Thai commanders are doing all they can to avoid Indonesian observers in Preah Vihear temple

Thanasak Patimapakorn

Observers 'no longer needed' (sic!)

21/07/2012
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Indonesian observers may no longer be needed in the disputed land near Preah Vihear temple as the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border has stabilised, Supreme Commander Thanasak Patimapakorn said yesterday.

Gen Thanasak, who visited Indonesia on Monday and Tuesday, said he had told his Indonesian counterpart that Thailand and Cambodia had not been in conflict for almost two years now, so there is no longer a need for observers.

"Indonesia considers that if the two countries can talk, they will have no need to come in, and this is also the two nations' stance," Gen Thanasak said.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 18 last year ordered Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw their troops from the 17.3 sq km provisional demilitarised zone (PDZ) around Preah Vihear temple after Cambodia petitioned the ICJ to reinterpret its 1962 verdict granting Cambodia sovereignty over the temple and its 4.6 sq km surrounding area.

Never trust any Thai agreement to pull out troops until you see it happening!!!

Cambodia, Thailand Agree on Troop Pullout from Disputed Border

2012-05-28
Xinhua

Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Sukumpol Suwanatat agreed on Monday to urge the two countries' Joint Working Group (JWG) to speed up their talks towards troop withdrawal from the disputed border area surrounding the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

"We agreed to have the JWG convene the 2nd meeting in Phnom Penh next month to continue discussion about the troop withdrawal," Tea Banh told reporters after the meeting. "We stressed our commitment to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as soon as possible."

Speaking to reporters through an interpreter, Sukumpol Suwanatat said that he hoped that the JWG would be able to conclude their talks towards the pullout in the next month's meeting.

Thailand, Cambodia agree to revive bilateral ties

PHNOM PENH, Sept 16 (MCOT online news) -- Thailand and Cambodia agreed to revive bilateral relations to benefit the people of both nations after their ties soured due to border conflicts and tensions resulting in many military clashes.

Attempts to revitalise bilateral ties marked yesterday's official visit to Cambodia by Thai Prime Minisiter Yingluck Shinawatra, her first to the Cambodia kingdom since assuming office.

After the official welcoming ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Peace Palace, Ms Yingluck met for bilateral talks with her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

The visit was considered by the Thai and Cambodian governments as opening a new era of Thai-Cambodia relations to develop closer relations between the people of the two nations.

Thailand ready for the JBC [... and it will have to wait for some time still!]

9/6/2011
Source: www.thaigov.go.th

Thailand reiterates its readiness for the holding of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting to resolve border dispute with its neighbouring country Cambodia, said Government Spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn on Tuesday after the Cabinet meeting.

Thailand firmly believes that the best way to resolve border disputes is through existing bilateral mechanisms. It is now up to Cambodia to agree on the holding of the JBC meeting to move forward the demarcation process, added the Thai Government Spokesman.

As regards other means of settling the Thai-Cambodian border dispute, Thailand welcomes the facilitation of its ASEAN friends and appreciates Indonesia’s role (sic!), as the current ASEAN Chair, to provide avenues for dialogue. Thailand also welcomes, in principle, the initiative of Indonesia to send its observer teams to the disputed area. However, more clarity is required before the team can be deployed on the ground.

Trust building needed to solve Thai-Cambodian border dispute [-Is there any trust left?]

Jakarta, May 5 (ANTARA) - The border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has escalated over the last couple of months and no concrete solution is in sight so far despite mediation efforts by Indonesia as the current ASEAN Chair.

The last time Cambodia and Thailand sit together with Indonesia as the facilitator was in the Joint Border Committee(JBC) Meeting in Bogor, West Java, on April 7-8, 2011, but, the meeting did not yield any significant result.

The matter was so complexed that it could not be solved in just one meeting, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said in Bogor, following the meeting on April 8.

"The Bogor meeting on Thursday and Friday was followed by an unofficial meeting on the next day between Indonesia, Cambodian Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, as a part of diplomatic resolving option effort," Marty said.

