Understanding the Malacca Strait incident

Thu, 04/14/2011
I Made Andi Arsana, Yogyakarta
Opinion
The Jakarta Post

While Indonesia has managed to show leadership in paving the way toward a border dispute settlement between Thailand and Cambodia, it seems that Indonesia itself is not free from border issues.

On the day Indonesia was hosting a meeting between Thai and Cambodian delegations in Bogor, an incident took place in the border area of the Malacca Strait. The April 7th incident involved Malaysian-flagged vessels, Indonesian patrolling officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and Malaysian helicopters.

An Indonesian patrol team identified two vessels allegedly fishing illegally in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). When the two vessels were seized, Malaysian helicopters came along demanding that the two vessels be released. Convinced with what they were doing, the Indonesian officials went on and disregarded the demand.

Poll finds border a key issue [-Now you know why Hun Xen does not want anybody to talk about Viet encroachments]

Monday, 24 January 2011
Mary Kozlovski
The Phnom Penh Post

Thirty-six percent of Cambodians feel that border demarcation is the most important issue impacting Cambodia, according to a nationwide poll conducted by the International Republican Institute last year.

President of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Ou Virak, said that the government has learned it can benefit politically from border issues.

“In the past, the government has never mentioned border issues,” he said.

“After 2008, border issues have become a major issue with Thailand because of the Preah Vihear conflict.

“Even before 2008, a lot of border issues were raised by the opposition [Sam Rainsy] Party”.

IRI country director John Willis said that border demarcation polled highly as an issue in previous IRI surveys.

Laos, Cambodia To Discuss Border Markers

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
01 January 2010

Officials from Cambodia and Laos will meet in Vientiane next week to discuss lingering border disputes and potential trade agreements.

Cambodia’s delegation, led by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, is expected to leave Tuesday. Hor Namhong will meet with his Lao counterpart, Thoungloun Sioulith.

Talks over two days will focus on “all fields, such as border issues, anti-drug smuggling, anti-terrorism, anti-cross-border crimes, trade, economy, education, tourism, investment and others,” said Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the ministry.

Cambodia and Laos have worked steadily to mark their shared borders, erecting 121 markers between 2000 and 2005. Negotiation is needed on a further 20 markers.

“We will push the Lao side to speed up the planting of the remaining border markers as soon as possible,” Koy Kuong said.

SRP condemns Thai agression

Friday, October 17, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

On 16 October, the SRP issued a statement indicating that the party condemns the aggression of Thai troops on Cambodia’s territories at several locations, and that they caused fire exchanges that led to the deaths and injuries among Cambodian soldiers. The SRP fully support the right of self defense by the RCAF from the firing and aggression of the Siem army, and the party praises and pays high respect to the heroism and sacrifice by Khmer troops in the defense of Cambodian territories. The SRP also calls on the government to support the families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives, as well as to provide decent living conditions for the families of Cambodian soldiers now in the frontline. The SRP demanded that the Cambodian government takes the issue of aggression on Khmer territories with the UN without further delay, as well as asking the co-Presidents of the 1991 Paris Peace accords on Cambodia to immediately review the case of the Cambodian territorial integrity which is fully guaranteed by these accords.

[Thai] PM to sue two daily newspapers [regarding Preah Vihear report]

Sunday, May 11, 2008

“After holding talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, the Thai government agreed that if the United Nations requires that the area of Phra Vihear temple which concerns Thailand also be included in the registration process for it to be regarded as a World Heritage site, then Thailand will make the proposal for Phrea Vihear to be registered as a UN World Heritage site jointly with Cambodia" - Samak Sundaravej, Thai PM

(BangkokPost.com) - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej launched an attack on two daily newspapers on Sunday, charging they had inaccurate reporting and stating he will sue them both. The premier did not name the newspapers but it's believed the anti-government Thai Post may be one of them.

During his weekly television programme, "Speaking in Samak's Style," the premier said the newspapers featured articles saying the Thai government had attempted to negotiate with Cambodia, trading rights to land around the Phra Vihear temple for access to Cambodian oil fields.

He denied the story but did not explain what grounds he will use in the lawsuit.

