Kingdom Is Defiant Over Thai Warships

[churchill]

Govt says Gulf deployment over gas deal OK if kept in Thai waters.

MARINES and warships from the Thai navy's 1st Fleet have been deployed close to disputed areas in the Gulf of Thailand to monitor Cambodian oil explorations in the area, according to Thai media reports, prompting warnings from Cambodian officials that the country reserves the right to defend its sovereignty against any naval incursions.

On Saturday, the Bangkok Post reported that the forces have been deployed at Koh Kut, close to the 27,000-kilometre overlapping claims area (OCA), to monitor a recent exploration deal between the government and French petrochemical giant Total.

"We have to send our royal warships on patrol to proclaim our territory and warn Cambodia against initiating any action in the overlapping area," the newspaper quoted an anonymous Thai naval source as saying.

"If we let Total explore in the overlapping areas, it would mean we admit the area belongs to Cambodia."

Cambodian officials said that the Thai deployment was legitimate so long as it took place inside Thai territory, but warned that Cambodia would move to protect its sovereignty in the Gulf if Thai forces made incursions into the overlapping area.

"If their deployment moves into the [overlapping claims area] or into Cambodian waters, then we will defend our nation," said Var Kimhong, Cambodia's top border negotiator.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the deployment was Thailand's decision, but that it would do little to resolve the maritime boundary dispute.

"[The deployment] will not scare Cambodia," he said.

"Thailand cannot use its forces to threaten Cambodia's security. Cambodia will defend its rights as an independent, sovereign state."

He added: "[We] will still keep [our] stance of resolving the dispute peacefully."

During Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to France in July, officials announced an agreement offering Total the exploration rights to a 2,430-square kilometre block - known as Area III - that sits inside the OCA.

The deal prompted complaints from the People's Assembly of Thailand (PAT), a nationalist advocacy group, that the Total agreement was a violation of Thai sovereignty.

The group wrote to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on July 30, criticising the government and armed forces for not taking action to head off the deal.

A copy of the letter was also reportedly sent to the French Embassy in Bangkok.

Matters are complicated by the fact that Bangkok also allocated the zone - which it refers to as B10 and B11 - to US oil company Chevron and Japan's Mitsui in 1971.

Var Kimhong said that Thailand's claims about the Total deal were "unreasonable", adding that Cambodia had not complained to Bangkok when it granted oil exploration rights in the OCA to Chevron and Mitsui.

Var Kimhong added that Cambodia was always open for negotiation on the two countries' maritime border, which has never been fully demarcated.

In Sokhemra, chief of the Cambodian coast guard stationed in Preah Sihanouk province, said that he had not heard of the naval deployment at Koh Kut, but that the Cambodian navy conducts regular patrols near the OCA and would be immediately aware of any Thai incursions.

Chum Socheat, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, could not be reached for comment on Sunday, and Jean-Pierre Labbe, general manager of Total EP Cambodge, said he was out of the country and did not wish to comment over the phone.

http://ow.ly/15Licp

[jasreeve17]

They'd better be careful - last time the Thai navy 'went into action' they ended up giving away Laos... not much of a heritage that lot; always wondered why they wear so many medals and stripes???

Maybe, they might even dust off the Spanish built aircraft carrier from it's Hua Hin 'dry dock'...

Edited August 17, 2009 by jasreeve17

[mackayae]

Remember the Thonburi!

[Briggsy]

They'd better be careful - last time the Thai navy 'went into action' they ended up giving away Laos... not much of a heritage that lot; always wondered why they wear so many medals and stripes???

Maybe, they might even dust off the Spanish built aircraft carrier from it's Hua Hin 'dry dock'...

Indeed, they couldn't do worse than the Thai Army shelling its own troops in the last stand-off with Laos at Bahn Rom Klao.

But seriously, what are military forces for if not for fighting over natural resources? (Massacring unarmed protestors and running illegal minivan operations, I hear you say).

That or it's time to dust off the nationalism card yet again to detract from social problems.

[jasreeve17]

Gen A: We might have gone too far this time.

Gen B: Don't be ridiculous - turn to plan C.

