Thai-Cambodian border meeting off

11/08/2010
Bangkok Post

Cambodia has asked Thailand to postpone indefinitely the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting scheduled for Aug 27-28 in Bangkok, defence spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng said on Wednesday.

The GBC meeting was to be co-chaired by Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Cambodian counterpart Gen Tea Banh.

Gen Thanathip said the Thai side was ready for the meeting. The postponement might be a result of the tension over Preah Vihear temple.

Samak thinks talks can solve 'no man's land' dispute ... but keeps adding troops: Can Thailand be trusted?

Samak thinks talks can solve 'no man's land' dispute

Sunday, July 20, 2008
Bangkok Post

Pipop Thongchai, one of three PAD core leaders, said the time is opportune for Thailand to inform the international community that if the border demarcation between Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia is based upon the natural watershed, the contested area is definitely in Thai territory.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Sunday said the disputed border area between Thailand and Cambodia is in "no-man's land" and that talks between officials of both countries are needed to iron out the dispute.

The Thai premier made the remarks after the Cambodian representative to the UN informed the UN Security Council on Thursday of alleged Thai incursion into its territory.

Speaking in his weekly television address, Mr. Samak said he preferred not to talk about the issue as the matter had already reached the United Nations and the Thai foreign ministry would take care of it.

Cambodia's permanent mission in New York submitted a letter to the chairman of the Security Council and the chairman of the General Assembly to "draw their attention to the current situation on the Cambodian-Thai border,'' Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said.

"Cambodia is not asking for UN intervention. We still stick to Prime Minister Hun Sen's instructions to try to solve the problem peacefully between the two sides,'' the Associated Press quoted the minister as saying in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

The disputed area claimed by both countries is the 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Troops of both countries have been reinforced in the area recently as Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit and Cambodian Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh are preparing to confer on Monday in Sa Kaeo province opposite Cambodia's Poi Pet on issues related to the ancient temple.

Officials of both countries have already inspected the hotel's meeting venue to ensure the safety of delegates attending the meeting which is scheduled to start at 10 am local time.

Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a group which coalesced thousands of people rallying for months to pressure the premier to step down, on Sunday urged the Thai government to inform the United Nations that the disputed zone adjacent to Preah Vihear temple belongs to Thailand.

Pipop Thongchai, one of three PAD core leaders, said the time is opportune for Thailand to inform the international community that if the border demarcation between Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia is based upon the natural watershed, the contested area is definitely in Thai territory.

He said past misunderstandings happened due to the Cambodian government use of a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia which determined the 11th century temple as well as the adjacent area to be in Cambodian territory.

Rong Chhun: “The celebration is simply being used for political gain, which only confuses voters before election day”

Victorious delegation returns home

Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Touch Yuthea (Further reporting by Neth Pheaktra)
The Mekong Times

“Celebrating the ceremony at Olympic Stadium is aimed at confusing the public to obtain political gain during the upcoming elections. As far as the temple is concerned, H.E Sok An should again look at the documents he previously took to Thailand. Thailand has now announced it will claim the territory around the temple as Sok An’s drawn map involves only the body of the temple” - SRP MP Son Chhay

The Cambodian delegation returned home yesterday after successfully registering Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An who led the working group to Canada said at the airport, “I am very excited, as the temple has been successfully listed after seven years.”

A party held at Olympic Stadium to welcome the arrival of the Cambodian officials, was broadcast live by Bayon TV station. Sok An said that the World Heritage Committee, consisting of 21 member countries representing 185 signatories to the Convention on World Heritage, unanimously backed Cambodia’s inscription of the ancient temple on the World Heritage List. Citing the importance of the listing, he claimed, “Registration of the temple as a World Heritage Site signifies that the temple belongs to Cambodia.”

Sok An described the negotiation strategies used with UNESCO and Thailand to reach the decision for listing of the temple. Sok An cited Thais’ past protest against the listing of Preah Vihear Temple as the World Heritage Site based on three points: the border issue, joint listing of Preah Vihear Temple and a lake in Thailand, Cambodia’s proposal to register Preah Vihear temple without discussion with Thailand.

“The mentioning of border issues is not true as Cambodia used the map determined by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.” Concerning Thailand’s request to jointly list the temple, he said Cambodia declined the request due to the fact that the temple belongs to Cambodia. He said that if Cambodia had agreed with Thailand’s request to register Preah Vihear temple and a lake in Thailand as a World Heritage Site, “it would have lost 50 percent of its sovereignty and other interests.”

Before listing Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site, Cambodia had responded to three requirements of the World Heritage Committee – improve the maintenance of Preah Vihear Temple; prepare regular reports to plan for managing the temple; and cooperate with Thailand.

A delighted Sok An said the listing of the temple as a World Heritage Site is one of the great achievements of the third-mandate government whose term is coming to an end. “We must remember the victory of the government as well as of the CPP,” he underlined, adding, “There are many more tasks and achievements we need to complete in the future. Voting for CPP means voting for Samdech Hun Sen as the future Prime Minister, who will complete those tasks.”

“The celebration ceremony at Olympic Stadium is nothing special as Preah Vihear temple has been Cambodia’s property since 1962 under the crusade of former King Norodom Sihanouk,” said Rong Chhun, president of Cambodia Watchdog Council. “The celebration is simply being used for political gain, which only confuses voters before election day,” he added.

Son Chhay, Sam Rainsy Party spokesman said: “Celebrating the ceremony at Olympic Stadium is aimed at confusing the public to obtain political gain during the upcoming elections. As far as the temple is concerned, H.E Sok An should again look at the documents he previously took to Thailand. Thailand has now announced it will claim the territory around the temple as Sok An’s drawn map involves only the body of the temple.” The Cambodian government has claimed that listing the temple as a World Heritage Site will not relinquish Cambodian territory.