Click on the letters in English and French to zoom inCliquez sur les letters en anglais et français pour aggrandir
Beijing
August 2, 2010
August 2, 2010
His Excellency Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Care of the Royal Thai Embassy
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia
Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
Please convey to His Majesty the King of Thailand my very respectful homages and my wishes for a long life, good health and a long and prosperous reign.
I present to Your Excellency and to the eminent members of the Royal Thai Government as well my compliments.
I feel great admiration for the impressive economic, social and cultural development that the Kingdom of Thailand has achieved in recent decades, and particularly for the strong commitment to education that has underpinned the country’s rise. And I feel particularly grateful to the Kingdom of Thailand for the important role it played in the recent past to help Cambodia recover her sovereignty and put an end to two decades of conflict and suffering.
The Khmer people have no other desire than to heal the wounds of the past and live peacefully. As a member of the international community, of global and regional organizations, Cambodia wishes to achieve its development in harmony with every country, to nurture and reinforce relationships of friendship and cooperation with every nation, and above all with our direct neighbors.
The Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand have a long history together, marked indeed by conflicts but also by periods of peace during which exchanges between the two countries have greatly benefited both. We share a common civilization, culture, and religion. Whatever may separate us is not as strong as that which binds us together.
For these reasons it has been especially painful to witness the fast deterioration of relations between our two countries over the last two years. Both our populations are easily stirred by the ultra-nationalistic rhetoric of a minority. But a calm appraisal of history should make it clear that the territorial claims that have so animated the recent popular and political discourse in Thailand have no basis.
That history, in fact, is not a pretty one. The borders between our two countries have indeed been imposed on us by colonial powers who respected nothing but their own interests. While the Kingdom of Thailand was not colonized by Western powers, Khmers and Thais both can rightfully consider themselves victims of this colonial past. I understand the feeling of injustice borne by the Thai people against the impositions made on them by foreign powers. As a Cambodian, I cannot forget that the Governor of Cochinchina, Charles Thomson, arrayed guns in front of the Royal Palace to force HM King Norodom to sign the infamous 1884 Convention. Neither do I forget that the 1896 Convention was adopted by the United Kingdom and France in contempt of both Cambodia and Thailand.
The current Thai territorial claims, just like the 1954 fait accompli against Preah Vihear, use geographical criteria as justification, and as demonstration of how unjust the 1904 Border Treaty was. Natural features such as streams, watershed boundaries, mountain ridges, and escarpment lines, are indeed used to demarcate borders between countries. Bear in mind, however, that ethnic and linguistic considerations are also important criteria. From this point of view, it is undeniable that the 1904 Border Treaty left millions of Khmers separated from their motherland. Cambodia has been torn apart and left in pieces by foreign powers in full contempt of the aspirations of its people. If our two nations have a claim to historical injustice, it should be clear that Cambodia bears the greater burden.
In that era, it must be noted, a people’s right to self-determination was not yet part of international law. Nonetheless, the result today is that more Khmers are living outside of Cambodia, including in Thailand, than on Cambodian soil. Should ethnic and linguistic criteria have been used to demarcate the borders between Cambodia and Thailand, the outcome would have been completely different.
The example of ex-Yugoslavia, artificially created by the superpowers in full contempt of the regional historical, cultural, religious and ethnic realities, the ensuing conflicts of Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo show how fragile those manipulations are and how evil their consequences have been.
In this regard, and as far as nationalistic overbidding is concerned, Cambodia could rightfully be in a position to denounce the 1904 Treaty in order to take into consideration the ethnic and linguistic criteria. Then there would be no Preah Vihear issue as the temple and its surroundings would consequently be located deep inside Cambodia -- where they belong.
But ever since full independence in 1953, under the leadership of then-Prince Sihanouk, Cambodia has only demanded the de jure recognition by its neighbors and by the international community of its borders in accordance with treaties imposed in the 20th century. This is still true today: Cambodia has no other claim.
Our two nations are fated to live side by side. We are both members of ASEAN, a regional organization which aspires, as the European Union has done, to open borders among nations to free the creative energies that are the source of sustainable development. Raising territorial claims is a futile attempt that flies in the face of history, and that harms our peoples by diverting significant resources that could otherwise be invested in development and the fight against poverty on both sides of our shared border.
