Thailand Should Practice What It Had Preached To Cambodia

Opinion by Khmerization
20th September, 2008
To the Editor of The Nation newspaper
letters@nationgroup.com
Originally posted at http://khmerization.blogspot.com

“The Nation had also advocated that the disputes of temples should not be settled by military means. May I suggest that the Thai military occupations of the Preah Vihear, Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples were proof that Thailand, due to its military superiority, has dangerously employed standover tactics and military means rather than negotiations as the solutions to the border disputes. Thailand, and for that matter, the Nation, should practise what it had preached to Cambodia, that border disputes should not be settled by military means.”

The editorial titled “No need to inflame border dispute”, published in The Nation on 18th September, 2008 once again proved the Nation’s journalistic true colours and therefore it deserved my attention and warrant my strong response.

This editorial, like “When Cambodia Cries Wolf”, which published in The Nation on the 1st of August, was a brilliant journalistic spin which has cunningly portrayed a victim (Cambodia) as a predator and a perpetrator and turning a real predator and perpetrator (Thailand) into some sort of a hapless victim. In short, The Nation’s editorial styles proved that the Nation is indeed a cunning spin doctor.

The Nation’s accusations that Cambodia had exploited the political crisis in Thailand by opportunistically invading the Ta Krabey temple is based on the Nation’s Thai nationalistic fervour more than the need for an objectivity in its reportage. In fact, it was Thailand, and not Cambodia, who exploited the opportunities. In 1998, Thailand seized an opportunity to send Thai troops to occupy Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch and Ta Krabey temples when the Khmer Rouge movement, who guarded those temples for years, had disintegrated and the temples were left guard-less.

Thailand had cunningly concocted its version of event regarding the military confrontation at Ta Krabey temple. It accused Cambodian troops of violating Thai sovereignty and territorial integrity. The sheer fact of the event was that more than 140 Thai soldiers forced their way into the temple in the middle of the night and terrorised a small group of Cambodian soldiers who guarded the temple for years. (Read here: Cambodia sent hundreds of troops to Ta Krabey temple).

The Nation had feared that Cambodia’s actions, or reactions, at Ta Krabey temple could jeopardise the already fragile relations between the two countries. The Nation forgot that Thailand’s invasions of Preah Vihear and Ta Moan Thom temples had already jeopardised the Khmer-Thai relations. It was Cambodia who showed restraints which had prevented the armed clashes when Thai soldiers forced their ways into these two temples.

The recent Thai forced occupation of the Ta Krabey, not Ta Kwai, because the word is a translation of the Khmer word, was an opportunistic military venture, dangerously ordered and employed by Thai military leaders who wanted to exploit the political chaos in Thailand, when Thailand was leaderless and the protesters and the military were in charge.

The Nation had also voiced its concerns over the lack of solutions to the disputes over Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples. The fact of the matter is the reasons that the two countries have not yet resolved the previous disputes over Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples were because Thailand, due to its lack of sincerity, has intransigently refused to withdraw its troops from those Cambodian territories, even though Cambodia had negotiated in good faith. Thailand only agreed to negotiate as a mean to appease Cambodia not to complain to the UN or the World Court. Thailand’s insincerity was clearly evident in the fact that, after four negotiations, Thai troops are still occupying the Khmer territories that they have invaded.

The Nation had also advocated that the disputes of temples should not be settled by military means. May I suggest that the Thai military occupations of the Preah Vihear, Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples were proof that Thailand, due to its military superiority, has dangerously employed standover tactics and military means rather than negotiations as the solutions to the border disputes. Thailand, and for that matter, the Nation, should practise what it had preached to Cambodia, that border disputes should not be settled by military means.

The Thai military incursion at Ta Krabey temple was a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity. And the summon of the Cambodian ambassador by Thailand’s Foreign Ministry was an insult to injury. Ta Krabey temple was located inside Khmer territories and was guarded by Cambodian troops for years. By sending the troops in to occupy the temple and twisted the story around by accusing Cambodia of invading its territories, Thailand was cunningly compiling a record and building up a case against Cambodia, should the latter bring the matter to the UN or the International Court of Justice. Very cunning indeed.
----------------
1. Read Kok Sap's response to The Nation newspaper: The Nation: No need to inflame border dispute.

The Nation: No need to inflame border dispute

Article appeared on 18 September 2008

Op-Ed by Kok Sap

The Nation bet its journalistic ethics and impartiality over PAD-Democrat Party shady politics. It shouldn’t have sniffed the tree the monkeys weren’t on.

