Abbhisit VejjajivaAbhisit slams samak for conceding sovereignty
June 25, 2008
The Nation
PM urges country to come to terms with 1962 decision
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday accused Democrat Party chief Abhisit Vejjajiva of fuelling tension between Thailand and Cambodia, even as the opposition leader accused the administration of compromising the country's sovereignty with its "active support" for Phnom Penh's bid to secure World Heritage status for Preah Vihear.
Abhisit said no Thai government had ever officially accepted the 1962 decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and maintained that the country had the right to revive its claim to the 10th century Hindu temple if and when new evidence surfaces.
The Democrat Party leader said that with the exception of the Samak government, no Thai government had ever regarded the ICJ ruling as the determination of the national border between the two sides.
Abhisit showed Parliament a letter from the Thai Foreign Ministry to the Cambodian government, calling on Phnom Penh to reconsider its unilateral decision to apply to Unesco for World Heritage status.
The opposition leader also showed a joint communique revealing Samak's "active support" for Cambodia's bid for World Heritage status for the historic temple.
Former deputy foreign minister Sukhumband Paribatra said the joint communiqu้ signed by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An could be deemed an international treaty, which required a Parliament reading in accordance with article 190 of the Constitution.
"Of course, the interpretation is debatable but as long as it is unclear, why don't we put it through the Parliament first? Why does the government make it in secret and in a hurry?" he asked.
Samak dodged the accusation that he has effectively forfeited the country's right to raise the Preah Vihear case with the ICJ. He argued that Thailand had lost the case in 1962 and urged the country to come to terms with the decision.
He accused Abhisit of adding to the tension between the two countries and said Thai nationals in Cambodia are having sleepless nights. Samak said the Cambodian government has the right to propose the main temple - which the ICJ had ruled to be situated inside Cambodian territory - to Unesco for consideration as a World Heritage site.
Abhisit contended that no Unesco committee would approve such a request, as it would unnecessarily split up the ancient temple into two zones.
Last year, Thailand protested against Unesco Cambodia's unilateral move to have the entire temple, which includes 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping claims, to become a World Heritage site.
The then government of Surayud Chulanont made the sticky topic of national borders a non-issue and suggested that Thailand and Cambodia file a joint application to Unesco.
Cambodia rejected the proposal and resubmitted its bid again this year.
Abhisit said it was a big mistake on the part of the Samak government to stray from the positions of previous governments that called for the two countries to put in a joint application.
He also criticised Noppadon for misleading the public by proclaiming himself a hero, reportedly for succeeding in getting Cambodia to delete the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area from its map submitted to Unesco.
"I never thought that a former lawyer of Thaksin Shinawatra would ever become a lawyer for Cambodia," Abhisit said, in reference to Noppadon, who had represented Thaksin while the ousted premier lived in exile following the September 2006 coup.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday accused Democrat Party chief Abhisit Vejjajiva of fuelling tension between Thailand and Cambodia, even as the opposition leader accused the administration of compromising the country's sovereignty with its "active support" for Phnom Penh's bid to secure World Heritage status for Preah Vihear.
Abhisit said no Thai government had ever officially accepted the 1962 decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and maintained that the country had the right to revive its claim to the 10th century Hindu temple if and when new evidence surfaces.
The Democrat Party leader said that with the exception of the Samak government, no Thai government had ever regarded the ICJ ruling as the determination of the national border between the two sides.
Abhisit showed Parliament a letter from the Thai Foreign Ministry to the Cambodian government, calling on Phnom Penh to reconsider its unilateral decision to apply to Unesco for World Heritage status.
The opposition leader also showed a joint communique revealing Samak's "active support" for Cambodia's bid for World Heritage status for the historic temple.
Former deputy foreign minister Sukhumband Paribatra said the joint communiqu้ signed by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An could be deemed an international treaty, which required a Parliament reading in accordance with article 190 of the Constitution.
"Of course, the interpretation is debatable but as long as it is unclear, why don't we put it through the Parliament first? Why does the government make it in secret and in a hurry?" he asked.
Samak dodged the accusation that he has effectively forfeited the country's right to raise the Preah Vihear case with the ICJ. He argued that Thailand had lost the case in 1962 and urged the country to come to terms with the decision.
He accused Abhisit of adding to the tension between the two countries and said Thai nationals in Cambodia are having sleepless nights. Samak said the Cambodian government has the right to propose the main temple - which the ICJ had ruled to be situated inside Cambodian territory - to Unesco for consideration as a World Heritage site.
Abhisit contended that no Unesco committee would approve such a request, as it would unnecessarily split up the ancient temple into two zones.
Last year, Thailand protested against Unesco Cambodia's unilateral move to have the entire temple, which includes 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping claims, to become a World Heritage site.
The then government of Surayud Chulanont made the sticky topic of national borders a non-issue and suggested that Thailand and Cambodia file a joint application to Unesco.
Cambodia rejected the proposal and resubmitted its bid again this year.
Abhisit said it was a big mistake on the part of the Samak government to stray from the positions of previous governments that called for the two countries to put in a joint application.
He also criticised Noppadon for misleading the public by proclaiming himself a hero, reportedly for succeeding in getting Cambodia to delete the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area from its map submitted to Unesco.
"I never thought that a former lawyer of Thaksin Shinawatra would ever become a lawyer for Cambodia," Abhisit said, in reference to Noppadon, who had represented Thaksin while the ousted premier lived in exile following the September 2006 coup.
