Who needs Hor 5 Hong and the MFAIC anymore, when the Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PQRU) is here to take care of foreign affairs?

Tith Sothea

Abhisit is behind the thieves who want to change Cambodian borders: PQRU official

07 October 2009
Sopheap
Khmer Sthabna news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata and Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A member of the spokesmen group for the Council of Ministers’ Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PQRU) reacted to reports published by Thailand’s The Nation and the Bangkok Post at the beginning of October 2009. These reports attacked Hun Xen strongly and they affected his honor and dignity, following the declaration made by Hun Xen on 28 September about his strong stance in the defense of Cambodia’s territorial integrity against Thailand’s aggression.

Tith Sothea, a government advisor and one of the PQRU spokesmen, said over the phone in the afternoon of 07 October 2009 that Thailand’s The Nation reported in the beginning of October that Hun Xen threatened to kill anyone – civilians or soldiers – who cross the border to enter Cambodian territories at Preah Vihear temple.

Tith Sothea said that The Nation indicated in its editorial that using “bullet” is not a civilized act, and the Thai newspaper also criticized that the use of bullets is aimed at creating a distribution of money to the people from both countries (KI-Media note: this statement makes no sense at all). The Nation commented that it wants to see Hun Xen paying attention on Khmer people instead.

The Nation comment serves to boost Abhisit’s pride as Abhisit promised the Thai people that he will seek a border resolution with Cambodia.

Tith Sothea reacted [to The Nation’s article] saying that the claim made by Thai newspaper is not correct because the origin of the border dispute was not caused by Cambodia, but it was Thailand that instigated it.

Tith Sothea added that, before The Nation and the Bangkok Post publish any comment to advise Cambodia on how to act civilized, these newspapers should ask the Thai people – whose past actions showed their ambition to invade and swallow Cambodian lands and waters – whether their actions were civilized or not? Do the Thai people have savoir vivre yet? Because the Thai people always conduct aggressions on the territorial integrity of neighboring countries.

Tith Sothea said that the Thai yellow shirt demonstrators wanted to cross the border to enter Cambodia (on 19 September 2009) through their demonstration that started in Thailand. Although these demonstrators are civilians, they have political aims and they are more dangerous than the actual armed Thai [soldiers]. For example, on 15 July 2008, 3 Thai civilians illegally crossed the border, then Thai soldiers came in to free them and they set their camps on Cambodian territories since then, and that was the origin of the Thai aggression on Cambodian territories.

Tith Sothea said that Cambodia does not allow such action to be repeated again. Thailand and Cambodia have clear common borders, and Cambodia has tangible proof in the Dangrek map included in the appendix of The Hague International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision rendered on 15 June 1962.

Tith Sothea considers the Thai yellow shirt demonstrators of intending to invade Cambodian territories, starting with their unilateral secret drawing of a map with the intention of confusing the international opinion and leading it to believe that the 4.6 square km [around Preah Vihear temple] belongs to Thailand. He also rejected the claim made by these yellow shirt demonstrators on the 4.6 square km territory in Preah Vihear temple, and he said that there was no ICJ’s decision made on the Thai dishonest claim.

Tith Sothea also criticized Abhisit Vejjajiva, the current Thai PM, calling him the instigator who is turning the truth to his personal benefit, and that Abhisit incited his people to try to invade Cambodian territories and thereby, changing world history.

Tith Sothea reacted by saying also that the Thai people always maintain their ambitious goal of invading Cambodian territories, because Thailand lost to Cambodia both in terms of law and historical aspects. Furthermore, recently Thai [soldiers] also shot Cambodians, therefore, can this Thai action be considered civilized or not? [The bottom line] is that they were very savage, just like when they shot [rockets] to destroy the [Cambodian] market located near the bottom of the staircase leading to the Preah Vihear temple, that rocket shooting was aimed at chasing Cambodians out Cambodian territories.

Tith Sothea indicated also that the yellow shirt demonstrators who are backed by Abhisit, are thieves who want to change the borderline through a secret unilateral redrawing of the map in order to cheat and take over Cambodian territories. He said that Thailand is changing its image from being a society with high cultural background to one that consists of being a historical thief who wants to take over the land in the Preah Vihear temple (4.6 square km), and that Thailand is acting like an international thief with a savage aggressive behavior because the Thai yellow demonstrators, who wanted to cross the border (on 19 September 2009) to enter the Preah Vihear temple area, were equipped with sticks and knives, and they were also armed, furthermore, they did not recognize the Thai authority in Si Sa Ket province, therefore, these demonstrators were aggressors.

Tith Sothea said that Hun Xen’s speech (on 28 September 2009) was his automatic rights to defend the territories as the responsible country’s leader who uses international law as proof to resolve border problems.

Hun Sen, Cambodia's agent provocateur?

Hun Sen: ‘‘I am the leader of Cambodia who was elected by the will of the people, not by robbing power.’’

7/10/2009
Pavin Chachavalpongpun
Bangkok Post Opinion

I was caught in the abhorrent situation wherein some 1,000 protesters, mostly students, torched the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh on the night of January 29, 2003. Elsewhere in the capital, the protests grew more aggravated. So-called Cambodian patriots ransacked Thai-owned establishments, including the Royal Phnom Penh Hotel and the office of Thai Airways International.

A few days earlier, Thai actress Suvanand Kongying had been wrongly accused of claiming that Angkor Wat was Thailand's property.

That misquote immediately stirred up a sense of nationalism inside Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Sen angrily responded: "Suvanand is not even worth a blade of grass at Angkor." Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra reportedly tried for two hours to reach Hun Sen by phone, and it was obvious the Cambodian leader was avoiding a conversation.

Was Hun Sen's anger really about protecting the dignity of the Cambodian nation? The circumstances surrounding the outburst was that a Cambodian general election was around the corner, so a conflict with Thailand could have been used to favour his political allies and undermine his opponents.

