Oil-claims talks ‘highly likely’

Friday, 23 September 2011
Don Weinland
The Phnom Penh Post

Thailand is reportedly preparing to re-enter negotiations with Cambodia on the Overlapping Claims Area after officials from the two countries talked this week at the ASEAN Energy Business Forum in Brunei.

Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said yesterday that he met informally with Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy secretary of state Ith Praing at the forum and both agreed “the development of the OCA is highly likely”.

However, he noted that previous agreements to share petroleum resources with neighbouring countries took more than a decade to materialise. Therefore no deadline had been set for the OCA’s development.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean we will drill for oil, as a lot preparation and negotiation are required,” Pichai Naripthaphan said in Brunei.

Overlapping claims to get fresh review

Pichai: Optimistic on OCA, with caveats

22/09/2011
Yuthana Praiwan
Bangkok Post

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN : The Thai government is preparing to reopen talks with Cambodia on the oil-rich overlapping claims area (OCA), says Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

"I have met with Dr Ith Praing, secretary of state at the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy of Cambodia and we agree that the development of OCA is highly likely," Mr Pichai said at the Asean Energy Business Forum in Brunei.

"But this doesn't necessarily mean we will drill for oil as a lot of preparation and negotiation are required."

PM talks gas and oil with Thai assembly head

Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post

But Global Witness Campaigner George Boden warned earlier this week that if Cambodia did not vastly improve its laws to regulate extractive industries the benefits of those resources would be isolated to the ruling elite. “The Cambodian government has a track record for corruption, and its oil laws are not fit for purpose,” he said in statement.

PRIME Minister Hun Sen held talks with the President of the Thai National Assembly Somsak Kiatsuranont in the capital yesterday, paving the way for the extraction of contested oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand.

Since Yingluck Shinawatra led Pheau Thai party to take power in Thailand in August, efforts to resolve the disputed Overlapping Claims Area have been bolstered by a series of high-profile visits from the new Thai Prime Minister and her brother Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yesterday’s talks between Hun Sen and Somsak focused on restoring diplomatic relations between the neighbours so both Kingdom’s could begin exploiting resources in the 27,000-square-kilometre OCA, the premier’s personal spokesman Eang Sophalleth said.

“God has created Cambodia and Thailand as neighbours and we have joint potential mineral resources [oil and gas],” Eang Sophalleth said Somasak told Hun Sen.

The oil belongs to us, not a cabal of [Thai] cronies

September 21, 2011
The Nation

Opinion

After his lecture on Cambodia's economic future in Phnom Penh on Saturday, Thaksin Shinawatra has been looked at as trying to flatter Cambodians to gain benefit from them, according to a report by VOA Khmer: www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/Infrastructure-and-Education-Thaksin-Advises-130115958.html

It is obvious that not all Cambodians are happy under Hun Sen's rule; and that Thaksin's latest visit to the country has raised concerns about his intention to reap profit on the back of good relations between Thailand and Cambodia - especially the development of petroleum resources on the overlapping areas off the coast.

Thais should be as aware as Cambodians that every drop of oil in the Gulf belongs to them and posterity - not to any group of people to pilfer.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

Spicy tale of real foes and real friends

19/09/2011
Saritdet Marukatat
Bangkok Post
COMMENTARY

Kaeng lieng - a spicy-mixed, vegetable soup - is like a bitter pill for Suthep Thaugsuban, especially the one cooked for him in Ta Kamao.

The allegations over "secret talks" - one of them with kaeng lieng on the negotiating table at Hun Sen's home in Kandal province - were unveiled by the Cambodian strongman last week. Mr Suthep, back then the deputy prime minister under the Democrat Party-led government, tried to convince the host to move ahead the plan to bring out oil and gas reserves from the overlapped maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand, according to Hun Sen. It was not just one but three alleged attempts by the Democrat veteran politician in different places in addition to his bastion not far from Phnom Penh.

Details unveiled by the Cambodian leader are convincing. He said Mr Suthep came to see him about an oil bloc in the gulf and wanted the Cambodian leader to take over as lead negotiator on the issue from his deputy.Mr Suthep admitted that he had meetings with Hun Sen but denied that they were "secret". Ex-foreign minister Kasit Piromya preferred calling them "informal" not "secret" as Hun Sen was trying to boast and obviously discredit the Democrats.