As a Cambodian - and I am convinced that millions of Khmers do share my feeling - my dearest wish, Your Excellency, would be to see Preah Vihear standing as the enduring symbol of the reconciliation between our two nations, of the harmony of our relationship, and a model of fruitful cooperation between two neighbors.
Please accept, Mr. Prime Minister, the assurances of my very high consideration.
(signed) Sisowath Thomico
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Care of the Royal Thai Embassy
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia
Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
Please convey to His Majesty the King of Thailand my very respectful homages and my wishes for a long life, good health and a long and prosperous reign.
I present to Your Excellency and to the eminent members of the Royal Thai Government as well my compliments.
I feel great admiration for the impressive economic, social and cultural development that the Kingdom of Thailand has achieved in recent decades, and particularly for the strong commitment to education that has underpinned the country’s rise. And I feel particularly grateful to the Kingdom of Thailand for the important role it played in the recent past to help Cambodia recover her sovereignty and put an end to two decades of conflict and suffering.
The Khmer people have no other desire than to heal the wounds of the past and live peacefully. As a member of the international community, of global and regional organizations, Cambodia wishes to achieve its development in harmony with every country, to nurture and reinforce relationships of friendship and cooperation with every nation, and above all with our direct neighbors.
The Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand have a long history together, marked indeed by conflicts but also by periods of peace during which exchanges between the two countries have greatly benefited both. We share a common civilization, culture, and religion. Whatever may separate us is not as strong as that which binds us together.
For these reasons it has been especially painful to witness the fast deterioration of relations between our two countries over the last two years. Both our populations are easily stirred by the ultra-nationalistic rhetoric of a minority. But a calm appraisal of history should make it clear that the territorial claims that have so animated the recent popular and political discourse in Thailand have no basis.
That history, in fact, is not a pretty one. The borders between our two countries have indeed been imposed on us by colonial powers who respected nothing but their own interests. While the Kingdom of Thailand was not colonized by Western powers, Khmers and Thais both can rightfully consider themselves victims of this colonial past. I understand the feeling of injustice borne by the Thai people against the impositions made on them by foreign powers. As a Cambodian, I cannot forget that the Governor of Cochinchina, Charles Thomson, arrayed guns in front of the Royal Palace to force HM King Norodom to sign the infamous 1884 Convention. Neither do I forget that the 1896 Convention was adopted by the United Kingdom and France in contempt of both Cambodia and Thailand.
The current Thai territorial claims, just like the 1954 fait accompli against Preah Vihear, use geographical criteria as justification, and as demonstration of how unjust the 1904 Border Treaty was. Natural features such as streams, watershed boundaries, mountain ridges, and escarpment lines, are indeed used to demarcate borders between countries. Bear in mind, however, that ethnic and linguistic considerations are also important criteria. From this point of view, it is undeniable that the 1904 Border Treaty left millions of Khmers separated from their motherland. Cambodia has been torn apart and left in pieces by foreign powers in full contempt of the aspirations of its people. If our two nations have a claim to historical injustice, it should be clear that Cambodia bears the greater burden.
In that era, it must be noted, a people’s right to self-determination was not yet part of international law. Nonetheless, the result today is that more Khmers are living outside of Cambodia, including in Thailand, than on Cambodian soil. Should ethnic and linguistic criteria have been used to demarcate the borders between Cambodia and Thailand, the outcome would have been completely different.
The example of ex-Yugoslavia, artificially created by the superpowers in full contempt of the regional historical, cultural, religious and ethnic realities, the ensuing conflicts of Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo show how fragile those manipulations are and how evil their consequences have been.
In this regard, and as far as nationalistic overbidding is concerned, Cambodia could rightfully be in a position to denounce the 1904 Treaty in order to take into consideration the ethnic and linguistic criteria. Then there would be no Preah Vihear issue as the temple and its surroundings would consequently be located deep inside Cambodia -- where they belong.
But ever since full independence in 1953, under the leadership of then-Prince Sihanouk, Cambodia has only demanded the de jure recognition by its neighbors and by the international community of its borders in accordance with treaties imposed in the 20th century. This is still true today: Cambodia has no other claim.
