Bullies will get their comeuppance

February 22, 2011
By Allen Myers, Phnom Penh
Posted by The Nation

PM Abhisit is working overtime to prevent international observers seeing what his troops have been and are doing. But can he hide them from the Buddha?

Who, if anyone, is in charge of the Thai Air Force?

Is it the Thai Defence Minister? Someone else in the government? A military commander? The yellow shirts? The question arises because all of these people, and more, seem to be issuing orders to Thailand's Air Force and/or explaining its actions. And mostly they disagree with each other.

Let's start with the yellow shirts. Although they put PM Abhisit into office by occupying the Bangkok airport, they are upset with his inability to disband Unesco, overrun Preah Vihear or convince the rest of the world that Thailand is the only country that has any heritage worth mentioning.

On February 3, there was a yellow-shirt demonstration in Bangkok led byMajor-General Chamlong Srimuang. According to The Nation, Chamlong called on the Thai government "to withdraw Thailand from membership of the World Heritage Committee, disavow 2000's memorandum of understanding on bilateral border demarcations" with Cambodia and to "send F-16 fighters flying over the controversial spots along the Thai-Cambodian border". The report continued: "The Thai Air Force could be used in lieu of ground or naval forces against the Cambodians, who only have some dilapidated MiG-21 fighters."

Bangkok is gearing up for an all-out war with Cambodia? 20,000 Thai troops ready to head to the border

20,000 troops ready to head to the border

Army wants B200m for 'Preah Vihear mission'

12/02/2011
Bangkok Post

More than 20,000 soldiers will be deployed along the Thai-Cambodian border as part of a national defence plan and an incident action plan approved by the army commander, an army source says.

The source yesterday said army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha approved the plan last Friday and it will remain in effect until March 30.

Under the plan, a total of 23,641 troops will be deployed at the border.

The army has also submitted a request for more than 200 million baht to support an army mission codenamed "Preah Vihear battlefield" from the cabinet, the source said.

[Thai] Fighters fly near border 'by mistake' [-Yeah right!]

10/02/2011
Bangkok Post

F16 and F18 fighter planes flew very close to the Cambodian border by mistake about 1pm on Thursday, air force chief-of-staff Air Chief Marshal Prachin Chantong said.

ACM Prachin said the fighters were seen flying only two or three kilometres from the Thai-Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket province.

This caused speculation they were testing the border at a time Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in a border conflict.

In fact, the jets were from the air forces of Thailand, the United States and Singapore taking part in the Cobra Gold 2011 exercise being held in the 2nd and 3rd Army Regions, he said.

ACM Prachin said aircraft taking part in the exercise should be flying at least 10km from the border, but a mistake caused the planes to approach to within two or three kilometres of the border.

Bangkok is afraid that any involvement by France would lead to a further loss of Thai territory

Suthep rejects French help

10/02/2011
Bangkok Post

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has turned down an offer by France to help resolve the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.

He said Thailand and Cambodia can settle their border dispute without any other country acting as mediator.

Mr Suthep insisted the Thai government wants peace and does not want the conflict to escalate.

He said it is not uncommon for neighbouring countries to have some problems between them, but leaders of the two countries must try to rapidly and peacefully settle the conflict.

The deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs admitted that he was afraid that any involvement by France would lead to a further loss of Thai territory, as happened in 1962 when Thailand lost the ancient Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia by a ruling of the international court.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The BulliesCart

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

Bombshells and rally cries

Monday, February 07, 2011
By Shawn W Crispin
Asia Times Online

BANGKOK - Clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops represent the heaviest armed exchanges since border tensions first erupted in 2008 and threaten to spiral into a wider conflict as both sides incur casualties and extend their positions beyond the original 4.6 kilometer border area in dispute. Fighting entered a fourth day on Monday, with no ceasefire in sight.

Both sides have claimed the other fired first and that return salvos were launched in self-defense. The clashes were presaged by a ratcheting in tensions. Bangkok had earlier demanded Phnom Penh remove a marker claiming ownership of a patch of the contested territory and later insisted that a Buddhist temple in the area stop flying the Cambodian flag.

Bangkok's assertiveness coincided with a Cambodian court decision last week to sentence on espionage charges two Thai activists to lengthy jail terms for entering a border area claimed by Cambodia. Meanwhile, anti-government protests in Bangkok have called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down for his alleged mishandling of border issues.

Cambodians' View On the Border Issue with Thailand

Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Op-Ed by Davan Long

Once again the friction between Cambodia and Thailand has reached a flash point that war can potentially erupt any time as a result of a false maneuver or slightest misunderstanding. Despite of such perilous situation, both sides show no sign of backing down, instead opt to flex their muscles through exchanges of war rhetoric, military exercises and troop reinforcements.

From the Cambodian perspective, the ongoing friction between the two countries is a result of a smear campaign of intimidation by Thai radical groups to gain political grounds at home, and PM Abhisit government’s lack of commitment to clamp down on those radical groups. As long as these two conditions persist, war between the two countries will be inevitable.