If the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is a master manipulator of Thai nationalism, can Hun Sen be an "agent provocateur" who exploits nationalistic rhetoric to gain political points at home?

Since the flare-up in the Preah Vihear dispute, Hun Sen has never minced his words about the failure of Thai leadership. He has even provoked armed conflict with Thailand.

In referring to the Democrat government, Hun Sen once proudly declared: "I am the leader of Cambodia who was elected by the will of the people, not by robbing power." Recently, he intensified bilateral tensions by ordering his troops to shoot any Thai crossing the border illegally. His encouragement not only served to fulfil a nationalistic need in Cambodia, but also worked in turn to legitimise the PAD's activities.

Over the past years, Hun Sen has been able to strengthen his popularity thanks to the lingering dispute over the Preah Vihear temple. As Southeast Asia's longest serving leader apart from the Sultan of Brunei, Hun Sen has successfully ridden the wave of Cambodian nationalism to further solidify his rule.

At the height of Thailand's domestic crisis last year, Hun Sen suggested that Thailand give up its Asean chairmanship. In so doing, he seemed to declare himself the chief defender of Asean.

When Thailand planned to host the Asean meeting in Hua Hin in March this year, Hun Sen sarcastically said that it would be too costly and difficult for him to attend the gathering. Obviously, he later changed his mind.

Hun Sen has on numerous occasions warned Thai troops to stop trespassing on Cambodian land, calling the contested territory a "life-and-death battle zone".

The PAD has continued to play into Hun Sen's hands by inflating the incident and calling for the Thai military to push back Cambodian "intruders".

As much as the temple issue has been held hostage by Thai politics, it has also been used to preserve the legitimacy of the Cambodian leadership. The successful inscription of the temple on the list of Unesco's World Heritage sites was much publicised to voters as a result of Hun Sen's charismatic leadership. (Cambodia's general election was held on July 27, 2008).

Scenting an ideal electoral opportunity, Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party pushed the hot issues of corruption and inflation into the background while promoting a nationalistic election theme. The party announced that Hun Sen and his close allies were strong but peaceful leaders who were solely responsible for uniting Cambodians against Thai aggression.

After a series of armed clashes, Cambodia had no plans to make peace but demanded Thailand pay compensation for damages resulting from the confrontation on the border. In its diplomatic note, Cambodia stated: "The attack with heavy weapons by Thai troops on Cambodian territory caused much damage and set a Cambodian market ablaze. The material losses to 319 families, who had lost their livelihoods when the fire destroyed their market stalls, amounted to more than US$2.1 million."

The attempt here is not to paint a gloomy picture of the Cambodian leadership, but rather to highlight that the temple issue and the rise of nationalism have their roots deep in the power politics within Thailand and Cambodia. While it is convenient for Hun Sen to condemn the arbitrary use of Thai nationalism, he himself has taken advantage from Cambodian nationalism.

In an interview, Sam Rainsy, a French-educated former finance minister who leads Cambodia's prominent opposition party, described Hun Sen as a politician who succeeds very well in one thing: "Survival at the helm of the Cambodian state." His ability, Mr Rainsy said, is clinging on to power through political intrigues which he then resolves with an iron fist. This has lasted for almost 30 years now. "When you have only this ambition - clinging to power for the impunity it provides - it is catastrophic for the country," Mr Rainsy said.

Professor Chanvit Kasetsiri rightly noted that among the neighbouring countries of Southeast Asia, none seems more similar to Thailand than Cambodia. Both nations share similar customs, traditions, beliefs and ways of life. This is especially true of royal customs, language, writing systems, vocabulary, literature, and the dramatic arts. In light of these similarities, it seems surprising, therefore, that relations between Thailand and Cambodia should be characterised by deep-seated "ignorance, misunderstanding and prejudice". Indeed, the two countries have what can be termed a "love-hate relationship".

Today, this love-hate relationship is being firmly sustained by the incessant use of nationalism, which may offer some political benefits in the short-term but will surely create a long-lasting negative impact on the bilateral relationship.

Dr Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore.

Two faces of Thailand

Red Shirt protesters outside the Government House in Bangkok earlier this year

September 24, 2009
SocialistWorker.org

Giles Ji Ungpakorn is a Thai academic and dissident who was targeted by the government for the supposed crime of "lese majesty"--essentially, "disloyalty" to Thailand's head of state, King Bhumibol. To avoid censorship and a possible prison sentence of 15 years, he fled to Britain earlier this year. Here, he analyzes the latest developments in Thailand, three years after a military coup.

ON SEPTEMBER 19 of this year--the third anniversary of the military coup that wrecked Thai democracy--two demonstrations took place. They sum up the two faces of Thailand.

One demonstration, by tens of thousands of Red Shirts in Bangkok, was organized in order to continue the demand for full democracy. It was a peaceful and friendly demonstration. Yet the military-backed Democrat Party government, headed by Abhisit Vejjajiva, declared a state of emergency and lined up thousands of police and soldiers to deal with the demonstrators.

Previously, back in April, Abhisit had urged soldiers to fire on the Red Shirts. Two people were subsequently killed and 70 injured by government soldiers.

The other demonstration was organized by People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) fascist thugs. The PAD are the Yellow Shirt royalists. The aim of this demonstration was to attack Cambodian villagers living and working at the ancient Kao Prawiharn temple inside Cambodia.

Since last year, the PAD has been trying to cause a war with Cambodia by whipping up extreme nationalism. The temple was built by the ancient Khmers and clearly belongs to Cambodia, both from a legal and historical point of view. On September 19, the PAD went to the border armed, as usual, with guns, bombs and clubs. They attacked the police and then a group of local villagers who were opposed to them. Local villagers on both sides of the border have traditionally held joint religious ceremonies together at the temple on this day. This has not happened since the PAD forced the closure of the temple last year.