For the real history of the so called border dispute, it was then Siam-Franco commission that imposed upon Cambodia from 1904-1907 on up that Dangrek Range was a divide. In spite of historical legitimacy and against its will, Cambodia had no say in it but its rulers recognized and accepted the so called Siamese- Franco border reality.

So the problem was not coming from Cambodia but Siam now turned Thailand that kept denying and questioning own past competence. Apparently Thailand is still mired by ethnocentrism and colonialism as the world begins to witness its internal Yala-Pattani deadly situation.

The 1962 International Court of Justice ruling said the Khmer Preah Vihear compound and nearby patch is belonged to Cambodia. In 1967, after arm clashes over Preah Vihear ownership, Dictator Thanat Khoman maneuvered agendas to create ASEAN bloc.

Up to now with chips on shoulders, Thailand seems to justify its position from habitual offence to croc tears-defense. To date it dangerously sends its armed forces to occupy Khmer old monuments along the so called border.

Thailand thinks it is Ok for it to assault others .Yet it is inappropriate for Cambodia to seek competent third party intervention to prevent arm clashes which most likely causing by Thailand politics.

The recurrence of faux pas politics to endanger neighbor in Thailand behalf is a violation of the ASEAN One vision, one community, one identity Charter.

The Nation said the dispute must be solved bilaterally in the spirit of good Asean neighborliness. I agree. But the neighborliness in ASEAN way seems constituting only ONE way.

The Nation said the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission is the proper mechanism to handle the issue. It might take time but it could end the border disputes peacefully and fairly. Well I like to say so and agree on this. Through observations in behavioral patterns, ASEAN is not quite ready to bake the cake without biting it.

To me if Thailand via ASEAN is so conscionable and moral, why it keeps crying foul and throwing tantrums at Cambodia for bringing unresolved problems to the competent International body for help.

Speaking of leadership and exemplary, Thailand is in much more of “you go” I follow “you” later posture all these times. May be it is time for ASEAN to mean what it says on papers. That is the only way to curb criticism.

The Nation is a respected voice in Thailand press but it shall never allow its just journalism and ethics to be exploited by the shady political ego trips.

In this inflamed matter, The Nation should be more sympathetic with the poorly and weakly Cambodia in comparison to too affluent and powerful Thailand.

So I say it is not Cambodia fault for not trusting ASEAN or Thailand in that matter. Cambodia is striving to do the right thing to protect its interests. Thus it should be credited in its attempt to erect the fence before the white elephant raiding its paddies, again.

Who's The Crying Wolf?

Written by Mediawatch

BANGKOKIAN
When Cambodia cries wolf
By The Nation.
Published on August 1, 2008

Cambodia knows exactly when and where to hit Thailand to inflict the most pain on its neighbour to the east. Repeated attempts by Phnom Penh to raise the Preah Vihear dispute at the international level in forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement - which were subsequently withdrawn - shows a lack of sincerity and ill intentions. At a meeting in Singapore, Asean took the unprecedented step of discussing the temple dispute but without any progress.- The Nation

Just keep our fingers crossed and hope that the Author of this particular article, in any way and manner, did not represent the voices of the people of Thailand or the current legitimate democratic elected government and its administration.

If the Author means to say that Cambodia lack sincerity and has ill intention on his/her part then he/she [author] is indeed impressively very delusional.

Mind you that Cambodia is the sole and lawful owner of the Preah Vihear Temple, which was legally awarded by the International Court of Justice in Hague, dated back in 1962; and was fully recognized by the international community. However, with due respects and sincerity, in good faith and in good intentions for us as a neighbour, Cambodia has approached Thailand that we shall have an open and sincere dialogue regarding the enlisting of Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage site.

Both sides have done all their best to teething any differences, meetings after meetings before reaching a fruitful result when a joint communique was eventually and dully signed by the lawful representatives from both Cambodia and Thailand.

During the 32nd session in Quebec, the World Heritage Committee [all the 21 members] has unanimously approved the Cambodian application to list the Preah Vihear Temple as the World Heritage Site.
Thailand's last attempt to delay and cite for a joint management of the temple has been rejected.

In return for all good deeds by Cambodia, the Royal Government and people of Cambodia; Thailand has decided to flex its military mights and muscles by sending its elite troops and military hardware to the surrounding areas of Preah Vihear Temple, on 15 July 2008.

How would the Author explain these types of action?

Would these actions prove the kind of sincerity and good intentions on the part of Thailand?