“After holding talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, the Thai government agreed that if the United Nations requires that the area of Phra Vihear temple which concerns Thailand also be included in the registration process for it to be regarded as a World Heritage site, then Thailand will make the proposal for Phrea Vihear to be registered as a UN World Heritage site jointly with Cambodia," he said.

Still wary the empire might strike [-Animosity between Thailand and Cambodia will linger on as long as Thailand does not treat Cambodia fairly]

Rioters set fire to the Thai embassy and attacked Thai-owned businesses in Phnom Penh
Many people were injured, and one was killed, as protesters burned and looted buildings
They were angry at alleged remarks by a Thai actress, saying Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand
The Thai government has demanded an apology and compensation for the riot damage

THAI-CAMBODIAN TIES

Thursday April 24, 2008
By ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Bangkok Post

Five years have elapsed since the burning of the Thai embassy in Cambodia in 2003, but the animosity still lingers on the ground between Thailand and Cambodia, especially in one of the nation's poorest provinces, Siem Reap. The ongoing dispute over Preah Vihear temple has only added rancour to the sentiment. At the mention of the word ''Syam Kuk'' - a well-known bass relief at Angkor Wat believed to depict Thai fighters marching in the Khmer army either as its alliance or subjects - a Cambodian tour guide immediately gave a testy response: ''Are you from Thailand? Thailand was our last enemy and they remain the only present enemy until now.''

This small incident shows that despite tireless efforts by both governments to heal the wounds, things might not necessarily be improving in the minds of the people. Siem Reap has just hit the record of receiving over two million tourists, mainly from China and South Korea. The history of the Khmer empire is being kept vivid for the Cambodians who are cashing in on their heritage.

Not all Cambodian guides hold a grudge over the Thai-Cambodian historical conflict, however. Tarth Nu, regarded as Khru (master) by other tour guides, carefully explained the history of the Khmer and the Khmer heritage without naming specific invading nations that drove the Khmer from their ancient capitals of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, to the present Phnom Penh.

Tarin Prom, a 34-year-old taxi driver in Phnom Penh, claimed that half of the Cambodians remained angry with Thai people and continued to hate them after the infamous torching of the Thai embassy. But he himself did not want any further trouble.

''I want peace and I don't want neighbours to quarrel any more. With the riots, not only did Thais stop coming here, other foreigners from the region are also fearful of this easily-provoked nation and are scared to return.''

Time has passed and the physical debris has been cleaned up. Hotels, restaurants and guesthouses that used to bear Thai names such as Chao Phraya, Thai or Siam, have gradually been changed to Khmer words such as Jayavaraman, or Angkor.

The Thai embassy has been beautifully rebuilt and is now secured with two high-tech gates. The private Thai companies have been fully compensated, mostly in kind and through tax breaks.

Yet, deep inside, the hurt is still there in the hearts of both Thais and Cambodians.

Thibodi Buakamsri, a history lecturer at Kasetsart University, said among other efforts that could heal the ill feeling, a rewriting of the history textbooks might help, as many of them were filled with prejudice towards neighbouring countries.

Intellectuals from both sides believe they should set things right for the future by making the contents of textbooks used in both countries' formal curriculum ''decent and with a proper attitude'' towards neighbours. It may sound simple but any revision would be an arduous task as it must change the core concept of each country's national history.

''We might need to pay more attention and resources in shaping other approaches to viewing our neighbours, aside from the historical perspective. This should not be the burden of Thai people alone. Both sides should do something,'' the academic said.

Another cheap Khmer life; Thai embassy denying the Thai soldiers' savage killing of a Khmer citizen?

Family of a Cambodian victim of Thai soldiers shooting demands compensation

15 December 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media

Relatives of a victim who were shot and killed by Thai black-clad soldiers recently, along the Dangrek Mountain chain, Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, called on Cambodian government officials to help them demand monetary compensations amounting to several tens of thousands of baths for the lost of the life of their loved one and demand that Thailand guarantees the livelihood of 7 orphans who lost their father.

