PM Abhisit Eases Yellow Shirts Protesters' Worries

[webfact]

PM eases protesters' worries

By The Nation on Sunday

Abhisit assuages yellow-shirt worries about 2000 MoU with Cambodia; Rebel PAD faction defies emergency and rallies in front of Govt House

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday managed to pacify thousands of yellow-shirt protesters who had earlier demanded that the government annul a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia on border demarcation.

The protesters also voiced opposition to Cambodia's unilateral inscription of the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site.

Border demarcation and the Preah Vihear Temple inscription are related issues.

Abhisit said Cambodia was unsuccessful in trying to use its own maps for its Preah Vihear management plan at the recent Unesco meeting in Brazil because of the Thai government's protest on the ground that the boundary demarcation was not finished yet.

The use of Cambodia's maps could have hurt Thailand's national interests, he said.

The premier told the protesters that the MoU signed in 2000 with Cambodia during the tenure of former premier Chuan Leekpai was just an agreement for both countries to start the process of border demarcation.

Essentially, it means that neither country is allowed to use the disputed territories until the border demarcation is finished.

The premier will today hold a further three-hour discussion with yellow-shirts and other civic-society groups on the sensitive Preah Vihear issue.

The discussion will be nationally televised on Channel 11 from 10am to 1pm to inform the general public of the pros and cons of the 2000 MoU on border demarcation and other crucial points concerning Preah Vihear.

Five yellow-shirt and other non-government organisation representatives will join five government representatives, including the premier, and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti.

The premier said any discussions on this issue should be based on the nation's best interest.

Yesterday's yellow-shirt rally was led by People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Chamlong Srimuang and supported by his Dharma Army Foundation.

Another PAD faction, led by Veera Somkwamkid and Chaiwat Sinsuwong, last night stayed overnight at the rally site in front of the First Army Area headquarters.

Chaiwat will join today's discussion with Abhisit and other government representatives after the premier yesterday attended a protesters' forum at Bangkok's Thai-Japanese Stadium.

Abhisit thanked the thousands of cheering crowds and reassured them that his government would do its best to protect national interests.

Four companies of police were deployed to keep security at the Thai-Japanese Stadium.

Abhisit also told the protesters that Thailand had lost Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia following the World Court's 1962 ruling.

"If you're talking about wanting it back, I have no different desire from you. We lost the temple in BE 2505, during Field Marshal Sarit [Thanrat]," Abhisit said.

"Back then, Field Marshal Sarit reserved the country's right to reclaim ownership of Preah Vihear once we have evidence to prove the temple is ours."

He said Thailand would explain to Unesco over the next year about its objection to Cambodia's management plan of the Preah Vihear temple based on the ground that such a move would violate Thailand's territorial rights as far as land plots next to the temple were concerned.

Earlier yesterday, some protesters led by Veera and Chaiwat were rallying near Government House and vowed to remain there for seven days in defiance of the state of emergency.

The two protest leaders refused to disperse and move to the Thai-Japanese Stadium as senior police and military officers came to talk to them at 8.30am.

The confrontation started at 9am when crowd-control police formed lines and moved towards the protesters from Likhit Road beside Benjamabophit School.

The protesters later agreed to move to the First Army Area headquarters at 11am.

Chaiwat told the demonstrators to move away from the area in front of Government House, saying the demonstrators did not want to clash with police and troops.

Veera said the demonstrators would return to rally in front of Government House in another week if their demand for the government to annul the 2000 MoU with Cambodia was not met.

-- The Nation 2010-08-08

[webfact]

PHRA VIHARN CONTROVERSY

PAD representatives invited to join special TV talk : PM

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has invited yellow shirts to send their five representatives to join a special television programme on Phra Viharn controversy on Sunday.

Abhisit said he and other five representatives including experts would join the programme on the National Broadcast Television or Channel 11 to be held between 10am and 1pm.

He extended the invitation as he took the stage of yellow shirts who rallied on Saturday at Thai-Japanese Stadium. The rally was led by People's Alliance for Democracy leader Chamlong Srimuang.

Abhisit joined the forum in the afternoon after finishing some works in Hua Hin.

Abhisit told the cheering crowds that he would like to thank you everybody here as they are gathering to express their wishes to protect the country.

