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UNSC to hear border claims
Cambodian PM accuses Abhisit of war crimes
- Published: 2/9 /2011 at 12:00 AM
- Bangkokpost.com
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to address the UN Security Council on Monday as part of efforts to resolve the border conflict.
M60A1 tanks are transported to Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district to reinforce troops along the Cambodian border following clashes over four days starting last Friday near Preah Vihear temple. JETJARAS NA RANONG
The meeting is expected to present an opportunity for Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to come face to face with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong to discuss a solution.
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the UNSC had invited the Asean chairman, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Mr Kasit and Hor Namhong to clarify events surrounding the recent military clashes and the issues dogging efforts to find a solution to the border problem.
Mr Kasit would take the opportunity to discuss solutions with Hor Namhong on the sidelines of the meeting, Mr Thani said.
The spokesman reiterated the UNSC was not acting as a mediator but both sides had agreed that if they present the facts directly to the world body, it would be useful for the council.
Despite apparent headway in diplomatic efforts, tensions remained evident on both sides of the border near Preah Vihear temple yesterday.
More heavy armament was seen being deployed along the border by both countries which has raised concern over possible renewed fighting.
More than 30 M60A1 tanks from the Lop Buri-based 5th Cavalry Battalion rolled into Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district yesterday morning, much to the excitement of local residents.
A large number of troop reinforcements were mobilised in the province under what the army called a "territorial defence plan".
An army source said the mobilisation of extra forces was intended to send a signal to Cambodia and back the Foreign Ministry's and the government's planned talks with Phnom Penh.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen indicated yesterday he had no intention of backing down soon, accusing Thailand of committing war crimes in the four days of cross border shelling that resulted in at least eight deaths and scores of injuries on both sides.
He and Cambodia's deputy army chief, Gen Hing Bunheang, also accused Thailand of using cluster bombs during the clashes, according to the Phnom Penh Post. Thai army sources furiously denied the claims, saying only conventional weapons were being used.
"Thailand is making this war, not Cambodia, and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must take responsibility for these war crimes," Hun Sen said, adding the conflict was not just an armed clash but a "real war".
"The shelling at the temple and pagoda are one among the war crimes," he said. "We have to take prolonged action, not just one or two days to finish it ... We have to make a long-term strategy to struggle with Thailand ... To struggle with Thailand takes not one day, one year, [but] many years," the Cambodian leader was quoted by Phnom Penh Post as saying.
Prime Minister Abhisit said yesterday he affirmed with United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon that Thailand exercised the right to defend itself when the border clashes erupted.
He said Thai retaliation was proportionate with Cambodia's use of force and it did not target civilians in the military offensive.
He told the UN chief in a telephone call that over 10,000 villagers were evacuated for safety reasons.
He said he was ready to send photos to the United Nations to prove that Preah Vihear temple was being used to mount attacks on Thailand.
The UN chief inquired about the damage to Preah Vihear and agreed to discuss the issue with Unesco, Mr Abhisit said.
"I reminded him of what I told him last year. The listing and the management plan would intensify the tension. The UN chief agreed to discuss the matter with Unesco," he said.
Mr Abhisit said the dispute could still be resolved through bilateral talks as widely anticipated.
"The defence ministers of both countries have agreed to hold talks. So the efforts to resolve the issue at the bilateral level, as the UN wants to see, are still on," he said.
Mr Abhisit expressed confidence that the UN was likely to support attempts to resolve the border conflict at the bilateral level.
The Mini Preah Vihear
A model replica of Preah Vihear เขาพระวิหาร aims to give a new generation of Thais a sense of what the temple was like circa 1962. Video by Jetjaras Na Ranong.
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Foreign Ministry opposes Unesco temple visit
- Published: 2/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has come out against a plan by Unesco to send a mission to inspect the Preah Vihear temple following claims by Cambodia that it suffered severe damage in fighting between the two countries.
Thani Thongpakdi, the ministry's spokesman, said the government saw the visit as inappropriate as the situation along the border remained unstable.
"They can go there when the tension eases," Mr Thani said.