Cambodian public believes its government has been very accommodating vis-à-vis the Thai counterpart. In deed, the Cambodian government has so far exercised utmost restraint by not requesting the UN to intervene. Thailand has insisted that the issue be addressed at the bilateral level, and in the spirit of promoting friendly neighborhood, Cambodia has agreed to it, at least up to now.

Bangkok demands Cambodia to remove temple from border area

February 01, 2011
Xinhua

Thailand has reaffirmed that a disputed temple on the common border with Cambodia is situated on Thai territory and demanded that Phnom Penh remove both the temple and its flag.

"Thailand maintains that the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda is situated on Thai territory, and demands that Cambodia remove both the pagoda and the Cambodian flag flying over the pagoda," the Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement received by media late Monday.

"This is a reiteration of the many protests that Thailand has submitted to Cambodia regarding the activities carried out in the pagoda and the surrounding area, all of which constitute violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Thailand," the statement said.

Recently, Cambodia erected a controversial stone sign in front of the temple, but later removed it after a request by Bangkok.

Thailand defends renewed border demands

February 1, 2011
ABC Radio Australia

Thailand says it is committed to a peaceful resolution of its border dispute with Cambodia, but it has fended off the idea of maintaining the area around the Preah Vihear temple as a jointly administered zone. The comments come a day after the Thai government renewed a demand that Cambodia remove a flag on a temple in the disputed area and also pull down the temple itself. Both Thailand and Cambodia have agreed that nothing would be built while a joint boundary commission surveyed the disputed land. Thailand insists the Cambodian temple was erected after the memorandum of understanding was signed in 2000.

Presenter: Zulfikar Abbany

Speaker: Thani Thongpakdi, spokesman, Thai foreign ministry, Bangkok

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

Cambodia Refuses To Lower Flag from Contentious Pagoda

(Photo: CEN)

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Friday, 28 January 2011

“Cambodia reserves its legitimate rights to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Cambodia says it will not remove its flag from a pagoda on a disputed piece of land near Preah Vihear temple, despite a request from Thailand.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement it would not comply with a request from Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to remove the flag from Wat Keo Siha Kiri Svara.

Both sides claim the land surrounding the pagoda, which was also at the center of a prolonged military standoff that began in July 2008 and only ended a few months ago.

The Foreign Ministry called the “demand” for the removal of the flag “insulting” and said recent Thai military exercises near the border were “clearly provocative.”

Thailand takes stand on pagoda

February 1, 2011
By SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE
THE NATION

Thailand yesterday officially demanded that Cambodia remove Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda and the Cambodian flag flying over the structure from the disputed border area around Preah Vihear Temple, while reaffirming its vow to resolve boundary issues through "peaceful means".

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement maintaining its claim that the Buddhist pagoda erected by Cambodia in 1998 "is situated on Thai territory".

The statement was issued days after Phnom Penh rejected Bangkok's request to take down the Cambodian flag from the pagoda.

Phnom Penh insisted last Friday that it had the legitimate right to fly its flag over the pagoda, which it claimed was on its territory.

The area of 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to Preah Vihear has not yet been demarcated because of the overlapping ownership claims.

The area was delimited in line with the Franco- Siamese treaties of 1904 and 1907. Cambodia claims that the Franco- Siamese joint commission produced a series of maps from 1905-08 to indicate that the area in question is Cambodian territory.

Take down those flags

1/02/2011
Bangkok Post
EDITORIAL

Cambodian authorities are being unhelpful or even provocative by extending the issue of their national flag in a disputed border region. The attempt by Phnom Penh's foreign ministry to turn the issue back on the Thai government is a rather cheap ploy.

It is unresponsive to the elementary and understandable request by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for Cambodian authorities to remove national standards from a border region that is legally disputed and politically tense.

From the government's statements so far, it appears that a temple is at the heart of the flag issue. The Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda was built more than a decade ago. It predates the controversial memorandum of understanding which is a flashpoint at the yellow shirt rallies. It also is older than the contentious 2001 application by Cambodia for Unesco to list Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site.

There is a rather insubstantial wooden arch at the end of the temple grounds, above which are two Buddhist flags, and a Cambodian standard. Another flag is painted onto the entranceway.

[Thai] Govt wants temple pulled down

Cambodia 'insulted' by latest demands

1/02/2011
Bangkok Post

The Thai government has renewed its demand for Phnom Penh to remove a Cambodian national flag flying over a temple on disputed land near the border, and is also now pressing for the temple itself to be dismantled.

The demand was included in a statement issued Monday by the Foreign Affairs Ministry amid reports of troop build-ups by both countries along the border.

"Thailand maintains that the 'Keo Sikha Kiri Svara' pagoda is situated on Thai territory, and demands that Cambodia remove both the pagoda and the Cambodian flag flying over the pagoda," the ministry said in its statement.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday came out to assert Thailand's sovereignty over the 4.6 square kilometres of land on which the ancient Hindu temple of Preah Vihear is situated.