Teptai Senpong, personal spokesman for Prime Minister Abhisit, earlier stated that there was no reason to declare a state of emergency in the border area, "as the PAD were defending Thai national interests." The present foreign minister is a PAD supporter who took part in the illegal occupation of the international airports last December. He is famed for being rude about the Cambodian government.

Suriyasai Takasila, PAD spokesperson, said that the PAD leadership would not turn its back on Wira Somkwamkit, the PAD leader who headed the violent raid on the border. Naturally, the PAD riot and its extreme nationalism was supported by ASTV. The government will not prosecute the PAD and their leaders for their illegal violence. They never have. At the same time, numerous Red Shirts are in jail or face prosecution.

Just like when the PAD took over the airports, they cared little for the impact on local people's employment and livelihood. They cared little if the sons of poor farmers, conscripted into the Thai army, were to die in any pointless shoot out with their brothers in the Cambodian army.

The progressive, peaceful and democratic face of Thai society is the Red Shirts. The violent, fascist and authoritarian face is the face of the Yellow Shirt conservative royalists who control the state, the army, the monarchy, the government and the media. The one thing they do not control is the hearts and minds of most Thai citizens.

Most Thais are waiting for the king to die. But that in itself will solve nothing, despite the fact that his son his universally hated and held in contempt. No real democracy can be built without dismissing the generals, the judges, the privy council, the royal family and the corrupt politicians.

Will the Red Shirts be up to this People's Revolution? Can it be an overwhelming movement of citizens in order to minimize bloodshed? These are the issues on many people's minds today.

Deputy PM calls for halt to jingoism

Suthep: Favours talks, not picketing

24/09/2009
Bangkok Post

Whipping up nationalist fervour over the Cambodian border issue is a risky game which could harm trade relations with our neighbour, says Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

Negotiations were the way to handle the dispute, not picketing, he said yesterday.

Mr Suthep was commenting on Saturday's clash between the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and Si Sa Ket residents near a disputed 4.6 square kilometre border area with Cambodia.

PAD held the protest in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket to pressure authorities to force Cambodians from the disputed area, which is near Preah Vihear temple.

The protesters confronted a group of residents who tried to stop them. A clash between PAD protesters and the villagers left scores of people on both sides injured.

Mr Suthep said the government had tried to solve the border problem through negotiation to prevent the dispute from escalating into a conflict between the countries.

People should not let their emotion drive them to stage protests over sovereignty, he said.

Demarcating the boundary with Cambodia could take as long as 10 years, as the two sides could not agree on who owns what.

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said the government would bring together Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and PAD co-leader Veera Somkhwamkid, who led the PAD protest on Saturday, to explain problems concerning Preah Vihear temple. They would appear together in a television broadcast after the prime minister returned from his overseas trip this weekend.

Natthawut Saikua, of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), yesterday demanded Mr Abhisit clarify reports that Cambodia was building a road to Preah Vihear through the disputed area.

PAD's temple clash gained little but some internal kudos

September 23, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

The nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) failed to achieve any goals over the past weekend as its actions led to bloodshed among protesters and villagers in northeastern Si Sa Ket province.

At least five people on both sides were injured in the clash in Ban Phumsarol on Saturday. The bloody incident ended with a number of lawsuits filed by protesters, villagers and government officials against each other for criminal assault.

The PAD, led by activist Veera Somkwamkid, rallied near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear to demand the Cambodian community move out from the disputed area claimed by Thailand and Cambodia.

Initially, the protesters threatened to remove the Cambodian community by themselves if the Thai government took no action.

The disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the Preah Vihear has been at the core of the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia for a long time and has yet to be demarcated.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding after 2000 to prohibit both sides from changing the status quo in the area. Cambodia has built a community, a Buddhist temple and security outposts in the disputed area, prompting diplomatic protests from Thai Foreign Ministry since 2004.

The PAD realised Thailand could lose sovereignty over the territory - shortly after making some bruising nationalist accusations against Samak Sundaravej's government.

The PAD accused Samak and his foreign minister Noppadon Pattama of losing the territory to Cambodia when his government signed a joint communique supporting Phnom Penh's listing of the Hindu temple as a world heritage site.

Finally, the World Heritage Committee granted the inscription to the Preah Vihear as proposed. The PAD launched a protest at the site and clashed with local residents in July last year, but failed to achieve anything - only sour relations between Thailand and Cambodia .

This year, its ally Democrat Party is in the power, but still the Preah Vihear maintains its world heritage status, and the Cambodian community and the Buddhist temple remain.

The PAD demanded the government under Abhisit Vejjajiva, who once shared the same dream, to kick Cambodia out of the area. However, the government realised the best solution was negotiation through diplomatic channels.

Many leaders of the PAD admitted demands to remove the Cambodian community by force are unrealistic and could- rather than solve the problem - create more troubles. Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, a close associate of the PAD, explained many times he was working to solve the problem with Cambodia through the joint boundary committee. Diplomacy might take time, but it could guarantee Thailand not losing anything.

However the PAD has no unity. There are numerous rival factions, many competing for good positions in the New Politics Party. To be more precise, those playing around the Preah Vihear temple merely want to remind senior people in the PAD they have the potential to create trouble for those in power, so reward them with good positions in the new party, including some crucial roles.

Up to now, the Preah Vihear crusade benefits nobody as five leaders of the PAD did not approve the performance. The protest on Saturday and Sunday caused unnecessary damage and failed to remove the Cambodian community from the disputed area. It is too expensive to use blood to pave the way for reading a few statements at Pha Mor Ee Daeng, a cliff next to Phrea Vihear.

It also damaged legitimacy of the PAD, since the villagers who opposed the protest are normal people who cannot tolerate disturbance to their lives. Villagers in Ban Phumsarol are not manipulated by any political forces. They simply want the Preah Vihear to be open, enabling them to earn income from tourism and have routes to their farms.