On Saturday 15 December, 38-year-old Ya Hoeun said that her husband was shot and killed by Thai black-clad soldiers, and that she is currently asking Cambodian officials at the border relation working group to prepare documents to negotiate and demand monetary compensations. The amount of compensation demanded has not been determined as of yet, however, Mrs. Ya Hoeun indicated that this amount could be 100,000 Thai baths, or about 10 million riels (~$2,500). “I want them (Thailand) to pay compensation regarding my husband, this could be 100,000 baths because this is so unfair,” Ya Hoeun said.

Nevertheless, the demand for compensation from the Thai soldiers remains hopeless as the Cambodian authority did not even take any measure at all in this affair.

Pech Sokhin, the Oddar Meanchye provincial governor, said on Saturday morning that provincial officials received the report of the shooting and killing already, but the provincial administration did not take any measure yet: “Not yet, we don’t know, we are researching for the cause.”

Khoeung Phea, the commander of the 403 unit protecting the border at the location of the incident, said that, up to now, he did not call the Thai side to come and negotiate about this issue yet, he only reported the incident to the regional commander and he is still awaiting a decision from this commander on what to do: “My chief went to Phnom Penh, when he will return back, he will have a plan to meet with the Thai side to resolve this incident.”

Surasak Supharat, an advisor of the Thai embassy in Cambodia, said that regarding this demand for compensation, according to the law, there must be an investigation first to see whether the Thai soldier really shot and killed a Cambodian citizen or not.

Cambodian border police officials and Khet Khen, an injured witness, claimed in the afternoon of 12 December 2007 that Thai black-clad soldiers based in Husing district, Sisaket province, Thailand, opened fire on 6 Cambodian citizens who went into a forest near the border to collect liana vines and rattan near O’Da river, about 15 kilometers to the north of the Choam Sro-ngam international border gate. The shooting led to the death of Yim Phat who was killed on the spot and Khet Khen was injured. A tractor was also burnt down by the Thai soldiers.

Thai soldiers came in to prevent a construction inside Cambodia

10 October 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Cambodian border defense officials in Oddar Meanchey province reported that black-clad Thai soldiers from Thailand’s Sisaket province came into Cambodia to prevent the construction of a gas station located next to the borderline, but inside Cambodia. The Thai soldiers ordered the stop of the construction claiming that it affects the borderline which has not been resolved yet.

Lieutenant-Colonel Toch Ra, the deputy director of the Cambodia-Thailand border liaison group in Choam Sra-ngam entry point, Anlong Veng district, said on Wednesday 10 October that a group of black-clad Thai soldiers prevented the construction of a private gas station located close to the borderline, but inside Cambodian territories, a few days earlier. The Cambodian authority agreed to this request, but it refused to comply with the Thai demand to demolish the station because it is located on Khmer lands.

Toch Ra said: “The concrete gasoline stockpile station was being built, the concrete was poured in a few days ago, they (Thai) told us to put a stop (to the construction) because it is located in unclear border zone. Therefore, we keep it as it is, if there is any problem with its demolition, the (border) committee at the national level must resolve this issue.”

Cambodian border defense troops consider this obstacle (imposed by Thailand) on the construction of a gas station inside the Cambodian border, as a violation on the border treaty (between the two countries).

Chim Phanna, the Anglong Veng district governor, said that, during the Khmer Rouge era, the borderline next to which the gas station was built was under the control of Ta Mok, it was Cambodian territories, and no Thai soldiers ever dare come to make any claim about it being a “white zone” or an unclear border zone. “During the Khmer Rouge era, we occupied that territory, we consider it as our lands, but later on, they called it a forbidden zone,” Chim Phanna said.

Var Kim Hong, the chairman of the Cambodian border resolution committee, said that he cannot comment on this problem because he did not receive any information for the local authorities yet. “How can I give an opinion? If they (Thai soldiers) came in, I did not know, the local authority did not send me a report,” Var Kim Hong said.

On Wednesday, the Thai embassy in Cambodia could not be reached to obtain further clarifications.

According to Cambodian border guards, border problems in the Choam Sra-ngam are frequent: on 04 September, a group of black-clad armed Thai soldiers came in to stop de-mining operations performed by the Halotras group in an area near the gas station. In 2006, Thai soldiers brought in about 30 prefabricated steel buildings and installed them in the area where they claimed that the border zone is unclear. These buildings still remain there now.

