The Nation
Decision due on troops near temple; Si Sa Ket villagers fearful over verdict
The International Court of Justice will deliver its decision today on Cambodia's request for a temporary injunction against Thai troops occupying the disputed area around Preah Vihear Temple amid fears by Si Sa Ket border residents of further fighting.
Virachai Plasai, Thai ambassador to The Hague and Thai agent to the court, said yesterday he was confident "the case would prove the ICJ's justice again".
The high court ruled back in 1962 that the Hindu temple was located in an area under Cambodian sovereignty.
Thailand accepted the outcome but claimed the soil on which the temple is sitting belongs to Thailand.
On April 28, Cambodia sought a clarification from the court on the scope and meaning of the 1962 ruling giving control of the temple to Cambodia.
Phnom Penh also asked the high court, pending its interpretation of the 1962 ruling, to order the withdrawal of Thai military personnel, plus a ban on Thai military activities in the disputed area and to prohib any act that could violate Cambodia's right over the territory.
Outgoing Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, who is the Cambodian agent to the court, will attend the reading at the Peace Palace in The Hague, where the court sits, at 10am local time (3pm Bangkok time).
Virachai said the court's response could take one of three forms.
The court might reject Cambodia's request and remove the case from the court's general list.
Or, the court might order Thailand to withdraw its forces from the disputed area, as requested by Cambodia.
Or, the court might order both sides to comply with a new measure to reduce confrontation.
"Rejecting Cambodia's request is the best way for Thailand," Virachai said.
The Thai legal team tried its best to defend Thailand's stance when oral arguments were heard on May 30-31, as it had prepared for years to face the court battle with Cambodia, he said.
"We did our best under the framework of the previous ruling, which was not made in favour of Thailand," he said.
Villagers in Ban Phumsrol, which is next to the temple, said they were worried the court would back Cambodia rather than Thailand.
"I don't know what to do if the court orders Thailand to withdraw troops from the area," Thongkham Kantarawong said. "I don't know if Cambodian troops will move in if Thai soldiers leave the area," he said.
"I don't know how the new government will handle the case if the court really orders the troop withdrawal," he said.
"We all know and accept that the temple belongs to Cambodia, so let it go, but the government should protect our territory," he said.
Veerasit Koksri said if the court ruled as Cambodia requested, the government should rush to solve the problem.
"Otherwise, people living along the border could be in trouble," he said.
Locals had prepared well for any unexpected developments after the court's verdict on the injunction, he said.
4 comments:
icj should clarify the map as well, and please tell siem gov't not to use cambodia's preah vihear temple for their internal political strife again. respect the international treaty, the international law, etc, and cambodia and thailand won't have any more conflict like this!
Get through your thick skull. It not the Hindu temple. It is preah vihear temple. The temple was built by the Khmer's and dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. The Hindu people has nothing to with it.
***if Thailand Govt and forces not listen to ICJ for request for a temporary injunction against THAI TROOPS out around khmer Preah vihear Temple and Thai Make war with cambodia.... THE ASEAN no more value.
*china can fight and invade viet-nam.
*viet-nam +robot cambodia +robot Laos can fight and invade Thailand too.The Big war can APPEAR soon.so Thai will gone from the EARTH by New INDOCHINE FORCES TOO [Yourns+smers + laos Forces].
KAN DOURY MAI WEAR
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 everyday.
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?
Smart Khmer girl, President Ms. Rattana Keo,
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