Time to do a border deal

18/10/2011
Bangkok Post
EDITORIAL

The flood crisis notwithstanding, Thai-Cambodian relations remain one of the government's top priority issues. On the surface, everything changed right after the July 3 election. From high, dangerous tension, relations with our neighbour switched to sweetness and light. But that welcome switch masks several hard truths, arguably the most important of which is the sea boundary.

In addition to the predictable views of self-styled nationalists, important economic interests are at stake below the Gulf waters off Trat province. Emergency measures to fight the worst of the flood damage are more urgent, but the cabinet will have to come to grips with the Cambodian problem without delay.

The issue of the controversial Memorandum of Understanding was scheduled for cabinet discussion today. It is unlikely that the MoU will make it to the final agenda. But for certain the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will take it up without delay. Foreign Minister Surapong Towijakchaikul clearly understands the importance _ and the urgency _ of this problem.

The MoU is a polite understanding that keeps Thai-Cambodian relations on an even keel. But it does not address or solve the underlying problems. These include where the Thai-Cambodian border lies, and more helpfully how the countries can exploit the oil and gas deposits beneath the shallow waters.

Within days of taking office, Mr Surapong huddled with senior officials to discuss the MoU. He quickly won the backing of these foreign relations professionals to move ahead. The first problem is that the MoU itself is only a fragile basis. It was negotiated by the Chuan Leekpai government more than a decade ago and signed in 2001.

As they did with the Preah Vihear temple region and other border issues, nationalists flayed sitting governments for allegedly "giving in" to Cambodia. Rumours spread during the days of the Thaksin Shinawatra administration that Thaksin was somehow angling to give away Thai maritime territory in return for something _ an island resort, some claimed. The erstwhile government of Abhisit Vejjajiva effectively shelved the MoU when Prime Minister Hun Sen named Thaksin as Cambodia's economic adviser.

Now, according to Mr Surapong, Foreign Ministry bureaucrats insist the MoU is valid. This is good news. The ministry under Mr Surapong has set up a special committee to conduct negotiations with Cambodia. There are two aims here: one is to clearly demarcate the border so that everyone understands exactly where the frontier lies. The second is to establish a bilateral body to enable joint development of the natural resources.

Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan last week noted the reason these aims are important: "Thailand will run out of gas in 15 years." Without gas, Thailand cannot meet basic power demands by industries and consumers. The cheapest gas is locally supplied. More importantly, Thai gas is a matter of national security; the more home-grown the energy, the better the assurances that we will not run out.

The government must assure that Hun Sen's Cambodian authorities negotiate these issues in good faith. PM Yingluck must also assure that the anti-Cambodian nationalists who nearly derailed relations in 2008 and 2009, do not prevail. In recent years, politicians have not done a very good job of handling relations with our eastern neighbour. The prime minister should consider handing these technical problems over to foreign affairs professionals, to let them handle the negotiations.