Gen A: Attack our people or attack Cambodia???

Gen B: If we attack Cambodia it's a win win.

Gen A: I agree.

Gen B: Let's do it. Abby, put out the press conference.

Abby: Okay, boss.

[Pushit]

Whoah. watch out for that aircraft carrier with its two (or one) operational VTOL airplanes, the Cambodians must be crapping their pants.

[geriatrickid]

Thailand better not grab the water buffalo by the horns. Vietnam is the silent supporter of the khmer.

It will be an interesting tussle though; French oil interests vs US/Japanese oil interests. Let the foreign multinational brawl begin.

Maybe the respective oil companies can send their execs to settle the matter over beers at a local brothel?

[Soutpeel]

Thailand better not grab the water buffalo by the horns. Vietnam is the silent supporter of the khmer.

It will be an interesting tussle though; French oil interests vs US/Japanese oil interests. Let the foreign multinational brawl begin.

Maybe the respective oil companies can send their execs to settle the matter over beers at a local brothel?

Not very much to be fighting over anyway if the rumour is true...

[knocka]

Any naval skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia would be a horribly one sided affair, Cambodia has practically no navy at all!

And the Thai aircraft carrier was indeed at sea just last month participating in CARAT exercises with the USN.

Although she is at this time just a helicopter carrier, the Spanish built Matadors are obsolete junk, if any can still indeed fly!

Edited August 17, 2009 by knocka

[sriracha john]

The Cambodian Navy doesn't have any ships.... only small boats and... uhmm... canoes.

The navy possesses fifteen patrol craft and a further two patrol craft of the "fast attack" variety.

There are also about 170 motorized and manual canoes.

- wiki

[sriracha john]

On Saturday, the Bangkok Post reported that the forces have been deployed at Koh Kut, close to the 27,000-kilometre overlapping claims area (OCA), to monitor a recent exploration deal between the government and French petrochemical giant Total.

Koh Kut is almost IN Cambodia according to the wacky manner in which they claim their maritime border heads out at a 90 degree angle from the land border.

Edited August 17, 2009 by sriracha john

[geriatrickid]

The HQ navy dwarfs that of Thailand and if one looks at the demarcation dispute, it is all within easy range of the Vietnamese fleet. Why would Vietnam have an interest in this? It needs any petro resources it can get its hands on. Cambodia would export to Vietnam before Thailand.

Thai training with the USN is just for show and I don't think the USN considers the Thai navy to be a regional asset. What matters though, is the HQ. It may surprise some people to be told that the USN has visited Vietnam and has made an effort to forge a relationship. The reason is simple: Vietnam is the thorn in China's side and it is Vietnam that stands up to China in the region: No one else. The US needs Vietnam and as a counterbalance to the Chinese it has proven to be far more reliable and stable in the past 25 years than has Thailand.

FYI In May, Vietnam signed a deal with Russia to purchase 6 kilo class submarines for the HQ. The payload from one of those subs would flatten Bangkok in minutes. Like I said, Thailand shouldn't bully or try to intimidate Cambodia. The Vietnamese have bloodied every regional bully's nose for the past 60 years or so and the Thai navy may not like losing some of its vessels.

[thaihome]

Vietnam is a net exporter of crude oil, by far the biggest contributor to the economy. The disputed area is mostly about gas (and to a lesser extent condensate), Vietnam has little use for natural gas at this point, nor the pipeline infrastructure to transport it. Thailand on the other hand is huge gas user and has a very large pipeline system, which includes several undersea tie-in points for the future overlapping area gas.

If Cambodia expects to benefit from the overlapping areas, Thailand is going to be the customer. It’s just a matter of how much Thailand is willing to give to Cambodia and at this point Thailand is not being very nice about it. There is a signed treaty that says they will share the area, but it does not at this point specify the division. Thailand and Malaysia split their joint area 50/50, Cambodia wants the same deal, but unlike Malaysia, all they can do is sell the gas to Thailand, they have no use for it themselves and probably will not for a long time.

