Thailand to revive revoked MoU with Cambodia

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (MCOT) - The Thai government is considering reviving the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the kingdom's maritime border signed with Cambodia in 2001 but which was revoked by the previous government, according to Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

Speaking to the media at Suvarnabhumi Airport upon returning from his official two-day visit to Cambodia, Mr Surapong said the government is considering revoking the cabinet resolution which terminated the MoU on overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand signed with Cambodia in 2001.

When the MoU is revived, the government could go ahead on negotiations under the framework of MoU, he said.

The MoU was signed by then foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai and Cambodia's deputy prime minister Sok An on June 14, 2001, under the Thaksin Shinawatra-led administration.

The agreement enables Thailand and Cambodia, which share 26,000 square kilometres of the overlapping maritime area, to jointly develop oil and gas projects.

The Abhisit Vejjajiva administration on Nov 10, 2009 approved the foreign ministry's proposal to revoke the 2001 MoU on overlapping maritime boundaries.

The decision followed Cambodia's appointment of Thailand's fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thailand feared the appointment could affect negotiations on joint development of overlapping maritime claims of some 26,000 square kilometres believed to be rich in oil and gas.

Mr Surapong said that during the two-day visit to Cambodia, he also met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and agreed to open an Aranyaprathet-Stung Bath border checkpoint near the Poi Pet checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province as soon as possible to boost trade and tourism between the two nations.

He said Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to hold the next Joint Commission on the Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia (JC) Feb 29- March 1, 2012 in Chiang Mai.

Meanwhile, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) will meet in Feb 2012. The date and venue will be announced later.

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Thailand, Cambodia aim for offshore oil development

PHNOM PENH Dec 29 (Reuters) - Offshore oil and gas reserves in disputed waters of the Gulf of Thailand could take up to a decade to tap, despite progress between Thailand and Cambodia towards restarting talks on joint development, Thailand's energy minister said on Thursday.

The two countries are keen to reach an agreement on joint exploration and development of the Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) in the Gulf, which has been delayed by political upheaval in Thailand and sometimes deadly border disputes.

Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said Thailand would seek parliamentary approval to restore a decade-old Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries that was scrapped by the previous government when relations deteriorated.

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Thai-Cambodian talks to neutralise exploration conflict

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An called for a renewed discussion with Thailand over power generating and conflicts over overlapping petroleum exploration area, said Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

After his meeting with the Cambodian minister today, Pichai said that Sok An wanted all conflicts cleared within a year and a half, for the mutual benefits of both countries.

Pichai noted that the matter is now upto the Foreign Affairs Ministry's negotiation team. He insisted that no particular person would gain benefits if the negotiation allows a joint development similar to what Thailand agreed with Malaysia or Vietnam. To lead the Thai investment is PTT Plc, which is majority owned by the government, he said.

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Border talks finally under way

The 8th meeting of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee finally began today in Phnom Penh after a series of clashes this year.

The deadly conflicts were sparked by a long-standing dispute over 4.6 sq-km of land around the centuries-old Preah Vihear Temple.

Cambodia in particular has been looking forward to the GBC as everything seems to be in its favour at the moment.

Thailand was forced to bow to the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) provisional order to withdraw troops from a 17.3 sq-km demilitarised zone, of which 8.5 sq-km is in Thailand and 8.8 sq-km is in Cambodia, and allow Indonesian observers into the area.

However, the armed forces' Supreme Commander Thanasak Patimaprakorn has previously rejected the ICJ's ruling, likening it to "practically losing territory". But since the Pheu Thai-led government has "very good relations" with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, the armed forces have no choice but to follow orders.

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Koh Kong commander denies apologizing for helicopter shooting

PHNOM PENH,Dec 20 (CEN)-Koh Kong Provincial Military Commander
Yun Min issued a statement Tuesday denying he had apologized for
Cambodian troops firing on a Thai helicopter that strayed into
Cambodian territory last week.

"We didn’t talk about who was right or wrong. But we agreed to
continue cooperation to avoid such an incident from happening again," he said, referring to
a meeting between the Cambodian and Thai armies in Kao Lan on Sunday.

Thai reports said earlier that Cambodia had expressed regret over the incident in which
Cambodian troops opened fire on a Thai military helicopter which entered Cambodian
territory on Ta Min Mountain in Koh Kong province on December 15.

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One Laotian group's opinion regarding Thais

It's interesting to see this Facebook paged created by one Laotian's group to express their opinions about Thais as their neighbor:

I hate Thailand that always looks down on Laos

Siam must not steal other countries' land anymore because nowadays there is international justice not like before. You Siam robbers should be in prison.

Siam must shut their mouth for now and stop looking down on others. Siem should solve their internal conflict first before interfere with other countries or you will be hated everywhere around you and your country will be dissolved quickly in no time

Siam = olo

Honestly, I don't understand the meaning of the last phrase "Siam = olo". Anyone knows what does it mean?