Veera and all Preah Vihear crusaders need to answer questions from Veerayuth Duangkaeow, Sao Thong Chai sub-district chief. He asked: "What have you done for Ban Phumsarol? And what did you get from driving from elsewhere to read your statements on the cliff? And have you got the Preah Vihear back?"

Thailand vows no more fighting with Cambodia ... but safety shelters are being built still

Children play near a newsafety shelter in Sao Thongchai village in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district. The shelter has been built amid fears of a military stand-off between Thailand and Cambodia over the Preah Vihear border dispute. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

Hunkering down at the border

Safety shelters are being built in Kantharalak district near Preah Vihear in case of fresh tension with Cambodia

23/09/2009
King-oua Laohong in Si Sa Ket
Bangkok Post

Workers are covering 10 large drain pipes with soil, grass and sandbags to create shelters at Dan Nuea village in tambon Phu Pha Mok in Kantharalak district of this northeastern border province.

It is part of a plan to ensure safety for villagers living near the disputed border area and the Preah Vihear temple.

Ban Dan Nuea is not the only place where the shelters are being built. The government has allocated 40 million baht to build shelters in three districts: Khun Han, Phu Sing and Kantharalak.

The areas deemed most at risk are five tambons in Kantharalak: Phu Pha Mok, Bung Malu, Sao Thongchai, Rung and Noan Samran.

The fresh money has been set aside for the project because of fears that protests by Thais against Cambodia could spark a fresh military confrontation between the two countries.

The latest rally by People's Alliance for Democracy demonstrators took place on Saturday.

Nobody knows when the next protest will be while ownership of the 4.6 square kilometre area claimed by the two countries remains unsettled.

"We can't say bunkers aren't necessary. Problems could erupt at any time," said Col Warakorn Tukammi, head of a civil affairs unit attached to the 2nd Army.

Tambon Sao Thongchai is among areas in the three districts only 2.5km from the Preah Vihear temple ruins and is considered a high risk.

Village houses were once damaged by stray shells from Cambodia, said Col Warakorn, stressing the need to protect villagers' lives.

His unit is responsible for giving advice on how to build safe shelters while the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation pays for their construction, Si Sa Ket governor Rapi Pongbuppakij said.

Construction worker Pornchai Asipong said the shelters would be erected in house gardens and the compounds of schools and temples.

He said the shelters were stronger than make-shift bunkers made by villagers and some could accommodate between 30 and 50 people.

"Safe bunkers have three sizes: small, medium and large. The large one will be built in public or community areas such as temples and schools. The small size is for houses considered to be in danger areas," the worker said.

Sai Thaethaisong, a former village head in tambon Sao Thongchai, said it was unpleasant to cram into a shelter. He and his neighbours once had to sit in water in a shelter for many nights over 30 years ago during Cambodia's internal struggles with the Khmer Rouge.

"Villagers fear fresh fighting," Mr Sai said.

"In fact, they have lived with Cambodians for so long no one cares if there is an overlapping area. They just earn their living and have never been interested in who invades whose land."

When the PAD rallied on Saturday near the disputed area to protest against Cambodians allegedly occupying the area, their attempts to enter the area were blocked by Si Sa Ket villagers and ended in a clash between the protesters, villagers and police.

"We ask the PAD not to come back here. Villagers have had enough trouble," said Banyong Tangsuk, village head of Ban Phumsarol, which has suffered shelling in the past.

Don’t Turn Patriotism into Madness [in Thailand]

September 21st
From Post Today newspaper (Thailand)
Analysis
Translated and edited by Wacharapol Isaranont

The international dispute over the ownership of a 4.6-kilometer overlapping land adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear Temple between Thailand and Cambodia has been a sensitive and longstanding issue that needs more than a truce to settle.

And while the tension is about to calm down after several deadly confrontations between Thai and Cambodian troops have seen both countries lose more than gain and efforts to peacefully resolve the issue through international political instrument are widely exercised, domestic movements to protest Cambodians encroaching on the unsettled area have reignited the flame of dispute.

During the past weekend, a group of the People's Alliance for Democracy supporters, led by Veera Somkwamkid, staged a protest at the Khao Phra Viharn national park in Si Sa Ket Province and called on the Thai government to forcefully drive Cambodian villagers and troops away from the disputed land.

The move may be motivated by patriotism with good intentions to protect the country’s sovereignty, but in the big picture it turned out to foil the plan to peacefully settle the issue by both the Thai and Cambodian governments. Besides, it created a reverse effect by leading to a rift among Thai people themselves, evidenced by a confrontation betwwen the yellow-shirt group and local villagers in Si Sa Ket Province.

Sadly, the PAD’s protest seems to infused with anger and foolhardy resistance to unknown facts behind the dispute, particularly the fact that the conflict took place as Thailand and Cambodia referred to different versions of maps when negotiating the border demarcation.

The yellow-shirt group should not let anger cloud their judgment about the cause of problem and the proper solution, for it could turn inspiring patriotism into uncontrollable madness, which are two sides of the same coin.

All parties must be sensible and look at the issue without distortion in their points of view. They must learn to equip themselves with correct information and to follow the progress of efforts by the government to dismantle the conflict.

Meanwhile, the government should promote transparency and provide the public with accurate accounts and developments of the situation, in order to prevent any dispute that could arise from lack of knowledge and misunderstanding.

So far, various agencies have worked on their own and kept information behind the door. In fact, such a longstanding issue as the Preah Vihear dispute needs collaboration from agencies with varying expertise including history, archaeology, politics and international laws. And all them must work in a unified manner in any efforts to protect the nation’s territorial rights.

All this is to prevent Thai people from unnecessarily getting involved in fights, especially against their fellow countrymen.