This is a hardball ploy by Cambodia to try and force the issue. I doubt Vietnam will be willing to step in at this point and help Cambodia, not only would Thailand be upset, but Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore would be very angry as well. This has been simmering for a long time (40 years) and hopefully it will get settled soon. There is plenty for all, and I suspect that Total and Chevron will encourage both countries to make the deal and get on with it.

TH

[LongThaimer]

They'd better be careful - last time the Thai navy 'went into action' they ended up giving away Laos... not much of a heritage that lot; always wondered why they wear so many medals and stripes???

Maybe, they might even dust off the Spanish built aircraft carrier from it's Hua Hin 'dry dock'...

directly propotional to golf club memberships ....... ????? lifetime BIRDIES achievement..... ???? not sure but am quite certain it has got something to do with GOLF .......

[KevinBloodyWilson]

There is plenty for all, and I suspect that Total and Chevron will encourage both countries to make the deal and get on with it.

TH

"There is plenty for all" is not in the Thai credo. The Thai credo is "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too if I can cheat you out of it or steal it".

The Thai foreign policy is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground. But then sometimes it seems like the Thai everything is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground.

Kev

Edited August 18, 2009 by KevinBloodyWilson

[knocka]

The HQ navy dwarfs that of Thailand

HUH??????? 5 X 35-38 year old Russian light frigates with a 3 inch gun armament (2 probably non operational) and 2 handfulls of equally old Russian corvettes and patrol craft. (again operational numbers extremely low) Cause that's all they could put to sea at the moment!

The payload from one of those subs would flatten Bangkok in minutes

roflmao................What are they gonna do? Sneak up the Chao Phraya river and launch their torpedoes and anti-shipping missiles at Patpong Road..........you really are hilarious!!!!! thanks for the good laugh anyway.

The first operational VN Kilo class sub is over 10 years away anyhow?

[thaihome]

"There is plenty for all" is not in the Thai credo. The Thai credo is "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too if I can cheat you out of it or steal it".

The Thai foreign policy is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground. But then sometimes it seems like the Thai everything is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground.

Kev

Well, the price you pay for electricity in Thailand 5 years from now may be highly dependent on what kind of deal Thailand and Cambodia make. This is not "foreign policy", this is business.

Actually, to me, your other comments sound more like a 6th grader talking about 4th graders on the play ground, everyone likes to feel superior to some else.

TH

[Scott]

This sort of thing is a convenient distraction from the on-going political stalemate as well.

[KevinBloodyWilson]

"There is plenty for all" is not in the Thai credo. The Thai credo is "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too if I can cheat you out of it or steal it".

The Thai foreign policy is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground. But then sometimes it seems like the Thai everything is at about the same level of insight and acumen as the 4th grade playground.

Kev

Well, the price you pay for electricity in Thailand 5 years from now may be highly dependent on what kind of deal Thailand and Cambodia make. This is not "foreign policy", this is business.

Actually, to me, your other comments sound more like a 6th grader talking about 4th graders on the play ground, everyone likes to feel superior to some else.

TH

Try not to be personal sunshine, it makes you seem like you have a problem.

If you don't agree, then you can say "I don't agree" and explain where and why you think I am wrong. Thats what discussion is.

Anything else is either hot air or hoping some Thais are watching and will know what a wunnerful guy you are.

Kev

[churchill]

Thailand to protest Cambodian patrol in disputed area

The Defence Ministry plans a strongly-worded protest over a Cambodian patrol entering a disputed maritime area near Koh Kut in Trat province, a source says.

The protest will be lodged through the Foreign Ministry.

Two Cambodian warships were seen patrolling in the disputed area last week.

The patrol was in breach of an agreement on disputed and overlapping areas which requires the two countries to inform the other of any plans for a patrol and for the patrol to be a joint operation.

The source said the Cambodian patrol was probably in response to the Thai navy's move to set up a new base on Koh Kut to reinforce its patrol missions following a report that Cambodia had allowed a French oil company to carry out surveys in the disputed area.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2234...n-disputed-area

-- Bangkok Post 20/08/09

[cdnvic]

always wondered why they wear so many medals and stripes???

Because the intricacies of face and manners prevents anyone from asking what they did to earn them.