Abhisit launches a diplomatic offensive [-Abishit wants to retain the stagnant status quo for his political gain?]

19/02/2011
By Kamol Hengkietisak
Bangkok Post

The United Nations Security Council resolution that Thailand and Cambodia instigate a permanent ceasefire and return to the negotiating table provided an opportunity for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to launch a diplomatic offensive, noted a [Bangkok] Post Today writer.

First, Mr Abhisit instructed Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to convince Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong to change his attitude and agree to talks during the Asean foreign ministers meeting in Jakarta next Tuesday.

On this issue, Mr Abhisit informed the cabinet that Thailand and Asean would try to persuade Cambodia to negotiate under the existing frameworks, including the memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 on dealing with the border demarcation, the Joint Border Committee and the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee.

Lots of talking but little in the way of diplomacy

February 12, 2011
The Nation

As the border conflict simmers, both Thailand and Cambodia should withdraw troops from the area and sit down at the negotiating table

All eyes will be on the UN Security Council this Monday when Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Nam Hong present their cases to the 15-member body. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, in his capacity as chair of the Asean Standing Committee, will also make a statement.

Considering the microphone diplomacy, the Monday showdown could very well be a juicy event. Cambodian PM Hun Sen is accusing his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva of committing war crimes, and accusing Thai troops of using cluster bombs against Cambodian civilians and damaging the historic Hindu temple of Preah Vihear. The Thai Army denies the accusations, saying their targets were military.

For a man who used to run with the Khmer Rogue, it appears that the Cambodian leader has gone soft when one takes into consideration his benchmark for what constitutes a war crime. Let's not forget that he has done just about every thing to obstruct the ongoing UN tribunal on former Khmer Rouge cadres charged with crimes against humanity.

Talks strike barrier over temple's name [-Is this a Thai stalling tactic?]

4/02/20
By THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

Negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia over Preah Vihear have stumbled over the spelling of the name of the famed ancient temple.

A Thai official said yesterday officials of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission were trying to find a way around the problem so border negotiations could proceed.

Vasin Teeravechyan, who chairs the commission, said a solution acceptable to the two countries would be found.

Thailand insists on using "the Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear" on documents used in the negotiations. Cambodian officials strongly object, saying Preah Vihear is internationally accepted.

Mr Vasin, who is a retired Foreign Ministry official, said the name proposed by Thailand was very common in international negotiations on the issue.

The Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear has been approved by parliament for the framework negotiations with Cambodia. Thailand will use it in documents to be signed with Cambodia.

The meeting will be concluded today.

The two countries have been unable to settle on a plan to reduce troops in the disputed area which covers 4.6 square kilometres between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear.

Mr Vasin refused further comment on the issue. But earlier he said Cambodia had told the meeting it had no soldiers stationed in the area.

The Cambodia delegation is led by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong.

Despite the disagreement over the name of the temple, the two countries will set up another team to survey the borderline for demarcation between Nam Yuen district in Ubon Ratchathani and Phu Sing district in Si Sa Ket, which is 195km long.

Thailand and Cambodia have already formed a survey team to study the disputed area near the ancient temple which was the scene of a military clash last year.

A plan to reduce the number of soldiers near the disputed area is expected to be included in talks when Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan visits Phnom Penh on Friday.

Preah Vihear will never belong to Thailand again ... It's time for the Thais to learn to say PREAH VIHEAR

Preah Vihear? Phra Viharn? A temple by any other name…

February 4, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

It appears as if Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission wasted a lot of time yesterday discussing the 11th-century Hindu temple that sits on a cliff at the border. To an outsider, it is difficult to understand why senior diplomats from both sides needed to spend so much time trying to agree upon a name. After all, the huge stone structure is called Preah Vihear in Khmer and Phra Viharn in Thai.

However, things get a bit difficult when the name is linked to ownership.

Calling it Preah Vihear could mean that it belongs to Cambodia, while calling it Phra Viharn could give Thailand a sense of ownership.

Many nationalists believe the temple belongs to Thailand even though a 1962 ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said it belonged to Cambodia.

Still, Cambodia only proposed that the temple be called Preah Vihear after the Thai side suggested it be called Phra Viharn. The Thai negotiation team within the JBC had been given parliamentary mandate to insist that the temple be given the Thai name, said Vasin Teeravechyan, co-chair of the Thai side.

Thailand's suggestion that both names be used in diplomatic documents was rejected by the Cambodian side, which claims that the name Preah Vihear was already well known, while the Thai version was only used among Thai people. It also said that all English-language newspapers called the temple Preah Vihear instead of Phra Viharn.

In addition, Cambodia says that Thailand has no right insisting that the name be changed now when it had never been bothered about it before. The Foreign Ministry had referred to the Hindu temple at the border of the Si Sa Ket province as Preah Vihear until very recently, and only stopped using that name in its English-language press statements in late August last year.

In fact, its statement issued on August 8, 2008, which is still available on the ministry's website, refers to the controversial temple as Preah Vihear.

The ministry only realised that it should use the Thai name in English-language press statements when a group of ultra-nationalists staged a street protest against Cambodia's inscription of the Hindu temple last year.

In fact, Thailand only paid attention to the name when its nationalist pride was bruised. In the 1960s, the temple was widely referred to as Phra Viharn in official documents. That was when the country was in conflict with Cambodia over the ownership of the temple.

Former foreign minister Thanat Khoman, when he wrote to the then United Nations chief U Thant to express his disagreement with the ICJ ruling, referred to the temple as Phra Viharn.

Meanwhile things may have come to a standstill.

Vasin says that Thailand cannot accept that the temple only be referred to by its Khmer name and work on boundary demarcation cannot start until both sides agree upon a name.