Cambodians’ Reaction To PAD Temple Protest

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Dear Editors,

Many Cambodians around the globe were watching and had reason to be concerned about the PAD temple protest over the week-end. Although the protest took place on Thai soil, its ramification had spilled across the border, and could adversely affect the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the border issue peacefully.

It is irresponsible and inherently dangerous for PAD to conduct a territorial protest in such a proximity to the border, where soldiers on both sides were on high alert and had been under a lot of stress over a prolonged period. Provocations, intentional or not, could have occurred and easily degenerated into hostility. Wars began that way in some part of the world.

For both nations, it is outrageous and unacceptable that the border situation can not be normalized because some leading PAD activists would risk a war in order to advance their own political agenda. These activists have no consideration for the hardship on the soldiers deployed at the border, and the financial losses incurred on the local residents.

While continuing to exercise restraint within a limit, Cambodians sincerely hope that the week-end protesters did not represent Thai mainstream, and that the voice of reason in the Land of Smiles will prevail so that the border issue can be settled amicably.

Davan Long
Montreal, Canada

Cambodian govt denies "crazy" PAD sovereignty claim

Government Denies Claims of Border Protest

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
21 September 2009

The government on Sunday denied claims made by Thai protesters that Cambodians had encroached on Thai soil near the temple of Preah Vihear, where soldiers on both sides have amassed since July 2008.

About 30 Thai protesters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy were allowed access to the temple on Sunday morning, as 5,000 demonstrators gathered on the Thai side of the border. The government dismissed claims by the protest leaders as “crazy.”

Thailand and Cambodia both have troops amassed around a disputed 4.6 square kilometers of land near Preah Vihear temple, in a standoff that has simmered over into battles on several occasions, killing a total seven soldiers.

Agence France-Presse quoted protest leader Veera Somkwamkid as saying Cambodia had allowed soldiers and citizens to stay in the disputed area and urging Thailand to reclaim the area around the temple.

Chhum Socheath, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, told VOA Khmer Sunday from Preah Vihear temple, Sunday’s demands were “unacceptable.”

“The statement announced by the Thai yellow-shirt protesters is a very crazy stance,” he said. “We have a clear treaty, convention and borderline. So we rule out this problem.”

Koy Kong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the statements were baseless and unfair, and added that the protests came from only one political movement and would not therefore affect relations between the two governments.

The protesters had hoped to cross into Cambodia, which officials worried could further destabilize efforts to resolve the border crisis. However, Thai soldiers and police, as well as local villagers, prevented this.

“This shows the will of the Thai government, which has the intention of solving the border issue with Cambodia peacefully and within existing mechanisms,” he said.

PAD temple protest was blatant provocation

September 22, 2009
EDITORIAL
The Nation

The government must stop its ally from causing any more trouble at disputed border site

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) should have learnt a lesson after its clash with local residents over the weekend near the disputed temple of Preah Vihear on the Cambodian border. The PAD's protest at the site was wrong. It was no way to protect Thailand's national sovereignty.

Blood should not be spilled over this stupid demand to have sovereignty over the disputed territory. It remains unclear to which country the temple actually belongs. It is embarrassing to see Thai people fighting each other in this area, even though Thailand and Cambodia are at odds over the historical site.

The nationalist elements of the PAD made a silly and unnecessarily provocative move to protest at the Pha Mor Ee Daeng site on Saturday and Sunday, demanding the removal of a Cambodian community from the disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres.

The area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia. But the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 2000 to leave the site free from occupation until the boundary demarcation is finished and agreed upon.

It is true that Cambodia has built up a settlement, temple and military outpost in the disputed area since 2004. But the PAD should be well aware that the Thai Foreign Ministry has lodged a series of diplomatic protests over the Cambodian construction.

The Cambodian action might be regarded as a violation of the 2000 memorandum of understanding, but it is wrong for Thai people to try to remove the settlers from the area by force. We must be civilised in solving the problem by negotiation through the proper diplomatic channels.

Instead of helping to solve the problem, the PAD action has simply made the issue more complicated. The protest degenerated into clashes with local residents in Si Sa Ket's Kanthalalak district, who have lived there for generations.

Local residents in many sub-districts in the area around Preah Vihear and the Phra Viharn National Park view the PAD protesters as troublemakers. The PAD caused the closure of the temple.

Many Thai people in the area rely on the Preah Vihear temple for a number of reasons. Some are traders who rely on tourists who visit the World Heritage site; some need to travel through the area to get to their farms; some gather food and other items from the forests; others are relatives of people in the Cambodian community in the disputed area. Sovereignty over the boundary is meaningless for local people. They are able to get on with their daily lives even with the blurred boundary line.

The clash over the weekend between the local villagers and the PAD protesters, who mostly came from elsewhere, was not the first time that such trouble has flared, but the second. The history of conflict between the two groups began last year when the PAD protested to Cambodia over the World Heritage inscription proposal. The PAD protest forced the authorities in Cambodia to shut Preah Vihear to tourism. The military on both sides have set up security outposts throughout the area, blocking local residents from travelling freely.

It is understandable that local people blame the PAD for creating trouble. An angry mob attacked PAD protesters in July last year when the PAD rallied at the site shortly after the World Heritage Committee announced Preah Vihear's inscription as a heritage site. Many people were injured in the clashes and ugly pictures were televised as Thais used flagpoles to beat each other.

Unfortunately, the PAD has not learned a lesson from the bloodshed last year, and has simply repeated the same mistake this year. The thousands of PAD marchers clashed with the same group of villagers in almost exactly same place, Ban Phumsarol. At least five people on both sides were injured this time. The most serious case was an injury to a protester's right eye, and some villagers were reportedly shot at by unknown gunmen.

Nobody is taking responsibility for the incident, as leaders of both sides have filed lawsuits for criminal damage against each other. Such actions will consequently create more conflict between the two groups of Thais.