The Facebook page is linked here.

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Boundary issue with Thailand likely to be stalled

No matter who ends up leading the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), the task of demarcating the border between the two countries will never be completed if the Kingdom is unable to de-politicise the issue.

The opposition Democrat Party started campaigning against the reshuffle of the JBC once it learned that Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul had replaced the previous government's man, Asda Jayanama, with career diplomat Bandit Sotipalalit.

Asda was made JBC chief in much the same way as Bandit, when Kasit Piromya, foreign minister under the Democrat-led government, had him replace career diplomat and legal expert Vasin Teeravechyan last November. Kasit never explained why the move was made and Vasin never complained about the move being unfair.

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It's time for new Thai PM to fire army chief- Prayuth Chan-ocha

Her government is now in full operation. For now, Yingluck will need to deliver on her election promises, ranging from implementing an effective economic policy and mending the country's ties with Cambodia. There is, however, one top priority that Yingluck has not made her position clear on - removing the anti-Pheu Thai Army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

True, Yingluck desperately seeks to build a working relationship with the military. When her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, wanted to weaken the military by interfering in its internal affairs, he was toppled in a coup. But the situation has changed and Yingluck is now playing a different political game. Her overwhelming popular support in this post-coup period signifies the public discontent with the military's political intervention. Yingluck is therefore urged to invent a new culture under which elected civilians control the military.

Yingluck will certainly meet her match. General Prayuth is not just a typical royalist soldier. A self-proclaimed anti-Thaksin figure, he blatantly interferes in politics. Yingluck may find it almost impossible to work with a man who openly disapproves of her own brother, the Pheu Thai political platform and the red-shirt movement.

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Hun Sen to Abhisit: You are STUPID

Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out yesterday at the Thai leadership over allegations that a Cambodian arrested in Thailand last week was a spy, saying their rhetoric had shown disregard for judicial procedure.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony of medical students in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen said Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his foreign Minister, Kasit Piromya, had repeated the claims against Ung Kimthai – a Cambodian national arrested last week on suspicion of espionage.

“As long as the court has not proceeded with its work, the person remains innocent. The court has not yet worked on the case – why have you said my people are guilty?” Hun Sen argued. “You are stupid, don’t do it.”

Ung Kimthai, 46, was apprehended by Thai authorities on Tuesday last week in Sisaket province, along with nationals from Vietnam and Thailand, on allegations of espionage.

Allegations have also been raised against the Thai national for drunk driving and Ung Kimthai for drug use.

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The Cambodian vice-consul met with Cambodian citizen accused of spying by Thailand

An official for the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the ministry sent the Cambodian vice-consul in Thailand to meet with a Cambodian citizen who was arrested by the Thai authority in Sisaket province.

Following the meeting, it was found that the man was a simple Cambodian citizen who, sometimes, visits Thailand to look for work only. He was not involved with secret spying for Cambodia as he was accused off by the Thai government.

In the afternoon of Saturday 11 June, Koy Kuong, spokesman for the ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected all accusations [made by Thailand] and said that the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it categorically rejected [the accusations] because it believe that this is a dishonest invention made by the Thai authority and the Thai PM in order to confuse the public opinion by accusing Cambodia and by lying about the truth.

Koy Kuong added: "The government of Cambodia announced that the invention above is only a subterfuge to foment aggression on Cambodia in the future, and Cambodia regrets that the PM of a neighboring country resorts to adopt lying as his foreign political strategy. Cambodia clearly confirmed that it does not need to do anything to what the Thai PM lied as spying."

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Cambodia slams Thai 'spy' arrests

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodia has accused Thailand of  "deceitful fabrication " after Thai police arrested three men on suspicion of spying near the neighbours' disputed border.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia wishes to assert that the above fabrication is only a pretext to justify future aggression against Cambodia," said a foreign ministry statement released on Friday.

Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a bitter dispute over their shared border that has seen 28 people killed in two outbreaks of fierce fighting this year, and the row has since moved to the United Nations' highest court.

On Friday Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the alleged spying activities were unacceptable and accused Phnom Penh of "violating Thai territory".

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Abhisit mulls reporting spy case to ICJ [-Should Cambodia report Veera and Ratree's cases to the ICJ also?]

Veera Somkwakid

11/06/2011
Thanida Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is considering reporting a border clash-linked spy case to the International Court of Justice and Unesco's World Heritage Committee.

He has discussed the matter with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, who agreed to take the case to the two international bodies.

A Thai, a Cambodian and a Vietnamese were arrested in Ban Phum Srol village in Si Sa Ket province's Kantharalak district by security forces on Tuesday.

They were allegedly scouting paramilitary bases and bunkers which the government had built for villagers.

