeting with the defence ministers of five countries - Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore - regarding military relations and cooperation, border security, strengthening of confidence in the region, military exchange programmes, and joint military training and exercises.
Col Thanathip said Gen Prawit and Gen Tea Banh of Cambodia will meet to discuss border problems on this occasion.
On the last day of the meeting the defence minister will pay a courtesy call on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
6 comments:
OMG! These SIAM are really such an AZZ to demand cambodian to withdraw troops from khmer land. That like saying, all cambodian must evacuated Phnom Penh and Battambang..
How interesting, Mr Prayuth!
But, just who is your "superiors" exactly?
We are all under the impression that you, as Chief of the Thai army, has been running this show all along. Your politicians have also been saying different, often contradictory, things from what you have been saying.
When you said you don't want third party observers/inspectors in the border area, had you been ordered to say so by anyone above you, or were you simply expressing personal opinion?
How many 'governments' do you have in Thailand? Are you sure your politicians can act of their own volition without your consent or green light?
Your perfidious reply will not be appreciated!
I remain . . .at
Beer Gardens Anonymous!
I don't like this guy Prayuth Chan O' Arch AhCha! He's thinks...he's tough...shit!! Let him come to the front-line when next fighting happening...
Thai want something of out of nothing which mean use khmer land, call it a dispute zone and then call for negotiation. Move their armies to Khmer land, and now call Cambodian armies to move first, then they will do so. What a fuck-up idea is that? Do you think we are that stupid?
Thai and Khmer can pull out soldiers
at the same time and day,but they should have UN keeper troops in charge.
If they won't,don't talk peace.
Let continue to fight.
If they have a big fight,will Vietnam and Lao come to intervene?
Because three of them are communist
friends.
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 30,000 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 30,000km2 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 30,000 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 every day.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 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?
Koh Tral was a Cambodian island, and technically and legally, remained a Cambodian island until today.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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