"I can assure you that the government has been working for the benefits of the country. We have no reason to exchange Thai territory with any benefits," he said.

He stressed that he should neither remain as the prime minister nor be allowed to be in the Thai soil if he did so.

The premier had on Friday managed to cut a deal with the Chamlong's PAD faction, which was initially planning to rally in front of Government House to demand that Abhisit revoke the 2000 memorandum of understanding on boundary demarcation with Cambodia as well as voice their opposition to Preah Vihear's inscription as a World Heritage Site.

Chamlong's the Dharma Army Foundation, agreed to gather at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Din Daeng today to express their views, concerns and visions with respect to Preah Vihear.

He emphasised that the 2000 MOU with Cambodia is just an agreement for both countries to start border demarcation, not boundary demarcation.

The substance of the MOU is that pending the demarcation, no country should not invade into the disputed sites.

Apparently trying to compromise, the premier said we should have discussed the matter basing on the country's benefits and after that if it is better to cancel the MOU, then do it.

Meanwhile a PAD faction, led by Veera Somkwamkit who led a rally near the Government House vowed to remain there for seven days in defiance state of emergecy.

-- The Nation 2010-08-08

[jackdawson]

man the PM is the bomb

[RedNIvar]

PM- Puppet Man. Says Yes, to every yellow demand. You could almost see the strings coming out from him.

[SomTumTiger]

This temple better be like <deleted> DIsneyland if i ever go visit it, otherwise, I'm gonna be pissed lol.

[Thai at Heart]

I like the idea of getting this discussion out onto the TV.

If the discussion is grown up enough and balanced enough, maybe the PAD can be made to look like the plonkers that they are.

[seri thai]

Another chance to arrest the airport closets missed then?

Where can kasit be hiding? Oh wait, he' s Foreign Minister now!

[SomTumTiger]

], maybe the PAD can be made to look like the plonkers that they are.

You and I rarely agree, but on this - we are in complete agreement.

[Thai at Heart]

], maybe the PAD can be made to look like the plonkers that they are.

You and I rarely agree, but on this - we are in complete agreement.

Wasn't aware I was that much at odds with you about things. I despise just about everything the PAD stands for. As for the reds, well, what a disaster they are also.

[whybother]

PM- Puppet Man. Says Yes, to every yellow demand. You could almost see the strings coming out from him.

What demand has he said 'yes' to?

[jayjay0]

["Back then, Field Marshal Sarit reserved the country's right to reclaim ownership of Preah Vihear once we have evidence to prove the temple is ours."]

If it is ours why is it of Khmer architecture. Did we hire Cambodia to build it.

["I can assure you that the government has been working for the benefits of the country. We have no reason to exchange Thai territory with any benefits," he said.]"

Now what does that mean. Seams to mean some thing to the yellow shirts.

How does the country benefit by having a Cambodian temple? If they maintain it, it will just cost them money.

Edited August 8, 2010 by jayjay0

[Just1Voice]

They're fighting over a temple in Cambodia, while at the same time are in danger of lose World Heritage Status of their own temple in Ayutthaya because of complete mismanagement.

[webfact]

Thai PM reiterates 2000 MoU benefits Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday that the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) contains benefits to Thailand as it prevents the Cambodian government from submitting its map to the UNESCO World Heritage Commission (WHC) because the border demarcation is not yet completed.

Speaking during his weekly TV and radio address, he emphasised the Thai government understanding of the apparent impasse while the commission acknowledges that Cambodia is still unable to submit its map.

Once the border demarcation process is completed, the Thai government must review and accept it before reporting to Parliament, he said.

According to the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the survey and land boundary demarcation signed in June 2000, both parties agreed not to carry out any changes in the environment of the frontier zone, pending completion of the survey and border demarcation.

Regarding reports that Cambodian soldiers and villagers have occupied the disputed area near Preah Vihear temple, Mr Abhisit said both diplomatic and military methods have been used in resolving the problem as Thailand tries to avoid armed clashes.

“Our objectives are to prevent violation of [Thai] sovereignty and also be good neighbor with Cambodia as it would bestow benefits to both countries,” he said.

He later discussed the issue with four representatives of the newly-formed ‘Thailand Patriot Network’ and civil society groups including the yellow-clad People’s Alliance for Democracy.