The statement prompted a fierce response from Phnom Penh, which labelled the demand as "insulting and unacceptable".

"Cambodia is not a 'child' that we [Thailand] can order to do whatever we want": Thai Lt Gen Thawatchai

Flag flap pits Abhisit against military

ANALYSIS: The PM's new strong stance worries some among the top brass

1/02/2011

Bangkok Post

The border dispute with Cambodia is driving a wedge between Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and military leaders.

Mr Abhisit is demanding that Cambodia remove all national flags from Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara.

The prime minister considers the 4.6-square-kilometre area near Preah Vihear temple, on which Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara stands, to be part of Thailand.

Military leaders believe Cambodia's earlier agreement to remove two stone tablets at Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara which carried claims of ownership of the area should be taken into consideration by Mr Abhisit.

Abishit talks about peaceful resolution while raising the specter of war?

PM: War the last option

31/01/2011
Bangkok Post

The government will persist in pursuing peaceful means to settle border disputes with Cambodia, with war the very last option, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday.

"I do believe that both the Thai and Cambodian governments will adhere to peaceful ways to resolve our border conflicts.

"My intention of using peaceful approaches to settle the border dispute does not mean that the government is afraid of a war with Cambodia.

"It is also does not mean that the government is the underdog in dealings with our neighbor, as claimed by the yellow-shirt people group.

"The use of force will be the last option and will be resorted to only when there is no other solution left," Mr Abhisit said.

[Thai] PM orders Cambodian flags to be taken down

Phnom Penh labels demand 'provocative'

31/01/2011
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is insisting that any Cambodian flag flying above disputed areas must be removed, despite Phnom Penh denouncing the call as "insulting and unacceptable".

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement criticising Mr Abhisit's demand, saying the call, in parallel with Thai military exercises last week near the border, was provocative.

Mr Abhisit called for the removal of the Cambodian flags yesterday during his weekly radio and television address.

Cambodia is flying its national flag near Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara temple in the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area near Preah Vihear temple.

Mr Abhisit said the area did not belong to Cambodia and ordered the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry to protest against Cambodia's announcement that he had violated its sovereignty by ordering the removal of the flag.

Thailand to protest to Cambodia over disputed temple

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 30 (MCOT online news) -- Thailand will issue a protest note to Cambodia after the Cambodian government issued a statement condemning Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for his remarks asking Cambodia to remove its national flag flying at the entrance of a disputed ancient temple which sits on the border, a senior Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry official said Sunday.

Chavanont Intarakomalsut, secretary to the foreign affairs minister, told journalists that the statement issued by the Cambodian foreign ministry charging that Thailand had violated Cambodian integrity and sovereignty would not help provide a conciliatory atmosphere for talks between the two neighbouring countries aimed at resolving the border problem under the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) framework.

Phnom Penh issued the statement after Mr Abhisit asked the Cambodian government to remove its national flag erected above the entrance of Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara temple near historic Preah Vihear.

Troops reinforced at tense border

Sunday, 30 January 2011
Cheang Sokha and Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia officials have sent military reinforcements to the border area near Preah Vihear temple in the midst of a public spat with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva over the removal of Cambodian flags at a nearby pagoda.On Friday, Abhisit requested that the flags be removed from Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvara, adjacent to the temple, a plea that came amid reports of a Thai plan to hold military exercises close to Preah Vihear.

Srey Doek, commander of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Military Division 3 at the border, said additional personnel, tanks and heavy artillery had been dispatched to the border on Friday in response to the exercises.

“They [Thai troops] are doing maneuvers and we are also doing them – that is why we need to send tanks and other weapons to the border,” Srey Doek said. “Our armed forces are on alert.”

Abishit's ultimatum on Cambodia to remove Khmer flag?

[Thai] PM: Cambodian flag must be removed

30/01/2011
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his “Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit” weekly programme on NBT on Sunday morning that if a national flag of Cambodia is really placed at Wat Kaew Sikkha Khiri Savara, it must be removed.

“The temple is located on the disputed border area and if the claim by yellow-shirt people group is true, the government will coordinate with Cambodian authorities to remove the flag”, Mr Abhisit said in Davos, Switzerland.

The yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Friday showed photos showing that a Cambodia’s national flag was place on the entrance gate of the border temple.

On the demand by the PAD that the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding signed with Cambodia be revoked, the prime minister said that the MoU was made in order to prevent the possible use of military force in settling border dispute and that it is in line with international principle.

Cambodia Refuses To Lower Flag from Contentious Pagoda

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Friday, 28 January 2011

“Cambodia reserves its legitimate rights to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Cambodia says it will not remove its flag from a pagoda on a disputed piece of land near Preah Vihear temple, despite a request from Thailand.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement it would not comply with a request from Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to remove the flag from Wat Keo Siha Kiri Svara.

Both sides claim the land surrounding the pagoda, which was also at the center of a prolonged military standoff that began in July 2008 and only ended a few months ago.