"If they go there now, it might make the [border dispute] more complicated."
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation issued a statement on Tuesday to say it intended to send a mission to Preah Vihear temple as soon as possible to assess its state.
Mr Thani said the international body should seek the permission of Thailand if it wanted to inspect the site.
Thailand claims Cambodian forces stationed at the temple triggered a firefight at the weekend when they opened fire on Thai soldiers.
Cambodia's foreign ministry said in a statement issued yesterday that it "strongly rejects such a slanderous assertion".
"There has never been and there will never be Cambodian soldiers at the temple of Preah Vihear. This has always been a place for worship and tourism," the statement said, adding that the only security presence at the temple was a small number of police officers with light weapons to ensure safety.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that its journalists who had reached the temple saw hundreds of Cambodian soldiers in and around the sprawling temple compound, which was fortified by sandbagged bunkers.
Dressed in military camouflage, some played cards inside the temple's shaded walls. Some rested on cots or hammocks while others poured new sandbags and stacked them up, AP said.
"We're here to defend it," said a soldier at the temple, who was inside a bunker that was covered with a military tarp. "When the fighting stops, we will go."
The secretary to the foreign minister, Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, said the head of the Thai-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission, Asda Jayanama, would fly to Paris tomorrow to explain the border situation to Unesco director-general Irina Bokova.
"Pushing for the Preah Vihear temple to be inscribed on the world heritage list without listening to the Thai side's protest over the overlapping areas will create more conflict and tension along the border," Mr Chavanond said.
Thailand sent a letter to Unesco on Saturday explaining that any activity in relation to the listing of the Hindu temple as a world heritage site should be avoided pending the final demarcation of the land boundary, as this would add tension and lead to repeated confrontation between Thailand and Cambodia,
Unesco's World Heritage Committee will meet in the middle of this year in Bahrain to discuss Cambodia's management plan for the 4.6-square-kilometres of disputed land near the Hindu temple.
Thailand insists Unesco should not consider the plan until a solution to the border dispute is found.
The Foreign Ministry will also appoint special representatives to clarify the case before all 21 Unesco members.
"We have no intention of obstructing Unesco or the World Heritage Committee from listing the temple," Mr Chavanond.
"We would only like to see them do everything correctly and fairly for the affected countries."
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PM: General election before July, if...
- Published: 2/9/2011 at 04:01 PM
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted that he will not stay in office until the government's term ends in December and plans to call a general election in the first half of the year.
PM Abhisit Vejjajiva
In his keynote speech at the Asean-CLSA (Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia) Forum on Wednesday morning, Mr Abhisit said if his three targets are met, he will dissolve the House of Representatives and call elections.
He said the first target is economic recovery, in which the government has been successful
"The economic growth rate was as high as eight per cent last year and the figure is expected to be about four per cent this year," Mr Abhisit said.
As for the second target, constitutional amendments, the prime minister said the joint parliamentary sitting will consider the third reading of the bill on Friday.
Mr Abhisit said he also wants to be sure there will be no violence during the general election, which is the last target.
"The government has been trying to strengthen the Thai economy while the natural environment will be properly conserved. This year will be another good year for Thailand in terms of both economic growth and domestic consumption expansion," he said.
He believed Thailand will remain an attractive option for foreign investors.
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, former deputy leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party, said if she were a cabinet member she would want the House dissolved as soon as possible.
It was pointless for Mr Abhisit to stay in power any longer as the government could not resolve any problems. Consumer goods had become much more expensive and the problems of social division were escalating, according to Khunying Sudarat.
Past governments had changed the country from a war zone to trading zone, but the Democrat-led administration has changed it back to war zone again. It had made the country a children’s playground, she said.
"It would be better for the government to call a general election and propose to general public its sumptuous policies using beautiful words for election campaigning, in order to win at the polls and return to power again," she said, sarcastically.
Monks in Thai Movies
The depiction of Buddhist monks in Thai films has always been a sensitive – and hilarious issue.
Source: Bangkokpost.com
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Thanks,
Chalard
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