Also, four senior government officials, led by Mr Abhisit, participated in the talks focusing on the ancient temple and its adjoining disputed area.

Broadcast live on state-owned NBT television, the discussion was intended to clarify the 10-year-old 2000 MoU to the activist groups who began rallying in the capital on Saturday. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-08-08

[tigermonkey]

This temple better be like <deleted> DIsneyland if i ever go visit it, otherwise, I'm gonna be pissed lol.

Disneyland it is not .Thailand already lost Ankor Wat to Cambodia -- it's much more like Disneyland.

I can't help wondering how much of this fight over Preah Vihear temple is about 'loss of face' -- so many are still upset about losing face with the loss of Ankor Wat and all the land to the hated Khmer. They could not stand to lose face again .

Edited August 8, 2010 by tigermonkey

[RKASA]

This temple better be like <deleted> DIsneyland if i ever go visit it, otherwise, I'm gonna be pissed lol.

Disneyland it is not .Thailand already lost Ankor Wat to Cambodia -- it's much more like Disneyland.

I can't help wondering how much of this fight over Preah Vihear temple is about 'loss of face' -- so many are still upset about losing face with the loss of Ankor Wat and all the land to the hated Khmer. They could not stand to lose face again .

Mainland China belongs to Taiwan

[rubl]

PM- Puppet Man. Says Yes, to every yellow demand. You could almost see the strings coming out from him.

I think it is more correct to say that the PM is aware of the tightrope he's walking. If his road-map program is to be successful he has to humour lots of parties and groups he'd rather ignore or put in jail.

[animatic]

I like the idea of getting this discussion out onto the TV.

If the discussion is grown up enough and balanced enough, maybe the PAD can be made to look like the plonkers that they are.

Agreed. this whole dispute is based on semantic misunderstandings,

and the over-rought nationalism that the school system as inculcated in every Thai mind.

Granted the only way they saw to create ' a Thai Land ' was to separate those who chose to be "Thais"

from those that chose anything else, like their old tribal identities or ancient cultural entities like being Khmer.

After 80 years on might have hope this population control mechanism could have been put to bed. Thailand exists.

But the schooling top to bottom was so strong, that hearts and minds can be lead by fools,

in what ever direction stokes the root fears of nationalist loss of face.

Abhisit clear knows this must be dealt with, but the realities of this nationalism can't be pulled in in a generation,

let alone at political whim, or necessity. It will take multiple generations of proper schooling.

[chantorn]

I like the idea of getting this discussion out onto the TV.

If the discussion is grown up enough and balanced enough, maybe the PAD can be made to look like the plonkers that they are.

Agreed. this whole dispute is based on semantic misunderstandings,

and the over-rought nationalism that the school system as inculcated in every Thai mind.

Granted the only way they saw to create ' a Thai Land ' was to separate those who chose to be "Thais"

from those that chose anything else, like their old tribal identities or ancient cultural entities like being Khmer.

After 80 years on might have hope this population control mechanism could have been put to bed. Thailand exists.

But the schooling top to bottom was so strong, that hearts and minds can be lead by fools,

in what ever direction stokes the root fears of nationalist loss of face.

Abhisit clear knows this must be dealt with, but the realities of this nationalism can't be pulled in in a generation,

let alone at political whim, or necessity. It will take multiple generations of proper schooling.

Buy time?

I think they just have bought another year.

Bet you, next year UNESCO meeting, zero progress, and Thai govt will ask for another year (& another year, and another year...), just like the Yellow shirt trials.

[siampolee]

My personal view is that the prime Minister has proved to be an able national leader, who is not afraid to bring matters into the public arena.

In the event of the French claiming the Isle of Wight as French territory I would nominate Prime minister Abhisit as the lead negotiator to solve the problem.

The boy has got class unlike the Sino Thai Kleptomaniac we had before.

[hammered]

Now might be a time to offer to speak with small groups of reds on single specific issues like this one. Of course th government know who the hardlineers and softliners are and can target soft groups. Approaching things on a specific single issue where headway can be made also makes sense for real progress. The red-government peace talks before complete with sms message at the end were just a joke

[SamritT]

PM Abhisit Eases Yellow Shirts Protesters' Worries, TEMPORARY.