The PAD leader of the demonstration, Veera Somkwamkid, says he will not give up national sovereignty over the disputed territory and will stay the course in the fight. The local residents are unlikely to throw the towel in either. The rift will go on.

The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has underestimated the level of conflict between the PAD and the villagers. It made no serious effort to prevent either the protest or the clashes. Minor injuries in Si Sa Ket might mean nothing to those in power who once agreed with this nationalist agenda - especially as a tactic against their political rivals - but people should not be scarified in this unnecessary conflict. Nobody will gain anything from such thoughtlessness.

Thailand will not benefit from this PAD protest over the boundary demarcation with Cambodia. The government must step in to stop any further provocation by its closest ally before the dispute degenerates into worse bloodshed.

Prawit: No more fight [among Thais] over Preah Vihear

21/09/2009
BangkokPost.com

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on has ordered security officials to prevent Thai people from fighting one another over the Thai-Cambodian disputed border around Preah Vihear temple.

Yellow-shirt protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) clashed with Si Sa Ket villagers on Saturday as they were trying to enter the disputed border area. The clash resulted in scores of injuries from both sides.

Second Army Region commander Wiboonsak Neephan will coordinate with the police, provincial governors and other agencies to prevent this type of incident from happening again, Gen Prawit said.

"The government, particularly the security units, will make sure the country will not lose its sovereignty. Everything must be done in line with procedures," said the defence minister.

He said it would not be necessary to deploy more troops at the disputed border near the ancient temple at the moment.

"Cambodia understands the situation in Thailand, and both governments have always been closely working together," he said.

Gen Prawit said he supported the idea of invoking the Internal Security Act during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Hua Hin and Cha-am next month, but it must not affect local people in the areas.

He said he had discussed this with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of security affairs.

"I would like the red-shirt protesters not to gather when the summit is being held as it is an international event," he said.

PAD vows to uphold Thai sovereignty over disputed area [-The thieves are throwing a tantrum?]

September 21, 2009
The Nation

Yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid yesterday vowed to uphold Thai sovereignty over 4.6 square kilometres of terrain near Preah Vihear Temple claimed by Cambodia. Veera also threatened to take legal action against officials condoning the encroachment.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government was trying to resolve border problems via the legal process and not force.

Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra said on Twitter that Preah Vihear actually does belong to Cambodia by a decision of the International Court of Justice.

He accused the government of favouritism for letting the yellow shirts, who clashed with local villagers in Si Sa Ket on Saturday, read out a statement reaffirming Thailand's dominion over the temple area.

Local villagers had tried to block access to the area by the yellow shirts.

To pacify the rival groups, authorities allowed Veera and about 30 yellow shirts to climb up to Pha Mor-I-Daeng, a cliff inside the Phra Wiharn National Park located in Kantharalak district opposite the temple, to read the declaration.

"We Thai patriots want to declare our intent to form a people's network to restore Thai sovereignty to the surrounding areas of Prasat Phra Wiharn," Veera said.

He pledged to pursue every legal means to reclaim Thai territory. He also warned officials that they would be penalised if they were caught involved in the territorial violations.

He went on to complain against the Cambodian government for allowing Cambodian villagers and soldiers to settle and build a road on Thai soil.

He called for an immediate withdrawal by Cambodia from Thai property. He urged the Thai military to take action under martial law to repel the transgression.

The five co-leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy have remained in close contact with Veera and the people's network over the temple issue, PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said.

The PAD fully backed the attempts to protect Thai territorial integrity and was not back-pedalling from Veera as alleged, he said.

The scuffle between the villagers and yellow shirts was instigated by the authorities, he said, adding that the yellow shirts were not going on the warpath to recover land lost to neighbouring countries.

"We agree with the option for a negotiated settlement of the border dispute and do not want war, but the government must be clear about the timetable and guidelines for negotiations," he said.

Abhisit said police were trying to mediate between the rival groups but the running battle broke out because the barricades were inadequate.

He insisted that Thailand has not surrendered sovereignty over the disputed areas and that the two countries have already agreed to forge a peaceful settlement.

He said his government had no hidden agenda but just the desire to safeguard Thai territory.

He admitted, however, that several border issues were too sensitive to bring up in public, so interested parties should hold discreet discussions with the government in order to update themselves on the status.

Democrat MP Boonyod Sukthinthai said Veera and the PAD should soften their stance on the temple issue in order to avoid inflaming the stand-off.

"It looks like Thais are fighting Thais and becoming the laughing stock for Cambodians," he said.

PAD calls off Preah Vihear temple protest

Veera: Accusations against Cambodia.

Hard-liners vow to 'maintain the rage'

21/09/2009
KING-OUA LAOHONG and PRADIT RUANGDIT
Bangkok Post

The People's Alliance for Democracy has called off its protest to force Cambodians out of a disputed area near Preah Vihear temple, but is vowing to return should the government fail to ensure Thai sovereignty in the area.

Veera Somkwamkid, who led the protest in Si Sa Ket near the border with Cambodia, was allowed yesterday to read a protest statement at Pha Mor E Daeng inside Khao Phra Viharn National Park, which is close to the 4.6 square kilometres of disputed territory and stairway leading to the ruins of the ancient Hindu temple of Preah Vihear.

The permission followed Saturday's clash between PAD supporters and Si Sa Ket residents which left many injured. The movement demanded in its statement that Cambodian soldiers and villagers leave the disputed zone.

"We do not accept the World Heritage Committee's decision to grant Cambodia the right to list the Preah Vihear temple as well as land around it as a World Heritage site," the statement said.

The statement was read out in the presence of 2nd Army Corps commander Wiwalit Chornsamrit.

Mr Veera accused the Cambodian government of allowing its people to build houses, roads and temples in the disputed area, and said the protesters were only exercising their constitutional right in their struggle to protect Thai sovereignty.

