Cambodia As A Good Thai Comrade

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Cambodia As A Good Comrade

A renewed attempt to restore ties between Thailand and Cambodia that was initiated by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva following the recent UN summit in New York has already begun with fostering cultural relations as a preliminary effort. Although there has been some improvement to Thai-Cambodian relations and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken a more friendly stance towards Thailand, there is no guarantee that the Cambodian leader's true intention will reflect the same. There could hidden motives beyond our knowing behind his friendly face.

The fence-mending efforts started Sunday morning with Abhisit giving an interview for the first time to Cambodian journalists who have been known to have different points of view regarding the presentation of news on the political conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. Cambodian Information Minister Kheiw Kanharith also met with the Thai premier Sunday evening and the Minister to the Prime Minister's Minister Ongart Klampaiboon today. The meeting between the Thai prime minister and the Cambodian press could more or less help promote bilateral relations, as the Cambodian media is subject to control by the Cambodian authority.

Not only is there an attempt to restore relations through the media, Thailand and Cambodia are about to engage in cultural exchange and cooperation. A concert featuring well-known Thai and Cambodian artists has been scheduled and will be held for the first time in Thailand. This might be considered an admirable effort even if in reality no significant results could be expected. However, Thai and Cambodian people never actually feel that they are part of the ongoing conflict. In the business world, Thai investors are still welcome by the Cambodian government. It seems the ongoing row that we are seeing today is mainly political and occurs between the Thai and Cambodian governments, with certain groups of people playing their roles.

Most Cambodians know about Thailand from the fact that the Thai governments of Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Thaksin Shinawatra supported a number of infrastructure projects in Cambodia. Thus, few Cambodians would favor Thailand with Abhisit Vejjajiva in the premiership. That's why Thailand's effort to restore ties with Cambodia has been awkward and largely dependent on Hun Sen's whim. There is no other factor that will determine the success of the peace effort besides the Cambodian leader himself.

Kom Chad Leuk editorial, page 4, October 18th, 2010.

Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2010-10-19

[chantorn]

Mark - fence-mending effort.

DSI - war creation effort.

[Thailand]

What happened to the armies training and mobilising in Cambodia, have they just disappeared in a puff of smoke or was it just all smoke to begin with?

[way2muchcoffee]

What happened to the armies training and mobilising in Cambodia, have they just disappeared in a puff of smoke or was it just all smoke to begin with?

The DSI was given a gag order with respect to incidents that may relate to foreign nations. Do you not follow the news?

[rreddin]

What happened to the armies training and mobilising in Cambodia, have they just disappeared in a puff of smoke or was it just all smoke to begin with?

The DSI was given a gag order with respect to incidents that may relate to foreign nations. Do you not follow the news?

That does not answer Way2muchcoffee's question. However, I am pleased that attempts are being made to improve relations with this neighbour. That way the diplomats will have a chance to resolve any issues.

[Thailand]

What happened to the armies training and mobilising in Cambodia, have they just disappeared in a puff of smoke or was it just all smoke to begin with?

The DSI was given a gag order with respect to incidents that may relate to foreign nations. Do you not follow the news?

Be a bit pointless asking the question if I had already read your answer in the news don't you think?

Wasn't from the Nation by any chance was it?

Edited October 19, 2010 by Thailand

[asiawatcher]

It can only help both sides and as neighbours they would be best trying to get along - I think it is a good effort for the PM not to react to the barbs Hun Sen put out over ASEAN and then smoothed the troubled waters at the UN and now is making sincere efforts with Cambo to get all back on track.  That is more than many other s have done on either side in the last 15+ years.  

[chantorn]

The Khmers will always view as evil people in the eyes on Bangkok people. They even prefers Burmese as domestic slavse (aka servants) over the Khmers.

However, people in E-San think differently. They consider Khmers as their distance relatives, and some even speak their language.

[siampolee]

Neville Chamberlain

"Peace for Our Time," September 30, 1938

The following statement was made by British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, in front of #10 Downing Street, London, after his arrival home from the notorious Munich Conference of 1938

We, the German Fuhrer and Chancellor, and the British Prime Minister, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the first importance for our two countries and for Europe.

We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.

We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.

My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is "peace for our time." Go home and get a nice quiet sleep

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.

The following statement was made by the Prime Minister, in front of parliament.

We, the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of Thai-Cambodian relations is of the first importance for our two countries and for the region.

We regard the agreement signed last night as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.

We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of the region.

My good friends, for the second time in our history, a Prime Minister has returned from Cambodia bringing peace with honor. I believe it is "peace for our time." Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.

Perhaps the Prime Minister may do well to consider this little gem.

[chantorn]

Neville Chamberlain

"Peace for Our Time," September 30, 1938

The following statement was made by British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, in front of #10 Downing Street, London, after his arrival home from the notorious Munich Conference of 1938

We, the German Fuhrer and Chancellor, and the British Prime Minister, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the first importance for our two countries and for Europe.

We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.

We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.

My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is "peace for our time." Go home and get a nice quiet sleep

******************************************************************************************

.

The following statement was made by the Prime Minister, in front of parliament.

We, the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of Thai-Cambodian relations is of the first importance for our two countries and for the region.

We regard the agreement signed last night as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.

We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of the region.

My good friends, for the second time in our history, a Prime Minister has returned from Cambodia bringing peace with honor. I believe it is "peace for our time." Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.

Perhaps the Prime Minister may do well to consider this little gem.

So Mark did a google search, and did a copy paste edit job.

So what.

What is your point here? That such document always comes before a war (UK & Germany soon enter a war [WWII])?

[siampolee]

The moral of the story is, "believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see.''Having lived here for some twenty years I am aware of the ambiguous vagueness of comments made by high officials and low officials.