Our two nations are fated to live side by side. We are both members of ASEAN, a regional organization which aspires, as the European Union has done, to open borders among nations to free the creative energies that are the source of sustainable development. Raising territorial claims is a futile attempt that flies in the face of history, and that harms our peoples by diverting significant resources that could otherwise be invested in development and the fight against poverty on both sides of our shared border.
As a Cambodian - and I am convinced that millions of Khmers do share my feeling - my dearest wish, Your Excellency, would be to see Preah Vihear standing as the enduring symbol of the reconciliation between our two nations, of the harmony of our relationship, and a model of fruitful cooperation between two neighbors.
Please accept, Mr. Prime Minister, the assurances of my very high consideration.
(signed) Sisowath Thomico
21 comments:
Ah NumAhKor, save your ass...
Bravo, His Excellency, Prince Sisowath Thomico! Two thumbs up, way up!
GOOGLE IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE...
Google is totally irresponsible for publishing incorrect boundary lines of Cambodia, not conforming to UN map. If left uncheck, this could cause irreparable harm to the territorial integrity of Cambodia.
The Royal Government of Cambodia recently made a request to Google concerning this issue over the Preah Vihear, Poipet and other areas. Revisions have been made by Google, but still inaccurate per UN recognized map.
1. Google’s Preah Vihear area is still incorrect per the 1904-07 Franco-Siamese treaty map of Annex I which was deposited at UN. Google chose to follow the American army map instead showing the 4.6 km2 as part of Thailand. The line further cut into the entry way of Preah Vihear temple with a broken dash line. Totally wrong, totally impartial! Dash lines would yield to Thai for future claims. It should be a solid line further north by 300 m.
2. In Poipet, the previous boundary line was completely wrong, showing Angkor Wat entry gate and several Cambodian casinos on the Thai side. After Google’s recent revision, the error still persists. The actual boundary line is in the middle of O’Chrov river bridge, not 200 m over the bridge into Khmer land.
3. The boundary line of Kampuchea-Vietnam is still incorrect because there were no attempt by the RGC to demand correction. The Prek Krabao canal is the actual boundary between Cambodia and Vietnam. However, Google’s map shows it at least 500 m to 1000 m west of the canal. Now this is insane and reckless!
4. The RGC must send an official letter to the Vietnamese government demanding an explanation. What on earth were their motives building highways way inside the Cambodian side of Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces. Do the Vietnamese think that the Cambodia-Vietnam boundary lines are transparent and not official?
5. All the boundary lines around Cambodia with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam must be analyzed and scrutinized to ensure correctness per Cambodia UN deposited map.
Khmer people lost so much already. It is our duty in each generation to verify and safeguard the land that we have left. If the International Court of Justice decision over Preah Vihear Temple in 1962, some 48 years ago has no meaning to the Thais, who else can protect our homeland but ourselves…
Khmer Battambang
08.01.10
I suggest that thailand annex cambodia so we can get rid of all the sub human corrupt dogs in this country ( which means practically everyone).
khmer patriot
ps. i urge vietmam to do the same
Bravisimo, the prince.
there is something in the letter i never thought of i.e. the west mapped out cambodia without regards to the location of the khmer people who lived in isan like surin, etc... the making of the map only used the natural landsmarks, not the fact the millions of khmer people lived on the other side for ages. i thought that was a good point to mention in those days.
it is very important for people of Thailand and Cambodia to understand the issue of Preah Vihear, and stay away from being manipulated by politicians, if they want to stay in peace together. Now it is become clear that Prime minister Abisit doesn't have much options, but to stir up ultra-nationalist sentiment amount Thai people for his owner political survivor.
Hey Thomico , we have't lost anything to Thai yet but I'm pretty sure that we have lost alot of our land to Viet , have you wrote anyletter to the Viet government yet ?
