PM Abhisit Calls For Restraint In Thai-Cambodia Border Row

[webfact]

THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER DISPUTE

PM calls for restraint in border row

PAD rallies tomorrow to influence Parliament vote

The People's Alliance for Democracy must abide by the law while protesting tomorrow at Parliament House against a diplomatic framework for resolving territorial issues with Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

The PAD is holding the rally to pressure the House and Senate vote on the agreements from a meeting of the Joint Border Commission, which is tasked with demarcating the common border.

The PAD lashed out at Abhisit for "backtracking" in pushing for border demarcation at this time, but he countered that he had not promised them anything.

When he met with PAD representatives last week, he did not expect Parliament would call the vote so soon.

NO BEARING ON TROOP DEPLOYMENT

Even after the approval, the JBC will still have to report back to Parliament before making any decision, he said, adding that he had already explained to the PAD that the JBC's work had no bearing on troop deployment at the border.

"The PAD has gone overboard in accusing me as being a traitor. I have no hidden agenda and if my opponents refuse to accept my approach for a negotiated settlement between two neighbouring countries, they should brace for intervention by the United Nations," he said.

He wondered how the PAD would safeguard the country's sovereignty in the face of international mediation.

Emotions might have run high but the PAD should not brand him a turncoat for compromising territorial integrity, he said.

As for PAD's seeking a court injunction against the 2000 memorandum of understanding on the Thai-Cambodian border, he said he would allow justice to run its course.

Pending the judicial review, the memorandum has served to pre-empt border confrontation, he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon cited the existence of the MoU as a reason not to meddle in the border dispute over Preah Vihear Temple.

ASEAN DISCUSSIONS

All parties should realise that because of the bilateral approach in dealing with border issues, other countries did not interfere, he said.

On the sidelines of the Asian Summit in Vietnam, he discussed with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen the possibility that red-shirt fugitives, including Arisman Pongruangrong, had fled to Cambodia.

"Hun Sen and I agreed to keep the issue between us and not talk in public," he said.

If those news sources were so certain Arisman and other red shirts were hiding in Cambodia, then they should be able to pinpoint the exact location of the safe haven so Cambodian authorities could arrest them and send them back, he said.

Senator Kamnoon Sithisaman, seen as a PAD supporter, voiced concern that a vote of approval for the three JBC reports with the 2000 MoU as an attachment would put Thailand at a disadvantage.

All three JBC meetings used the French-made map that led to the Thai loss of the temple, he said.

The prime minister was right in saying legislative approval of the JBC reports would not result in territorial loss right away, but he failed to mention that the vote might set the stage for unfair negotiations later, he said.

The PAD's 16 southern chapters issued a statement condemning the government for a lapse of attention, by letting the JBC reports come up for a show of hands.

The statement said the vote amounts to a possible compromise of territorial rights, calling for an immediate stop to tomorrow's vote.

-- The Nation 2010-11-01

[chantorn]

The People's Alliance for Democracy must abide by the law while protesting tomorrow at Parliament House against a diplomatic framework for resolving territorial issues with Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

I thought the law say :NO PROTEST OF MORE THAN 5 PEOPLE, as BKK is in SOE? Or did I misunderstand the law?

[asiawatcher]

The People's Alliance for Democracy must abide by the law while protesting tomorrow at Parliament House against a diplomatic framework for resolving territorial issues with Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

I thought the law say :NO PROTEST OF MORE THAN 5 PEOPLE, as BKK is in SOE? Or did I misunderstand the law?

No you did not misunderstand the law, it is just not enforced.

[asiawatcher]

Ooops - multiquoted

Edited November 1, 2010 by asiawatcher

[chantorn]

The People's Alliance for Democracy must abide by the law while protesting tomorrow at Parliament House against a diplomatic framework for resolving territorial issues with Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

I thought the law say :NO PROTEST OF MORE THAN 5 PEOPLE, as BKK is in SOE? Or did I misunderstand the law?

No you did not misunderstand the law, it is just not enforced.

Isn't there a law to penalize a government office for not carrying out his/her duty?