Thai gov't tightens security for Cambodian embassy amid bilateral tension

Cambodian embassy in Bangkok (Photo: Reuters)

BANGKOK, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Security is tightened in front of the Cambodian embassy to Thailand in Bangkok Friday morning after Thailand recalled its ambassador from Cambodia over the latter's appointment of Thai former premier as government advisor, Thai media reported.

According to Thai News Agency, more security personnel were deployed at the embassy, including 230 policemen from various stations under the Metropolitan Police Bureau and some anti-riot units on rotated shift. Another 150 policemen would be deployed if there is a protest.

The security measures are taken as the bilateral relationship is in tension after Thailand and Cambodia governments on Thursday recalled their own ambassador.

The tension is triggered by Cambodian government's announcement on Wednesday night that it will appoint Thaksin shinawatra, Thailand's former premier who was ousted by a 2006 military coup, as economic advisor.

Thailand's Foreign Ministry on Thursday recalled it's ambassador from Phnom Penh, saying that the appointment is an insult to the Thai judicial system and affected Thai public's sentiment.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya later Thursday confirmed the news report that Cambodia had recalled its ambassador from Thailand.

Thais Protest Over Soldiers on Border

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 November 2009

Nearly 500 Thai protesters gathered in front of the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok Monday to protest the presence of Cambodian troops near Preah Vihear temple. Soldiers from both countries have been entrenched along the border since July 2008.

The protest follows remarks from ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra that he would not accept exile status from Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Sen angered Bangkok last week by announcing he would welcome Thaksin in Cambodia without abiding by an extradition treaty.

The protesters demanded that Cambodian troops leave the area around Preah Vihear temple, which they claim belongs to Thailand.

Koy Kong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the demand “illegal.”

“Cambodia cannot accept the demand by Thai protestors,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials said Monday that Thaksin’s statements were likely to cool the ongoing war of words between leaders of the two countries.

“Thaksin showed his support for the Bangkok government,” by declining Hun Sen’s exile invitation, said Kem Sokha, head of the opposition Human Rights Party.

“If Thaksin makes asylum in Cambodia, it degrades the Thai government,” he said. “So, Thaksin does not want to degrade the Bangkok government in the name of the nation. Thaksin thinks of the national interest more than his personal interest.”

Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the Sam Rainsy Party, said Thakisn’s declining to come to Cambodia would “avoid an uncomfortable feeling between the ruling parties of Cambodia and Thailand.”

However, Ny Chakrya, chief investigator for the rights group Adhoc, said Thaksin may also want to keep his political options open. Were he to seek political asylum in Cambodia, he would not be allowed to participate in politics in Thailand. “So he decided not to go to Cambodia.”

Thaksin lives in exile and faces a two-year jail term on charges of corruption if he returns to Thailand.

Keep protests under control in Thailand

Cartoon from The Bangkok Post

Thai demonstrators demand that Cambodia give back Preah Vihear, Siem Reap and Battambang provinces: Phay Siphan

Preah Vihear listing likely

Monday, 07 July 2008
Xinhua & The Mekong Times

Cambodia’s attempt to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site during the current UNESCO session in Canada’s Quebec City is expected to be successful, according to Thailand’s World Heritage Committee.

The prediction comes as Thai protestors at the closed border point nearest the cliff top temple have been demanding that Cambodia “return” Preah Vihear, Siem Reap, and Battambang provinces to Thailand, a Cambodian official said yesterday.

Chairman of the Thai World Heritage Committee, Pongpol Adireksarn, is currently attending the UNESCO session. He said that over half of the 21 World Heritage Committee members had told him informally that they support the Cambodian government’s registration of the ancient temple as a World Heritage Site as it has “untiringly pursued the issue on a constant basis,” the official Thai News Agency reported yesterday.

He quoted committee members as telling him that Phnom Penh has also invited them to visit the temple, in contrast to vacillating Thailand, whose “policy was uncertain,” the report said.

The issue expected to be resolved by the World Heritage Committee on Sunday night.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an international NGO dedicated to conserving the world’s historic monuments and sites, had distributed reports to the committee, saying that the listing of the temple alone as a World Heritage Site would pose no problem, said Pongpol.

But the ICOMOS recommended that both Cambodia and Thailand should jointly propose that the temple’s surrounding area should also be included as a World Heritage Site.

Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, attending the session as an observer, is expected to oppose the listing and ask for a delay because of the Thai Administrative Court’s temporary injunction against the June 17 cabinet approval of the joint communiqué he signed with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

Noppadon said in Quebec City that he would prepare a letter and lobby the committee to delay the listing of the temple.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Cambodian Council of Ministers, was optimistic Preah Vihear will be listed by UNESCO, despite Thailand’s withdrawal of support, as the UN body accepted it in principal in 2007.

UNESCO has no jurisdiction to resolve border issues but is obliged to conserve important heritage sites, he underlined, adding that the listing of the temple would be the “just” decision.

He added that, while the situation at the temple is calm, around 20 demonstrators on the Thai side of the border remain, bellowing that Thailand has lost 1 km of land to Cambodia in a deal between leaders.

The demonstrators have also been roaring demands that Cambodia “give back Preah Vihear, Siem Reap and Battambang provinces,” said Phay Siphan, adding that the border point remains closed.

Thousands of anti-government protesters rally over Thai-Cambodia boundary dispute

2008-06-18

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thousands of demonstrators accused the Thai government Wednesday of yielding a disputed border region with an ancient temple to Cambodia, the latest trouble for the embattled prime minister who has been facing daily protests calling for his resignation.

Led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, the crowd gathered in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and accused the minister, Noppadon Pattama, of giving into the Cambodians in exchange for business concessions.

The Preah Vihear temple, dating back to the 11th century, has been the subject of a boundary dispute since the 1950s. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the cliffside temple was within Cambodian territory.

The issue resurfaced as Cambodia was preparing to apply to UNESCO for the temple to be listed as a World Heritage Site, a process that requires the inclusion of a map.

Sondhi Limthongkul, a key leader of the anti-government alliance, alleged that Noppadon gave up some territory near the temple in exchange for his «boss» - former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - getting concessions to develop a casino complex on Cambodia's Koh Kong island.

Noppadon served as Thaksin's lawyer and continues to have close ties with Thaksin, who was toppled in a 2006 military coup.

The protesters say the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is merely acting as a proxy for the still powerful Thaksin and have demanded its resignation.
Noppadon denied the allegations.

«The minister of foreign affairs deserves flowers instead of brickbats,» Noppadon said, adding that not «a single square centimeter» of Thai soil was lost during recent negotiations with Cambodia.

He said Cambodia had drawn up two maps, one of the temple and the other of the adjacent area.

Noppadon said the Cambodians will present only the temple map in their upcoming request to UNESCO. The second map, which includes the disputed boundary, will not be an issue and thus Thailand has not yielded any territory, he said.