Says Cambodian troops, villagers must leave area
6/05/2011
Bangkok Post
Cambodian troops and villagers must leave the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed border area before Indonesian observers can be deployed, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insists.
He was speaking the day before his planned trip today to attend the Asean Summit in Jakarta in which his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen is also participating. But Mr Abhisit has already said there were no plans to meet Hun Sen.
The bloody border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia looks set to be among the issues dominating the Asean Summit this weekend.
Mr Abhisit said the documents for the deployment of Indonesian observers pose no problem but the presence of Cambodian troops and citizens is a breach of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both countries in 2000.
At the last meeting on May 3, the cabinet agreed to the planned deployment of Indonesian observers along the Thai-Cambodian border near the Preah Vihear temple - but on the condition Cambodia adheres to the MoU by withdrawing its troops from the area.
Mr Abhisit said he had no idea if Phnom Penh would agree to this but it was the duty of Indonesia to coordinate with the Cambodian government about the matter.
In the wake of the sporadic border clashes, Indonesia, in its capacity as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), offered to broker talks between the two countries and deploy observers.
Mr Abhisit said it would depend on the progress of talks between Thailand and Indonesia and between Cambodia and Indonesia if the issue would be brought up at the Asean Summit.
According to Mr Abhisit, the Thai foreign minister will reaffirm that Thailand has not initiated any violence and will give its full cooperation to efforts to resolve the border row amicably.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will meet his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa, who serves as Asean chair, on the sidelines of the Asean Summit, and then see his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong separately.
Mr Abhisit also played down speculation that Cambodia's latest move to involve the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the conflict would put Thailand at a disadvantage.
Cambodia has asked the ICJ for an interpretation of its 1962 ruling on the Preah Vihear temple.
Mr Abhisit said he would rather not discuss the issue due to its sensitivity. He added there are legal aspects Thailand can contest in court against the Cambodian move.
He also said the ICJ's hearing of the Cambodian complaint presented a chance for Thailand to show that each of the clashes had been planned by Cambodia and it was a calculated move to internationalise the border conflict.
The premier, however, urged people to refrain from speculating on the outcome of the case at the ICJ as this could backfire.
"Given the situation, I want everyone to stay undivided. I have said it before we shouldn't say things that will harm us later. We should stay united to protect the national interest," he said.
Meanwhile, 2nd Army spokesman Prawit Hookaew said the border tensions have eased and there have been no clashes over the past two days.
He said the fighting has stopped because field commanders on both sides have communicated with each other. Thai and Cambodian troops have maintained their positions but they are less tense.
Col Prawit said the reopening of Chong Jom border pass in Surin's Kap Choeng district was a result of discussions between 2nd Army commander Lt Gen Thawatchai Samutsakhon and the Surin governor.
Trade at the Chong Jom border pass was light the second day after the border reopened with only a fifth of stores open for business.
7 comments:
What the hell does this stupid Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva mean when he says Cambodian wants to "internationalized" the issue? Can someone elaborate this?
Hun xen needs to tell ah MP abullshit to go to hell first and come back and talking about the border problem.
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,
Hi You still hot on that issue . Please , keep it that way.
Thank you . 7:05 am.
SPECIAL BRAKING NEWS!
Hun Sen wants to keep the Preah Vihear conflict going because he wants the Thai to kill all the Khmer Rouge soldiers inside the RCAF. He doesn't trust the KR. He fears a military coup the longer the Khmer Rouge Trial continues and the conditions in Cambodia are getting worst.
This is an inside information!
What we need to do is to conditioning Ahphishit's ass!
People, stay with the issue here. Thai is on Khmer soil, kick them out first.
Whatever mean we have.
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