I do not see the important of Prince Thomico's letter written to Thai Prime Minister. Abisit has no choice but to reiterate his words about Preah Vihear temple for his political consistency. But the most important is the position/tactic of negotiators in Join Border Commission. Cambodia side has to stand firm on the demarcation of border based on map produced by French-Siamese commission in 1908, and close all room of compromise with Thailand.
the compromised solution to have MoU in 2000 made the ground for Thailand to successfully oppose the application of preah vihear to World Heritage in 2007. and we should learn from that compromise with Thailand.
Very well said by the prince. And it is a historical fact in the event of the colonial period that Cambodia had to abandon and sacrifice most of the Khmer ancestral lands and her people to the the two neighbors,Thailand and Vietnam.. We Khmer should appeal against the Thai newspaper, eg. "THE NATION" to stop writing "Hindu Temple" alone. It should be "Khmer Hindu Temple" because it was built by our the Khmer people. So the message can be clear when the world hears on this issue. Because these days Hindu only known to be in India. In the case of Preah Vihear it is belongs to soul of the Khmer people in the Imperial Khmer Angkorian Empire and today!!!! So what does Abhisit have to say about the all the other Khmer temples in Thailand?????
Khmer Trakaulrungreung, Aussie SA
Who to blame? I think the French. Being the parent of Cambodia did not care about the consequences derived from their irresponsible action.
THese two nations, Cambodian and Thai, should live in harmony not to be used by those bullshiting politicians.
Prince Tomako has done the right thing. Although, he has not written to the VN government regarding border issue, i believe that his mind, like other Khmers, does not want any one to encroach our land but perhaps there is something else behind.
I really urge that Thai people should not look down on Khmer anymore especially workers who are making their living there. Cambodian people never have bad feeling toward your nation if you are good so. We came from the same root and share the same culture. Please behave like the red-shirt guys!
Horse
RETURN IN FRANCE AS SDF ( HOMELESS ) .
SON OF BASTARD AND PROSTITUTE
1:52pm,
You're the sub-human patriotic idiot.
Go bury yourselve in a hole so we don't have to listen you.
What a waste of ink Tamico's letter is.
You cannot reason with the Thai. When will you learn Cambodians?
Cambodia needs to get her house in order, dig in and be ready for a fight.
Stop your wishful thinking. No amount of good diplomacy will get through the Thai thick brain.
I somewhat agree with 9:10pm. history has not shown that siem was genuin in anyway with Khmer.
i told you guys already,talk to talk,walk to walk.we must do both tricks,talking but prepare the(RPG)to the front lines and the missiles anti aircrafts everywhere on the mountains along the borders between THAI and CAMBODIA.
never talk to thai government their brain full of shit. so thai government do not understand, to prince thomoco, you westing your time and ink. thai brain full of stink shit. i sought khmer is dump but thai is dumer than khmer. ha ha ha
ah stupid king's shid. Star to support ah yuon's dig and lick mi yuon's pussy.
"PER YEAR BEHIND BARS FOR EVERY 646 CAMBODIAN LIVES." WHAT DOES THAT REALLY SAY ABOUT CAMBODIAN LEGAL SYSTEM? HERE IN UNITED STATES, IF YOU HAVE COMMITTED A CRIME AGAINST ANOTHER PERSON BY TAKING THE LIFE OF OTHERS, FIRST YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF "DUE PROCESS", AND THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYONE WHO ARE LIVING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, EVEN FOR THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES. " YOU ARE INNOCENCE UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY."
THUS THE BALANCE OF JUDICIAL POWER FALLS IN THE HAND OF THE JURIES OF HIS PEERS AND THE JUDGE, IN FACT, THE JUDGE HAS VERY LITTLE POWER IN THE COURT ROOM. HOWEVER, IT IS THE JURIES THAT ACTUALLY WOULD HEAR THE CASE WHILE THE JUDGE IS ONLY THERE TO INSTRUCT AND ORCHESTRATE THE ENTIRE PROCESS AND THAT INCLUDING OBSERVING THE DUE PROCESS, PROSECUTORS FOR THE STATE, ATTORNEYS FOR THE ACCUSED AND OBSERVING THE JURIES AND TRIAL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL SYSTEMS ARE BEHAVE ACCORDING TO RULES SET FORTH IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND RENDERED HIS JUDGEMENT BASED ON FACTS WIHOUT BIAS AGAINST NEITHER THE ACCUSED AND THE VICTIM.
