Cambodia-Thailand border dispute worsens over weekend
[Thai] Government faces tough task over sea border: Bangkok Post
As Cambodia has granted permission to big companies from China, England, France and the US to explore for gas over over the disputed waters covering 26,000 square kilometers, Thai government would have to face tough task, Bangkok Post reported yesterday.
This means Thailand will have to deal with these countries when negotiating the overlapping waters with Cambodia, said Pratheep Chuen-arom, former chief of staff at Sattahip Naval Base who has monitored disputed sea boundaries between the two nations.
The four superpowers are ready to support Cambodia if the border conflicts between the two nations rage on or escalate into a crisis, he added, urging the Thai govt to be careful and step up ties with them under the framework of sovereignty and economic development.
”If Thailand carelessly handles the issue of the Preah Vihear temple, the country might lose other parts of its territory, including disputed waters in the Gulf of Thailand,” he was quoted as saying.
A senior adviser to the Thailand Institute of Marine Affairs Development, proposed the two countries hold further talks to discuss the overlapping sea territory. Thanom Charoenlaph, also a former director-general of the Hydrographic Departmen, suggested the two countries set up a joint development area committee to solve the problem, similar to the Malaysian-Thai joint development area committee which has been active in gas exploration and development.
Cambodia and Thailand talked once in 2001 without fruitful results, he said.
Thai fruit exports stopped, agricultural fairs canceled
Thailand has canceled fruit exports and called off two agricultural fairs because of strong anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia over the ancient Preah Vihear temple, according to Bangkok Post.
In response, Cambodian Commerce Minister ChamPrasidh on Sunday welcomed the Thai government’s decision, saying some Cambodians would become angry and destroy those products on show if they didn’t do so, according to Xinhua.
See also, Thailand cancels product fairs in Cambodia, Bangkok Post.
Cambodia accuses Thailand of occupying another temple
70 Thai soldiers on Thursday occupied 13th century Ta Moan Thom temple in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia told AFP and AP Sunday.
Maj. Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border protection unit deputy commander, said Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said.
“[Thai troops] said they will pull back only when the issue near Preah Vihear temple is resolved,” the commander told AP reporter by telephone from Oddar Meanchey province. Who he received the information from was not reported. But Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodia Border Committee, said this was not a “new thing” and that Thailand agreed in 2003 that the temple belonged to Cambodia and that their troops would be withdrawn as soon as there were proper roads there, according to AFP.
While Khieu Kanharith, the chief Cambodian government spokesman, told AFP he was aware of a new troop movement but was unable to give details, a Thai foreign ministry spokesman said to AP that he was not aware of the latest confrontation.
Maj. Taveesak Boonrakchart, a spokesman for the Thai army in the disputed area, denied the allegations of an incursion.
“We have a paramilitary post which has been there for several years,” said Major General Sujit Sithiprabha, Thai army commander for the Cambodian border. “Prasart Ta Moan Thom belongs to us. We have to have soldiers to take care of the area which belongs to us.”
Like the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple, Ta Moan Thom is also in a so-called “white zone” or “no-man’s-land zone”. Thailand-based Bangkok Post wrote the same thing, confirming the proposition.
The 40 Cambodian troops stationed in the area were told to exercise restraint pending the two govts’ efforts to resolve the issue peacefully.
See also:
- Thailand occupies 2nd temple on Cambodian border, AP
- Thai accused over new temple row, BBC
- Cambodia starts squabble over second temple, Bangkok Post
- Anti-Thai ’sentiment increases in Cambodia’, Bangkok Post
« Thailand seeks foreign support for bilateral talks | Home | Getting to understand YouTube culture »
Categories
Achives
- October 2008 (5)
- September 2008 (2)
- August 2008 (4)
- July 2008 (33)
- June 2008 (11)
- May 2008 (6)
- April 2008 (8)
Recent Posts- Cambodia, Thailand agree to joint border patrols
- Photos of Thai-Cambodian border conflict following Oct 15 shooting
- Latest news following gunfire between Cambodia and Thailand
- Number of people evicted in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Hearts apart, house apart!
- Commercial arbitration in Cambodia is hatching
- Family Footsteps - Cambodia (A Khmaussie’s Story)
- Getting to understand YouTube culture
- Cambodia-Thailand border dispute worsens over weekend
- Thailand seeks foreign support for bilateral talks
-
Recent Comments
Leave a Comment