In the upcoming 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on May 7-8, the border conflict is most likely to be discussed.

[Thai] Govt waits to see if agreed truce holds

29/04/2011
Atiya Achakulwisut
Bangkok Post

[Abishit] said that in his opinion, the armed clashes have occurred because the border issues have become internationalised. (sic!)

The government is adopting a wait-and-see approach regarding the Thai-Cambodian border fighting, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

If the ceasefire agreed by military personnel at the local level holds, both sides can then begin to talk specifics in terms of military deployment and a return to normalcy, the premier said.

''We are hopeful that there will be peace and calm over the next few days to allow people to move back to their communities. We have to wait a day or two to make sure that it is safe for them to go back,'' Mr Abhisit said at a meeting with Asian editors during the annual WAN Ifra Publish Asia event.

He insisted the truce was a step forward as both sides will immediately contact each other if there are any developments. Such contact clearly had been missing during the past several days of border fighting.

''We hope that Cambodia will now stop, talk and get back to the table. We have got so many bilateral mechanisms that can work,'' Mr Abhisit said.

'Temple war' breaks out again on Thai border

26 April 2011
By Martin Petty
The Scotsman

Thai and Cambodian troops clashed with guns and artillery yesterday after almost a full day's break in fighting that has killed at least 12 people in four days and sent nearly 50,000 into evacuation centres.

Gunfire and explosions were heard near two disputed 12th-century Hindu temples, the scene of sporadic mortar and artillery bombardments since Friday in the bloodiest border conflict between the neighbours in nearly two decades.

The fresh fighting erupted before sundown yesterday. Witnesses said the clashes were more fierce than the previous days, with the sound of mortars heard as far as 25 miles away.

Thailand's foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, reiterated calls for a bilateral solution after the cancellation of a visit to both countries by a senior south-east Asian envoy who had brokered a UN-backed peace ceasefire deal on 22 February.

The recent clashes were a Thai trick to force Cambodia into renewed USELESS bilateral talks?

Thai PM: Ready to hold bilateral meeting to solve Thai-Cambodian border conflict

RATCHABURI, April 24 (MCOT online news) -- In an attempt to end ongoing deadly clashes at the disputed border between Thai and Cambodian forces, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday his government is prepared to hold a bilateral meeting with the aim of enabling villagers living in the area to have a normal life.

Mr Abhisit said during his weekly TV and radio address that his government is ready to settle the border dispute through the Regional Border Committee or the Joint Boundary Commission meeting which could be held either in Thailand or Cambodia.

He said the meeting, if held, would allow villagers living in the disputed border area to have a normal life.

But Cambodia wants to bring the dispute to an international forum as the Phnom Penh government moved immediately and brought the issue to international organizations following the clashes, according to Mr Abhisit.

“Thailand will not fall into Cambodia’s trap in which the neighbour tries to intensify the conflict so violently that the dispute can no longer be solved at a bilateral level,” insisted the premier.

Thai PM Calls For Bilateral Talks With Cambodia

BANGKOK, April 23 (Bernama) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has called for Thai-Cambodian bilateral meetings to quickly resolve unsettled border issues -- following a new spate of clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops which erupted Friday, killing some six soldiers on both sides so far and more than a dozen other people wounded, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Abhisit said both sides should resume bilateral talks based on existing mechanisms, namely the Regional Border Committee (RBC) and the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

The Thai premier, however, reaffirmed Thailand's stance on solving the unsettled border problems with neighbouring Cambodia bilaterally to sort out solutions and prevent future clashes.

Meanwhile, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Cambodian Ambassador to Thailand to formally lodge a protest against Cambodian troop's assaults.

Boundary talks show signs of progress [-Did the Bangkok Post reporter miss the news from Bogor?]

11/04/2011
Thanida Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia are improving gradually, after they agreed to resume Joint Boundary Commission talks last week in Indonesia.

The two-day JBC talks in Bogor ended last Friday, with both sides still sticking to their original positions on how their border dispute should be settled.