So far, so good

Yingluck's brief Cambodia trip underlines warmer relations, but settling offshore oil issues won't be easy.

19/09/2011

James O'Toole

Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH : As Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra returned to Thailand after what would be counted as a successful trip, analysts are warning that the newly elected premier to watchful of her actions as some could be viewed as being not transparent.

Ms Yingluck on Thursday held talks on a wide range of issues from the possible release of the two Thais imprisoned in Cambodia to the issue of petroleum exploration in a joint development area.

For all their squabbling in recent years, the two countries have much to gain by mending their relationship, and nowhere is this more clear than in the so-called Overlapping Claims Area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding in 2001 on joint development of the southern portion of the roughly 27,000-square-kilometre disputed area, with the northern portion to be divided by a defined maritime border. Bangkok cancelled this agreement in 2009, however, in protest over the appointment of Ms Yingluck's brother Thaksin as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government.

Thaksin and Hun Sen deny bilateral issues on agenda

Sunday, Sep 18, 2011
The Nation/Asia News Network

"As the head of the government, I confirm that the 4.6 square kilometres [adjacent to the temple] is in Thai territory." - Yingluck Shinawatra

Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra got a warm welcome from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday - two days after the former s younger sister Prime Minister Yingluck made her first official visit to the country. After Thaksin's arrival yesterday evening, he and Hun Sen hugged and greeted each other as "brother".

Hun Sen said there was no discussion of bilateral issues during his meeting with Thaksin, amid speculation that the two countries' overlapping maritime claims were on the agenda.

Thaksin was scheduled to deliver a lecture on development as part of a conference on the Asian economy, and to play a round of golf during his weeklong stay. Thaksin said he was visiting Cambodia to participate in the Asian Century forum at the invitation of Jose de Venecia, honourable chairman of the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International and a member of the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

Hun Sen to seek reduced jail terms for Veera and Ratree [-Hun Xen is the LAW afterall!]

September 16, 2011
The Nation, Agencies

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen promised visiting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday that he would seek reduced jail terms for two Thai activists imprisoned for espionage, but insisted a royal pardon could be considered only after they had served two-thirds of their sentences.

During their meeting in Phnom Penh, Yingluck had asked Hun Sen to seek a way to help Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, who are serving eight and six years, respectively.

They were arrested in December while inspecting a disputed border area near Sa Kaew's Ban Nongchan village.

The prime ministers also discussed overlapping maritime claims, trade, investment, and a plan to issue third-country tourists with a single visa for the two countries, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said.

Yingluck's agenda set

Thursday, 15 September 2011
David Boyle
The Phnom Penh Post

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will seek to resolve a spate of long running disputes with Cambodia over oil reserves, the Preah Vihear border and the imprisonment of two Thai nationals for spying after arriving in Phnom Penh today, a spokesman has said.

Conflicting reports circulated through the media and government channels from both countries yesterday, suggesting jailed Thai pair Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon would be pardoned from Cambodian prison terms when Yingluck arrived.

Thai government spokeswoman Titima Chaisang said yesterday this was news to the Thai PM’s delegation, but confirmed a range of agenda items that would be discussed during her visit with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

A key agenda item, she said, would be disputed oil and natural gas deposits in a 27,000 square kilometre Overlapping Claim Area in the Gulf of Thailand.

Pheu Thai petitions Senate to probe Suthep on secret talks with Cambodia

BANGKOK, Sept 15 (MCOT online news) - Pheu Thai party spokesman Prompong Nopparit on Thursday petitioned the Senate to investigate claims made by Cambodia regarding secret talks between former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban with his Cambodian counterpart Sok An.

Mr Prompong submitted the document, saying it is not a personal conflict, to Jitipoj Viriyaroj, chairman of the Senate Political Situation Monitoring Committee.

The Phnom Penh Post published a Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA) statement saying meetings between high ranking officials including Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Minister Sok An, former Thai deputy prime minister Suthep and former defence minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan took place between June 2009 and July 2010, both inside and outside Cambodia, to deal with overlapping claims to the offshore area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves.