He also accused Thai authorities of mobilising villagers to confront the PAD protesters in a clash which left scores injured on both sides.

Mr Veera later said army chief Anupong Paojinda should use martial law as a tool to push back the Cambodians into their own territory. He said protesters would return if the government failed to do what had been demanded.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the government was not turning a blind eye to the dispute and was using every possible channel to resolve the problem.

It had sought to nullify the joint statement a former government signed with Cambodia to back Phnom Penh's bid to have the temple listed as a World Heritage site, he said.

The prime minister said peaceful negotiations were being undertaken to achieve the ultimate goal of seeing Thailand and Cambodia withdraw their troops from the area.

He said Thailand had not lost an inch of territory to Cambodia.

Boonrerm Khobut, a village headman in tambon Phupha Mok in Kantharalak district, said villagers had warned the PAD not to return to renew its protest and stir up trouble between Thailand and Cambodia.

PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said Chamlong Srimuang, a joint PAD leader, was misquoted in media reports as saying PAD leaders would distance themselves from Mr Veera after Saturday's protest turned nasty.

Although none of the PAD leaders sanctioned the Si Sa Ket protest, all five leaders backed calls to reclaim Thai sovereignty over the disputed area, Mr Suriyasai said.

If state officials had not coerced the villagers to turn against the PAD and mobilised them to confront the protesters, violence would not have broken out, he said.

The government should set a clear time frame for negotiations to settle the border dispute with Cambodia and the army needed to force Cambodians occupying the disputed area to move out, he said.

The PAD leaders will hold a meeting soon to discuss a plan to renew their struggle to reclaim Thai sovereignty over the area, Mr Suriyasai said.

Thai nationalists disperse

Army keeps tight lid on border protesters; 'red shirts' vow to hold further protests in Bangkok

Sep 21, 2009
By Nirmal Ghosh, Thailand Correspondent
Straits Times (Singapore)

BANGKOK - THAI nationalists who clashed on Saturday with locals and police near an ancient temple on the Cambodian border dispersed on Sunday, after making speeches in an event tightly controlled by the army.

The group from the royalist yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said it had come to the border to fight for Thailand, and that it was the 'duty of every Thai'.

It brushed off resentment from locals, who were fearful that the activists would provoke a war with Cambodia, saying local villagers did not understand the issue.

And though the mood at the border was calm on Sunday - in contrast to the violent clashes a day earlier - there was every indication that the contentious Preah Vihear temple issue will continue to pose a challenge for the Thai government as domestic political players use it to inflame passions.

On Sunday, a group of 33 activists from the People's Rights and Liberty Protection Group, led by Mr Veera Somkwamkid, was taken by the army in a bus to a cliff called Mo I Daeng, from where the main structure of the Preah Vihear temple was visible on the next ridge. Journalists travelled in a separate bus.

From the cliff, the activists unfurled a white banner that said 'Get out of our land'. Some carried pictures of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and one held aloft a figure of a garuda, which is half-man and half-bird and carries the Hindu god Vishnu. It signifies the King's reign and is Thailand's official symbol.

The group is part of the PAD and while senior PAD leaders have distanced themselves from Mr Veera, he and others said on Sunday that they remained very much a part of the PAD. The PAD activists demanded that the military push out Cambodians from the disputed land, an area of about 485ha.

Citing a 1904 border demarcation, Mr Veera said: 'The PAD would like the Cambodian government to quickly move its people and soldiers out of this area, or else Thai people will have to do their duty in protecting the country's sovereignty.'

Asked whether he was conscious that his actions might ignite a war with Cambodia, Mr Veera replied that the war had already been started - by Cambodia.

Locals in the area remained deeply resentful of the PAD, and the military personnel at the site also appeared clearly unhappy with the turn of events on Saturday. Between 3,000 and 5,000 of the nationalists fought local Thai residents and police that day after trying to reach the temple. Dozens of people were injured.

Cambodia observing the PAD situation in Thailand: Thai commander

Yellow shirts protest near Hindu Khmer temple

2009-09-21
CCTV.com (China)

Dozens of Thai activists have marched to a lookout point close to a disputed area near an ancient Hindu Khmer temple on the Cambodian border. This in a bid to urge the Cambodian military to leave the region.

The representatives of the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, also known as the "yellow shirts", climbed up a hill on the Thai side of the border with a military escort to make their appeal.

Cambodia has not responded, but a Thai commander said Cambodia was observing the situation and is in contact with them.

Tensions over temple ownership heated up in July last year when UNESCO approved Cambodia's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple named as a World Heritage Site.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Abhisit's Knife

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

[Thai] PM thanks all parties for keeping peace at Saturday's rally

A Thai villager fights his way with a knife during clash with protesters, not seen, as riot police officers look on during a protest against the occupation of land by Cambodian people in Sisaket province, northern Thailand, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Violence broke out as a political group broke through police lines to march to a temple on the Cambodian border and demand the Thai government recover disputed territory. Hospitals said 15 people were slightly injured.

BANGKOK, Sept 20 (TNA) - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday thanked all parties, demonstrators and security officials as well, that there was no violence during the Bangkok protest of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Saturday, but called for Thais not to engage in further physical violence against one another, after many were injured near Preah Vihear temple in a scuffle.

The prime minister thanked officials and demonstrators for maintaining order and for following the rules for staging a peaceful protest in his weekly TV programme, broadcast from a Modernine TV Channel Nine studio on Sunday.

Responding to the clash between the members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and local residents in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, the prime minister said he did not want to see Thais harming Thais.

“The government is not ignoring the conflict. Expressing different opinions is acceptable,” he said, “but we are all Thais. Don’t hurt others and cooperate with officials.”

Security personnel were directed to prevent further clashes between any groups, he added.

Four people were severely injured in the clash between the PAD and local villagers. The PAD was marching to Pha Mor E Daeng near the disputed area at Preah Vihear temple to read aloud their statement. The PAD demanded that Cambodian soldiers and villagers remove themselves from the disputed area.