Oil cache creates a lot of saber rattling in Cambodia and Vietnam

Asia Oil-Rights Pact Nears

Malaysia, Brunei Work Toward a Deal That May Yield Cache

August 16, 2007
By YEE KAI PIN
The Wall Street Journal

SINGAPORE -- Malaysia and Brunei are inching toward a maritime boundary agreement for an area west of Borneo island, a development that could potentially unlock Southeast Asia's largest oil and natural-gas finds in just over a decade.

After three years of high-level talks, both sides may be close to a deal that, given the size of reserves in nearby oil fields, could also renew exploration interest in what has been written off as a mature region for liquids production.

"Both sides had put forward new proposals, and agreed on the need to resolve the matter urgently. They instructed their negotiating teams to work out the details," according to a joint statement carried Tuesday by Bernama, Malaysia's official news agency.

This followed bilateral talks in Bandar Seri Begawan between Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Bruneian monarch Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

The two countries, which have close political ties, have taken their time in determining who has sovereignty in the area, despite a pickup in offshore upstream activities such as seismic surveys and the drilling of exploration wells.

Brunei in February 2002 awarded exploration rights in the area, only for Malaysia to sign off nearly identical acreages under its own licensing round in January 2003.

Malaysia's state-owned Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, gave Blocks L and M to U.S. company Murphy Oil Corp.

The first block had earlier been awarded by Brunei as Block J to a consortium headed by French oil company Total SA, while a group led by Royal Dutch Shell PLC had secured the second as Block K.

Petronas's move followed a major discovery by Murphy Oil in Malaysian waters adjacent to the disputed blocks in November 2002.

Murphy's Kikeh field -- scheduled to start pumping from its 440 million barrels of reserves next month -- was the region's most significant oil discovery since Petronas and Exxon Mobil Corp. added platforms to pump more oil from the Tapis field in the 1990s.

The ambiguity over the disputed waters resulted in a skirmish in March 2003, when a Malaysian navy patrol vessel chased a Total survey team out of the disputed area -- ending exploration activities at both blocks.

Since then, the companies involved have withheld public comment on the issue, saying negotiations were being held at the government level.

Petronas and Shell declined to comment on the reported breakthrough in talks this week, while officials from Murphy Oil and Total didn't respond to questions.

With oil at more than $70 a barrel, Malaysia and Brunei have each been pushing hard to replace their reserves.

Last month, Total started drilling a new offshore oil well known as MLJ2-06 that Brunei's Energy Minister Pehin Yahya touted as one of the most technically challenging wells ever drilled in Southeast Asia.

Brunei and Malaysia are increasingly willing to pour money and expertise into the area because they have had only limited success finding oil, even as output from their mainstay fields declines, analysts say.

Brunei is heavily reliant on oil- and gas-export revenue, which accounts for more than 75% of its budget. Based on current output rates, the sultanate's proven oil reserves of about 1.1 billion barrels will run dry in less than 14 years.

Malaysia is also staring at a possible 16-year end point, despite its 4.2 billion-barrel reserves, although its gas potential is growing.

Petronas expects the country to become a net oil importer within three years.

Any decision by Malaysia and Brunei to redraw their maritime boundaries will set a precedent in Southeast Asia, which has typically resolved such disputes through joint exploration.

Malaysia, after much political wrangling, struck two deals with Vietnam in the 1990s for a Gulf of Thailand zone known as the Commercial Agreement Area. Further south of the gas-rich Gulf, Malaysia also counts the Joint Development Area with Thailand among its successful agreements.

Still, oil discoveries can easily raise political temperatures in the region. Just last week, Cambodia said it recently transferred a brigade of army soldiers to the navy to help guard newly discovered oil fields. Offshore oil has become a buzzword for the impoverished nation after U.S. oil major Chevron Corp. hit paydirt in the southwestern seabed in 2005.

