Thailand ready to abide by UN court's ruling over temple [-Thai disingineous face saving action?]

July 19, 2011
ABC Radio Australia

The United Nations' highest court has ordered Thailand and Cambodia to immediately withdraw their troops from the disputed border regions around the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn, spokesman for Thai Government

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

DR PANITAN: We welcome the court decision, in regards of asking the Cambodia troops to withdraw from what the court called the demilitarised zone, that's what we've been asking Cambodia to do all along.

LAM: But Bangkok did not want the International Court of Justice to proceed, to begin with, so is Thailand disappointed with this decision?

DR PANITAN: We are a good member of the United Nations. We will follow the good practice that we have been adopting since we became a member of the UN. But we also need to follow internal procedures, based on our Constitution. Rulings must also be worked out by the internal committees of Parliament, the Parliament that will come in the next few weeks.

LAM: Well, the Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya says that Bangkok will honour the ICJ ruling but will hold more talks with Phnom Penh over its claims - why was this not done before? What's changed since Indonesia's foreign minister Marty Natalegawa tried to act as mediator a few months back?

Thailand committed to solving border dispute with Cambodia by peaceful means: Thai spokesman

BANGKOK, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's acting government spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn said Tuesday that his country has committed to solving the border dispute with Cambodia by peaceful means base on the bilateral framework.

The acting government spokesman's statement was made after news reports saying that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered his troops to shoot any trespassers in the disputed border area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, Thai News Agency reported.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has not worried about the latest development at the Thai-Cambodian border as the two leaders earlier have agreed they will not let the border dispute affect the broader relations of the two countries, said Panithan.

If the two countries use forces to solve the border dispute, it will negatively affect the two neighboring countries and the ASEAN group, Panithan said.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said he plans to meet with Hun Sen, who will attend the forthcoming ASEAN Summit in Thailand, to discuss about the border dispute.

Thailand, which is the 2009 chairmanship of ASEAN, will host the 15th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from Oct. 21-25 in central beach resort town Cha-am and Hua Hin.