However, the fact that the two sides agreed to resume the talks - held for the first time in a third country - is a step forward and holds out hope for an eventual end to their border row.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, current Asean chairman, called the meeting after Cambodian and Thai troops clashed around the Preah Vihear temple on Feb 4-7.

Thai-Cambodian FMs To Meet On Proposed Indonesian Observers

BANGKOK, April 9 (Bernama) -- Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is set to meet with his Cambodian and Indonesian counterparts Hor Namhong and Marty Natalegawa in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, on Saturday afternoon to discuss a draft of terms of reference (TOR) for a proposal to station Indonesian observers at an unsettled 4.6 square-kilometre area along the Thai and Cambodian border, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

According to a Thai Foreign Ministry announcement, Kasit's meeting with his Cambodian and Indonesian counterparts was arranged on the sidelines of a special Asean-Japan foreign ministers' session on cooperation in dealing with disasters in the region in the wake of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan's northeastern region on March 11 with radiation leaks consequently.

The trio talks came after a two-day Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting in Bogor, Indonesia, which ended on Friday.

Thai, Cambodian Foreign Ministers to confer on draft TOR for Indonesian observers

BANGKOK, April 9 (MCOT online news) -- Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya is scheduled to discuss with his Indonesian and Cambodian counterparts later Saturday in Jakarta on the draft terms of reference (ToR) for Indonesian observers to be stationed at the disputed 4.6 square-kilometre between Thailand and Cambodia, according to an announcement issued by the Thai foreign affairs ministry.

The announcement said Mr Kasit would meet other foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japanese foreign ministry officials to discuss assistance to the latter and would use the opportunity to talk with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong about the draft ToR.

Thailand’s has made it clear that Indonesian observers could not be positioned in the disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Thai FM no show as JBC meeting ends

In between: Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (right) talks to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on the sidelines of the two-day Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Bogor, West Java, on Friday. JP/Ricky Yudhistira

Sat, 04/09/2011
Mustaqim Adamrah
The Jakarta Post, Bogor, West Java

The Indonesia-brokered Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on demarcation for land boundaries in Bogor, south of Jakarta, ended on Friday, but the results of the meeting remain unclear.

Despite the fact that the meeting involved only senior Cambodian and Thai officials, the absence of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in Bogor, while Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong was present, proves that Indonesia’s diplomacy was limited and that Thailand had humiliated Indonesia as the agreed broker, an expert said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia had no knowledge of the results of the two-day JBC meeting but hoped both delegations would inform the archipelago of the results, which were expected to be passed on to other ASEAN members for a progress report.

Tea Banh: GBC in Indonesia only

29/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

The Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting must be held in Indonesia only, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh said on Tuesday.

Tea Banh, in saying this, turned down Thai Defence Minister Prawit Songsuwon's proposal for the 8th GBC, which was supposed to be hosted by Cambodia this year, to be held bilaterally in either Cambodia or Thailand.

He said at this stage talks between Thailand and Cambodia cannot be held bilaterally because it is a resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for Indonesia to act as a mediator.

"Therefore, I will talk to Thailand only in the presence of Indonesian mediators and in Indonesia only," he said.

[Thai] Army: Indonesian observers not wanted [-Siem min choal khbuon]

23/03/2011
Bangkok Post

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and commanders of all the armed forces have resolved not to allow Indonesian observers to enter the 4.6 square kilometre dispute area on the Thai-Cambodian border, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Wednesday.

Gen Prayuth said the top brass wanted the Thai-Cambodian conflict to be solved by bilateral negotiations between the two countries, without outside involvement.

He said the army had made a proposal to Cambodia through the Foreign Ministry that if there were to be joint checkpoints in the disputed area, then a special centre should be set up to coordinate their operation.

The coordination centre must be manned by Thai and Cambodian soldiers only. It was not necessary to have Indonesian observers.

Prawit rejects GBC meeting in Indonesia [-Is it Siamese way or no way?]