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Cambodia rejects Thailand's "spy" charge

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Thailand informs Cambodian, Vietnamese embassies on spy arrest

BANGKOK, June 10 (MCOT online news) - Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Friday said his ministry informed the Cambodian and Vietnamese embassies in Bangkok about the arrest of their nationals for alleged spying, affirming that legal action would be taken under Thai law.

Three men -- one Thai, a Vietnamese and a Cambodian -- were arrested by the Thai military authorities for alleged spying on this country's military bases and bunkers for the local population in the border province of Si Sa Ket.

Mr Kasit said he instructed the Department of East Asian Affairs to continue to inform both embassies on details of the arrest and gave assurances that the case would proceed in accord with Thai law without any political intervention.

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Thailand arrests three ‘border ‘spies’ [-Can an alleged Thai spy working Cambodia be accused of "VIOLATING" Thai territory?]

BANGKOK, June 10, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand has arrested three men on suspicion of spying near its disputed border with Cambodia, accusing its neighbour Friday of 'violating' its territory.

One Thai, one Cambodian and a Vietnamese man were picked up in Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province on Tuesday evening carrying maps with military facilities marked on them, police said.

Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a bitter dispute over their shared border that has seen 28 people killed in two outbreaks of fierce fighting this year, and the row has since moved to the United Nations' highest court.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the alleged spying activities were unacceptable.

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[Thai] Army warns loose talk will hit temple bid

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has called on all sides to stop giving their opinions on the Preah Vihear temple issue as it might put the country at a disadvantage.

Gen Prayuth said it was risky to talk about the issue at the moment as the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) proceedings should be allowed to take their course.

"Whatever the outcome, the Foreign Ministry and the government have measures to deal with it. But if we rush to act or say anything, we could be at a disadvantage," he said.

However, Gen Prayuth gave assurances that the army, the Defence Ministry and other security agencies would continue to do the best they could to protect the country's sovereignty.

He said there were political, diplomatic and military measures to solve the problem if the ICJ decided to grant an injunction to Cambodia and order Thai troops to withdraw from the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area surrounding Preah Vihear.

Gen Prayuth said the military measure, or the use of force, would be the last resort as Thailand and Cambodia were still neighbours.

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Thais 'will comply' with UN Court

Thailand will comply with a United Nations court that is set to issue a ruling on whether it must remove soldiers from territory at the contentious border near Preah Vihear temple, a spokesman said yesterday, in an apparent reversal of a previous position.

Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon reportedly said this weekend that Thailand would disregard any ruling from the International Court of Justice requiring a troop withdrawal as requested by Cambodia, appearing to foreshadow another stalemate in the border standoff.

Thani Thongphakdi, spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said yesterday, however, that Prawit was "quoted out of context" and Thailand would comply with the ICJ.

"All along, we have always said that we would respect the decision of the Court of International Justice," he said.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declined to comment in detail yesterday. "It's up to them, you know.... We don't care what they said," he said.

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Thai New Diplomat Pledges to Improve Ties with Cambodia

Thai new-designated ambassador to Cambodia Sompong Sanguanbun on Friday pledged to restore the cold relations between the two countries over border dispute.

"During my mission here, I will try all my best to defuse border tensions in order to restore the neighboring two countries' relation and cooperation," he said during a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong.

He added that Cambodia and Thailand are quite similar even language, cultures, religion, custom and tradition.

"Thai government's stance is to see the people of Cambodia and Thailand living in peace and good harmonization," he added.

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No Withdrawal Of Preah Vihear Temple Case At ICJ: Cambodia PM

PHNOM PENH, June 6 (Bernama) -- Cambodia will not withdraw its request for the interpretation of the Court's judgment of 1962 on the case concerning the Preah Vihear temple, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying on Monday.

"For the temple case at the International Court of Justice ( ICJ), Cambodia will not withdraw its complaint at any cost, even in this government's mandate or next mandate, let's the Court to proceed it," he said during a graduation ceremony at the Royal School of Administration.

The premier made the remarks after the Bangkok Post online newspaper reported that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on June 5 Cambodia should withdraw all border dispute cases from international bodies and return to talks with Thailand.

"Cambodia should first show good will by withdrawing his country's request that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) interpret its 1962 ruling on Preah Vihear temple," said Abhisit.

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Cambodian PM Denies Agreement with Ex-Thai Deputy Army Chief

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday he has never agreed with Gen. Wichit Yathip, the former Thai deputy army chief, on troop withdrawal from the disputed border area next to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

Thai media reported that Gen. Wichit Yathip said that before the border clashes between the two countries broke out in February, he had talked with Prime Minister Hun Sen and the premier suggested a three-point solution.

They agreed that both countries should withdraw troops from the (disputed) area and jointly manage the 4.6-square kilometer overlapping border area.

Hun Sen acknowledged that he met with Wichit during wedding of the son of Cambodian defense minister Tea Banh in Phnom Penh.

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