Vietnam has also had its share of saber rattling, when it fired warning shots at Philippine air force planes circling the Spratly islands in 2002. The rocky archipelago in the South China Sea has no known hydrocarbon reserves, yet no fewer than six nations have staked claims.

Write to Yee Kai Pin at kai-pin.yee@dowjones.com

Thai soldiers trespass into Cambodian territories in Oddar Meanchey province?

17 July 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Cambodian border guard soldiers in the northern region indicated in the morning of Tuesday 17 July that Thai soldiers based in Sisaket province plan to push further their border post over the disputed border line, into Cambodia’s territories in Choam Sro-ngam gate, Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province.

Major Tauch Ra, the vice-chairman of the Thai-Cambodian border working group based in Choam Sro-ngam gate, said on Tuesday morning that a group of Thai delegation among whom he recognized the Thai 2-star general Khamnik Thonglek, and the commander of the Thai Soranary force based in Surin province, General Sowatchai Samutham, came to meet Cambodian border officials, demanding that the Cambodian population tear down their houses from a point west of Pol Pot’s grave so that the Thai soldiers can build their border post there instead.

Major Tauch Ra said: “They ask us to tear down the houses located west of Pol Pot’s grave, next to the 0-kilometer marker. According to the committee for delineation of borders, in 2004, the borderline division allowed the Thai side to install their post 20 to 30 meters inside our territories already. But now they demand 210 meters more and it reaches that location.”

An anonymous police border official based at the 905 sector, in Choam Sro-ngam gate, said that Thailand brought in a GPS device to check the borderline, and they demanded to the Cambodian authority to build their (Thai) border post there temporarily. However, the Cambodian border guards refused.

In the afternoon of Tuesday, Surasak Supharat, the Thai embassy councilor in Cambodia, said that he did not receive any information about this border issue, and he explained that this is only a problem to be resolved by regional officials only.

As for Var Kim Hong, president of the Cambodian committee for border resolution, reacted to the information about the Thai request to establish the border post by saying that he did not hear about this news yet, and he said that he would not agree with it. “I do not know about this yet. Besides the border committee, no institution can make any decision on the border issue. This is not right. What the Thai establish on right now, they already violated on the borderline already. If they want to change or anything else, Thailand must follow the rules, we have a joint committee.”

According to an official of the Thai-Cambodian border working group, in June of 2007, there were three border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand in this area, and in February, Thai soldiers came inside Cambodia to tear down more than 10 houses belonging to Cambodian villagers. In the following month, they came inside Cambodia to arrest Cambodian citizens who were clearing trees and they also came inside Cambodia to prevent Cambodian people to build their homes in the O’Kranhoung area.

Thailand demands Cambodia to pull back its border by 210 meters

Thailand demands that Cambodia pulls back the border gate by 210 meters inside Cambodia

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A source indicated that Thailand demanded that Cambodia pulls back the new border gate, which is not even official yet, by 210 meters inside Cambodia. However, the Cambodian side rejected this demand claiming that it will send the Thai request to the Cambodian committee for border resolution to make a decision on this issue.

The demand for Cambodia to pull back its border in Choam Sra-ngam by 210 meters was made during a one-and-half hour meeting between the Thai side led by the 2-star general Niphat Thonglek, the official in charge of border, and the Cambodian side was led by General Kieng Savuth, a task director of the army headquarter and advisor to prime minister Hun Sen.

The meeting was held on 17 July at the Choam Sra-ngam gate, on top of the Dangrek mountain chain, located in Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, neighboring with Thailand’s Phusing district, Sisaket province. Regarding the border gate in Chaom Sra-ngam, in October of 2006, the Thai side pushed a metallic building into the “white zone” without the agreement from the Cambodian and the Thai committees for border resolution.

Yim Phanna, the Anlong Veng district governor, told Koh Santepheap that he does not know about this issue, and that he is too busy in Siem Reap province. Var Kim Hong, president of the Cambodian government border committee said that he does not know yet about the issue of Thailand demanding Cambodia to pull back its border gate back by 210 meters. He explained that the regarding the border issue, no one can make a decision [except his committee]. As for the Thai request, in the past, Thailand already violated Cambodia borderline, so at this time, they are not allowed to come in further (into Cambodia).