Defence minister wants bilateral talks

23/03/2011
Wasana Nanuam & Pradit Ruangdit
Bangkok Post

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha will not attend the 8th General Border Committee meeting with Cambodia.

Referring to the meeting, scheduled for Bogor, Indonesia, on April 7-8, Gen Prawit said: "No, I'm not going. Why should I go for the meeting in a third-party country? [Thailand and Cambodia] know each other well enough and don't want any other party to get involved."

A military source said Gen Prawit had also decided not to attend an earlier GBC meeting in Indonesia proposed by Cambodia and the Asean chair.

Gen Prawit cited the same reason then, saying relations between the Cambodian and Thai armies were good enough for the border dispute to be resolved through bilateral mechanisms, said the source.

'No' to GBC meeting in Indonesia [: Coward Thais]

Prayuth Chan-ocha

22/03/2011
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

The Thai top brass has decided not to attend the 8th Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting which has been scheduled in Indonesia, insisting that any talks must be purely bilateral.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday that he and other armed forces commanders had resolved not to attend the GBC meeting in Bogor proposed by Indonesia and agreed to by Cambodia.

Indonesia initially proposed that the meeting be held on Mar ch 24 and 25 but later postponed it to April 7 and 8.

"We won't go. We don't want the meeting to be held in a third country.

"Soldiers of the two countries are very close to each other. Talks should be between soldiers of the two countries only, and a third party should not be involved," Gen Prayuth said.

Cambodia Ready To Join Asean-Proposed Meetings On Border Conflict With Thailand

PHNOM PENH, March 14 (Bernama) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday Cambodia is already prepared itself for the Asean- proposed meetings on March 24 on Cambodia-Thailand border conflict near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Cambodia has already prepared to depart for Cambodia-Thai General Border Committee and Joint Border Committee on Demarcation for Land Boundary in Bogor, Indonesia on March 24-25 under the presence of Asean chair," he said during a graduation ceremony for students at the Royal University of Law and Economics. "Now we are waiting Thai side's confirmation of participation."

Hun Sen repeated that Asean chair has to join in the opening ceremony of the meetings, and after Cambodia and Thailand discuss, the two sides have to report to Asean chair about the results.

Thailand non-committal to joining proposed border meeting with Cambodia: [Thai] FM

March 11, 2011
By Sinfah Tunsarawuth
Xinhua

Thailand has been non-committal to joining meetings with Cambodia later this month as proposed by Indonesia to discuss the two countries' border dispute, according to a Thai Foreign Ministry statement.

Meanwhile, the nationalistic "yellow-shirt" People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Thursday submitted a letter to the Indonesian ambassador in Bangkok in protesting against a planned Indonesian observer mission to the Thai-Cambodian disputed border.

PAD said in the letter that the coming of the Indonesian observers would amount to "a foreign military operation to control Thai military operations defending Thai sovereignty, which has been deliberately violated by Cambodia."

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, the current ASEAN chair, has proposed that Thailand and Cambodia meet later this month to solve their border dispute under the existing General Border Committee (GBC), co-chaired by the defense ministers of both nations, and separately under Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), co-chaired by the two countries' senior officials, according to media reports.

Phnom Penh agrees to Bogor meet [-Thai army dictates the meeting protocol?]

Thai army upset about Indonesia as third party

10/03/2011
Thanida Tansubhapol, Wassana Nanuam & Pradit Ruangdit
Bangkok Post

Cambodia has agreed to a two-day General Border Committee meeting with Thailand in Bogor on March 24-25 but the Thai army is not happy about the presence of Indonesia as a third party mediator.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi yesterday said Phnom Penh had confirmed it agreed to Indonesia's proposal to organise the GBC meeting in Indonesia and that Thailand welcomes Cambodia's readiness to attend.

The GBC is co-chaired by the defence ministers of the two countries.

Mr Thani said that on this occasion Thailand could discuss with Cambodia the terms for Indonesia to send observers to the Thai-Cambodian border to monitor the situation.