BUT THE CASE OF KHMER ROUGE TRIAL, IT IS RATHER STRANGE HOW THE PROCESS IS TAKING PLACE AND HOW ARE LAWS ARE BEING TRANSLATED AND CONDUCTED. JUST TAKE THE RENDERING OF A JUDGEMENT AGAINST DUCH OR KAING GEK IEV. ALTHOUGH THIS MAN WAS NOT ONE OF THE LEADERS DURING THE KHMER ROUGE, BUT DUE TO HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE S-21 AND FOR HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AGAINST THE VICTIMS WHICH HAS TAKEN OF MORE THAN 12,000 LIVES, THUS RECEIVED 30THEN REDUCED TO 19 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT. " A LIFE FOR A LIFE." THIS IS WHAT PUNISHMENT IS ALL ABOUT, BUT IN THE CASE OF DUCH, IT IS NOT SO...HAVING KILLED MORE THAN 12,000 AND RECEIVED A SENTENCED OF 19 YEARS, THAT IS A SLAP ON THE WRIST. IN ADDITION, THIS WOULD TRANSLATES TO ALL THAT ARE IN POWER RIGHT THIS MOMENET IN CAMBODIA AND THE MESSAGE IS: "IT IS OK TO KILL AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE IN CAMBODIA, THE MOST YOU WOULD DO IS ABOUT 19 YEARS." THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS TELLING THE MANY LEADERS IN CAMBODIA. NEITHER THOSE WHO WERE RESPONSIBLED FOR THE ATROCITY IN CAMBODIA HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CONVICTED. NORODOM SIHANOUK, KHEIV SAMPHAN, KHEIV KANARITH, NOUN CHEA, AND IENG SARY. NOT TO MENTION THOSE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE TODAY THAT WERE ALSO HELD KEY POSITIONS DURING THE KHMER ROUGE REGIME.
WHAT REALLY HURTS ME AS KHMER IS THAT OUR LIFE MEANT NOTHING TO THOSE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ATROCITY OF CAMBODIA. BUT IF KHMER WERE JEWS OF ISRAEL, THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. KHMER IN THE EYES OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY...KHMER IS A SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. WHAT DOES THAT TELL US A PEOPLE OF THE WORLD? THERE IS ONLY ONE WORLD, BUT DIFFERENT CLASSES. THE ANGER AGAINST THESE NATIONS THUS LED TO HATRED AGAINST THE WEST, THE EUROPEANS. WAR IN CAMBODIA IS NOT POSSIBLE IF IT WAS NOT CONTRIBUTED BY THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER AT THE TIME THAT HELPED BROUGHT DESTRUCTIONS TO CAMBODIA. THE QUESTIONS...WHERE ARE THEY NOW? THIS WOULD LEAD MOST KHMERS TO BECOME AN ASSASSINS AND TERRORISTS AGAINST NATIONS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ATROCITIES IN CAMBODIA. I SAY TO YOU NOW, IF I HAVE A BUTTON IN MY HAND I WOULD JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE THE EVILNESS OF THIS WORLD IS FAR GREATER THAN THE KINDNESS OF HUMANITY. THIS WORLD HAS GONE MADE, IN STEAD OF SAVING LIVES THEY KILLED MORE AND MORE AND FIND WAYS TO KILL EVEN MORE, IN THE CASE OF WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. WHEN WILL IT ALL END? WHEN WILL WE LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THAT WAR WILL NOT BRING HUMANITY ANYTHING THAN TO DESTROY LIVES BY THE HAND AND THE MIND OF WHICH WE HAVE PUT IN TO DEVELOP SUCH INSTRUMENTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY DESTROY THE WORLD OVER. WHEN WILL THIS EVER END. IF I WERE TO DIE, I WANT TO BE THE ONE WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BUTTONS AND WAIT FOR KINGDOM COMES.
X-MEN
Since Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge commander, now a Khmer Rouge leader and had many of his political opponents and journalists assassinated, I wonder if he have any plan to assassinate the Thai Prime Minister (Ahbullshit Vejjajiva)?
Post a Comment