Suthep insists 'secret talks' allegations a Hun Sen plot

15/09/2011
Bangkok Post

Allegations of "secret talks" about the overlapping maritime area levelled by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen are only an attempt to discredit the Democrat Party, says former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

Mr Suthep, now a Democrat list MP, was responding to Hun Sen's comments during a press interview that he and Mr Suthep held secret talks at his residence at Ta Khmau in Kandal province about the overlapping Gulf of Thailand maritime area, rich in oil and natural gas.

A Cambodian Thai website, called 15th Move, posted Hun Sen's comment which was on the website of the Cambodian Prime Minister's Office and published in Cambodia's Koh Santipheap daily.

"Suthep visited Cambodia three times. The first visit was in April to convince [me] to attend the Asean meeting in Pattaya ...

Yingluck Visits Cambodia as Thailand Seeks to Mend Links Hurt by Clashes

Sep 14, 2011
By Daniel Ten Kate
Bloomberg

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will visit Cambodia today in a sign of improving ties after border fighting under her predecessor killed more than 20 people and led the United Nations to intervene.

Yingluck’s seven-hour visit “will help cool the situation and allow relations to come back to normal,” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. The trip will help mend ties over the border clashes and lay the groundwork for a deal for oil and gas exploration in disputed waters, he said.

Cambodia called last month for official talks with Yingluck to jointly develop areas of the Gulf of Thailand, where Chevron Corp. (CVX), Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. have rights to explore for oil and gas. Yingluck’s trip precedes a visit tomorrow by her brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who Cambodia named as an adviser after he was deposed in a 2006 coup.

Analysts See New Page in Upcoming Thai Visits

Thailand's first female Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives for the first cabinet meeting at the Government House in Bangkok August 11, 2011. (Photo: Reuters)

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“I think Thaksin chose the same week as his sister’s visit to put himself in the limelight once again.”

The dual visits this week of Thailand’s new prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and her brother, Thaksin, who was ousted from that position in 2006, could create an amicable environment for talks on a range of issues, analysts said Tuesday.

Yingluck, who was elected in July, is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, with Thaksin preparing for a weeklong trip starting Friday.

Between the two, talks over an ongoing military border stand-off, on maritime petroleum resources and on the release of two jailed Thai activists could all take place, analysts said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday he would not be holding political talks with Thaksin, a politically divisive figure who remains in exile from Thailand to avoid corruption charges there. However, his coming signals improved engagement with the new Thai government, which is led by his sister and former supporters.

Official talks are scheduled between Hun Sen and Yingluck only.

Thaksin to visit Cambodia on Friday : Hun Sen

September 13, 2011
THE NATION

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia on Friday to attend a conference on the Asian economy - not to negotiate petroleum resources in the countries' overlapping claims area in the Gulf of Thailand as speculated, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.

"Thaksin's visit to Cambodia was scheduled before the official visit of newly elected Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who will visit Cambodia on [Thursday]," he said during a graduation ceremony of 4,100 students at the National University of Management in Phnom Penh.

"But the visit of Thaksin on [Friday] until Sept 24 is to join the Asian Economic Future Conference, organised by the Royal Academy of Cambodia, not to talk with Cambodia on oil and gas issues," Hun Sen was quoted as saying by China's state-owned Xinhua news agency.

"Thaksin has no duty to negotiate on oil and gas deals and other issues with Cambodia at all, as it is the duty of the Thai government, not Thaksin," Hun Sen said.

Time right for talks on sea boundary

Thanom: Talks must be transparent

6/09/2011
Bangkok Post

In 2009, the Democrat-led government and the People's Alliance for Democracy accused ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of holding secret talks with Cambodia about exploiting oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand.

The government threatened to revoke a memorandum of understanding on overlapping maritime boundaries as it sought to protect its interests and show its displeasure at the alleged secret talks.

The memorandum was signed by then-foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in 2001 during the first Thaksin government.

Now the Pheu Thai Party-led government has hit back, accusing former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban of holding secret discussions with Sok An for the same purpose.

THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL talks to Adm Thanom Charoenlarp, adviser to the technical team for maritime boundary negotiations and an expert on maritime zones, to shed some light on the issue.

How important is it for Thailand to enter talks on the overlapping maritime zone with Cambodia?

We should do it now. When we started negotiations with Cambodia in 1970, we believed we still had more time because we still had a lot of energy reserves in the country.

Up until 2001, we were still confident we had about 26 years left to exploit these reserves. But as of today, we have only 10 years left because domestic energy consumption has increased rapidly.

Secret meetings most inappropriate

September 6, 2011
The Nation Opinion

Re: "Meetings with Cambodia unofficial, not secret: Suthep", August 31.

It is shocking to learn that former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban allegedly had secret meetings with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An during the last Abhisit government's rule. It's even more disgusting that the subject of the secret talks was the joint maritime cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia. What was Suthep up to?

In March 2010, a Cambodian opposition website alleged that a secret oil deal between high-level government leaders of Thailand and Cambodia did happen in 2006, but never went through because the September 19, 2006 coup that ousted the then Thai government happened first (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/khmerintelligence/message/722.)

Hence, all Thais should be aware of the goings on in the Thai-Cambodia joint maritime negotiations from now on. We must demand that agreements are done in an open and transparent manner. We must also demand that all negotiations and agreements are put through and endorsed by Parliament only. No more secret deals.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

Suthep reaffirms no secret talks with Cambodia

Monday, 05 September 2011
MCOT

BANGKOK, Sept 3 - Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Saturday denied Cambodia's claims over alleged secret talks on overlapping oil and gas-rich maritime territories during the tenure of Abhisit Vejjajiva administration, while challenging the Thai government to speed up investigation of the matter.

Mr Suthep made remarks following a statement by the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA) claiming that secret meetings between him and his Cambodian counterpart Sok An were held several times in various locations such as Cambodia’s Kandal province, China’s Kunming city in Yunnan, and Hong Kong, to deal with overlapping claims to the offshore area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also assigned Foreign Minister Surapong Towichakchaikul to look into the case.

Suthep reaffirms no secret talks with Cambodia

Suthep Thaugsuban

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (MCOT online news) - Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Saturday denied Cambodia's claims over alleged secret talks on overlapping oil and gas-rich maritime territories during the tenure of Abhisit Vejjajiva administration, while challenging the Thai government to speed up investigation of the matter.

Mr Suthep made remarks following a statement by the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA) claiming that secret meetings between him and his Cambodian counterpart Sok An were held several times in various locations such as Cambodia’s Kandal province, China’s Kunming city in Yunnan, and Hong Kong, to deal with overlapping claims to the offshore area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also assigned Foreign Minister Surapong Towichakchaikul to look into the case.

Mr Suthep, former deputy premier who supervised national security, reasserted that it was Cambodian deputy prime minister Sok An who contacted him for unofficial meetings, before an official meeting on maritime demarcation would be officially held.

Suthep urged to clarify secret deal with Cambodia

Saturday, 03 September 2011
By NNT
Pattaya Mail

BANGKOK, 2 September 2011 – Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has asked former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban to clarify the secret deal on Thai-Cambodian maritime zone following a recent announcement of the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority.

Mr Surapong told the press that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has already tasked him with investigating the alleged secret deal of the past government. He hence encouraged Mr Suthep to clarify this issue with the public for the benefits of the nation.

The minister stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not know what the deputy prime minister has discussed with the Cambodian side on the Thai-Cambodian maritime zone, and he will hence send a letter to Cambodia to ask for clarification.

[Thai] FM: Dems must explain 'secret talks'

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul

2/09/2011
Bangkok Post

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has demanded that former Democrat prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban clarify the alleged secret talks about oil and gas interests in the overlapping marine area with Cambodia during their government's tenure.

Mr Surapong said on Friday he will investigate the case openly to ensure all sides are happy and that the investigation will not yield beneifits to the current administration.

"When Mr Suthep was assigned to negotiate with Cambodia, the Democrat-led government had not revoked the Thai-Cambodian memorandum of understanding [on an overlapping maritime border area]," the minister said.