PAD protest ends in bloodshed

Govt Declares Martial Law As Villagers, Police Clash With Pad; Yellow Shirts To Read Sovereignty Declaration

20/09/2009
KING-OUA LAOHONG
Bangkok Post

SI SA KET : Dozens of protesters, police and villagers were injured in fiery clashes near the border with Cambodia yesterday as a protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy spun out of control.

The government declared martial law as PAD supporters, in a protest over sovereignty, met unexpected resistance from hundreds of Si Sa Ket villagers who blocked their path.

The PAD was trying to march to a disputed border area close to Preah Vihear temple. Stick-wielding protesters clashed repeatedly with riot police and villagers who were trying to keep them out.

Nearby, soldiers set up barricades to stop the PAD reaching the border area disputed with Cambodia.

They reinforced the Khao Phra Viharn national park office in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket.

But the government was forced to declare martial law after protesters were able to break through barricades to reach the military-controlled area.

The clashes between PAD protesters and villagers left scores of people on both sides injured, including two people in a critical condition.

Sert Piewkhao, 26, a local villager, was shot in the neck while PAD supporter Promsak Ritkraikul, 44, was hit in the eye by slingshots.

To ease the crisis, the government agreed to let 76 PAD representatives read aloud a prepared statement today at Pha Mor E Daeng, which is close to the disputed area.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said giving the PAD its say could help restore peace. Anyone who broke the law at the gathering would be punished, he said.

The government's concession capped a day of drama which started when PAD member Veera Somkwamkid and Charoen Muphankhachorn led about 2,000 supporters on a protest to assert Thai sovereignty over disputed territory near Preah Vihear temple.

They planned to march to the temple entrance to protest against Cambodia's decision to build new houses in a nearby 4.6 square kilometre area not settled by the two countries. The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962.

Accompanied by so-called PAD guards, the demonstrators arrived in the province in cars, buses and vans. They were stopped by hundreds of villagers at Ban Phumsarol in Kantharalak district.

The residents blockaded the road to the park near the temple. Crowd control riot police in full gear were on standby.

Residents opposed the PAD protest, fearing it would aggravate the border situation and harm their livelihood.

"They [PAD protesters] are here for just a couple of days. But we and the Cambodian people are here for life so we do not want any complications.

"The temple dispute has been going for years. Why protest now?" said Boonreum Khobutr, a village head.

Si Sa Ket governor Rapi Pongbuppakij and Si Sa Ket deputy police chief Amnuay Mahapol asked both sides to back off, but to no avail.

After hours of trading insults, clashes broke out about 1.20pm. Slingshots, wooden stakes, rocks and blades were used as weapons.

The PAD guards broke through the barricades, taking protesters to a forest fire control station where they were prepared to spend the night.

Mr Veera and Suranaree Task Force commander Maj-Gen Chavalit Choonhasarn held talks for two hours after which the protesters retreated to the Sisa Asoke Buddhist community, which is a branch of Santi Asoke with close affiliations to the PAD.

Speaking while the negotiations were underway, Second Army Region commander Lt Gen Wibulsak Neepal said the army could not guarantee the safety of protesters.

He had proposed to army commander Anupong Paojinda that a group of 20 PAD representatives be allowed to enter the restricted area to make a declaration.

"The army chief has agreed. The PAD demonstrators have to leave the area as soon as they finish reading their statement," he said.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang yesterday distanced all five PAD leaders from the Preah Vihear campaign.

"Mr Veera is leading the campaign so any talks should be conducted with him," he said after the clashes.

Earlier, Gen Anupong said he doubted the PAD's campaign to enter the restricted area would do any good to themselves or the country.

"They will put themselves in danger if they sneak into areas which are not yet clear of landmines. And if they are arrested, Cambodia will accuse us of encroachment," he said.

Video: Police and protesters clash [in Thailand]

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Al Jazeera

Thousands of troops were on the streets of Thailand as a day of rival political protests continued into the night.

In Bangkok, the capital, the "red shirts", as they are known, were marking three years since the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed.

While on the border with Cambodia, clashes broke out between nationalist protesters, known as the "Yellow Shirts", and police.

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from Bangkok.

Thai nationalists march on contested border temple

Sat, 19 Sep 2009
DPA

Bangkok - Thousands of Thai ultra-nationalists on Saturday broke through a police barrier to march to an 11th-century Hindu temple on the Cambodian border in a long-running dispute that nearly sparked a war last year. An estimated 4,000 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) clashed with police and villagers at Phumisarol town who tried to stop them from entering the national park in Sisaket province, about 450 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, state-owned Thai News Agency reported.

Several people were reported injured in the clash.

In Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva expressed concern over the incident and urged officials to negotiate with the leaders to end the protest peacefully.

The PAD led anti-government protests last year that culminated in the seizure of Bangkok's two airports and the toppling of the previous administration, led by the People Power Party (PPP).

The movement is staunchly opposed to the return to power of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a coup in September 2006 but was the main political force behind the PPP.

PAD leaders objected to the PPP's decision last year to support Cambodia's bid to list the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, claiming the move was motivated by Thaksin's vested business interests in Cambodia.

Despite their protests, the temple ruins were granted heritage status, sparking protests and an incursion into Cambodian territory by some PAD activists at the time.

Their arrests by Cambodian soldiers and Thailand's aggressive response to the incident almost sparked a border war in July last year.

The historical site has been the subject of diplomatic tensions between Thailand and Cambodia for decades.

An ownership dispute over the temple, which is perched on a cliff defining the Thai-Cambodian border, was settled by an International Court ruling in the Hague in the mid-1950s, but the court failed to rule on the ownership of land adjacent to the temple.

Thailand insists that this land is still under dispute and the granting of UNESCO heritage site status was premature.