Thai Govt Should Be Scientific About Boundary Issue

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Govt should be scientific about boundary issue

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Expressions of blind patriotism and childish acts are the problem, not a solution for the boundary disputes Thailand is having with its neighbour, Cambodia. This issue should really be solved by scientific methods, not nationalist sentiment or military means.

Yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid and his group are clearly using the wrong approach. Their idea of putting pressure on the government to use force to kick Cambodians off the land believed to be under Thai sovereignty would trigger serious problems and cause trouble for residents on both sides.

Last week, Veera, Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and other members of the Santi Asoka group ended up in the Prey Sar prison for nothing except more conflict with Cambodia. Whether the seven men are in prison or not, the boundary issue in Sa Kaew province's Ban Nong Chan area remains unsolved, while the government uses the taxpayers' money to rescue them.

Veera and his group tried several times to call attention to the boundary issue by showing up in the disputed area and provoking arrest. In August, Cambodian authorities detained Veera for trespassing, but he managed to get out shortly afterwards thanks to help from the Thai border police. Nobody paid attention then.

This time, however, he's been making headlines, especially since he dragged someone like Panich, a government MP, along to call attention. Also, Cambodian PM Hun Sen is reportedly furious over Veera's second attempt at trespassing.

A Phnom Penh court has charged the seven Thai nationals of illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base. The two charges could have them in prison for 18 months if they are convicted.

Previously, the Cambodian court sentenced three Surin residents to 18 months for illegal entry after they crossed the boundary by mistake while hunting. After four months in jail, they obtained a royal pardon to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

This time though, Panich and Veera's defence team has no excuse because a leaked video clip shows that the group knew they were trespassing when they were arrested. Information from the Royal Thai Survey Department indicates the group had gone 55 metres deeper into Cambodian territory, according to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

One can only hope the Cambodian court rules on the case quickly and hands them a lenient punishment.

However, this court trial could have some consequences on boundary negotiations in the future because it is as if Thailand is admitting the area is actually under Cambodian sovereignty.

The boundary area there has been under dispute for years since Cambodians started fleeing civil war to settle on the border three decades ago. They settled in and are refused to move out even though war is over.

In fact, the boundary in that particular area was demarcated more than a century ago. Unfortunately the boundary pillars 46, 47 and 48 that were there to indicate the boundary line have either been destroyed or removed. The two countries have kept no records as to exactly where the pillars were and where the boundary line runs. Advance geographical techniques and peaceful negotiation could help settle this problem, though nothing has been done.

All patriotic figures should know that the only way of settling the boundary conflict and securing the territory permanently would be to let the joint boundary mechanisms continue working. Otherwise, it's difficult to see this problem ever getting solved.

-- The Nation 2011-01-06

[Siam Simon]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

[whybother]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

Yes. A sensible article.

What was the rest of you post about? Why are you baiting about a border issue? Do these guys ever even post on border issues? Maybe you're just being a Quote Nazi and are angry at them about their quoting?

[junglist]

Neither side should have the temple. Why can they not take the middle path they often preach about? No this is not about faith this is about power and money.

[rkidlad]

Neither side should have the temple. Why can they not take the middle path they often preach about? No this is not about faith this is about power and money.

Very true. Bhudda would tell us that it's everyone's temple. Anyone can go inside and seek sanctuary and solitude; even those farangs. (Bhudda might even scrap any entry fee)

[rkidlad]

Neither side should have the temple. Why can they not take the middle path they often preach about? No this is not about faith this is about power and money.

Very true. Bhudda would tell us that it's everyone's temple. Anyone can go inside and seek sanctuary and solitude; even those farangs. (Bhudda might even scrap any entry fee)

[SomTumTiger]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

"Stay Classy San Diego" - Ron Burgundy

[Bagwan]

Er um. What is scientific about this?

The locals are pretty cool about this so why can't the troublemakers scoot off back to BKK and do something that garners more column inches, like holding a mass rally at the Mickey Mouse airport?

Why not hold an auction over the disputed territory with the US acting as referee/auctioneer? Probably cheaper in terms of wasted lives and munitions.

[Thai at Heart]

Careful, they might go get some mapping software and GPS from the same bunch who supplied the GT 2000.

[Insight]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

Care to elaborate on the "right wing nutters" flame?

[Siam Simon]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

Care to elaborate on the "right wing nutters" flame?

No probs. In your instance you hold right wing views, and you are a nutter who pm'd me wanting to meet up and have a fight.

[hanuman1]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

Care to elaborate on the "right wing nutters" flame?

No probs. In your instance you hold right wing views, and you are a nutter who pm'd me wanting to meet up and have a fight.

Right-wingers wanting to fight? Say it ain't so!

[Insight]

What a sensible article. All we need now is the standard railling by Sriracha John's current alias and other right wing nutters such as "Insight"

Care to elaborate on the "right wing nutters" flame?

No probs. In your instance you hold right wing views, and you are a nutter who pm'd me wanting to meet up and have a fight.

Right-wingers wanting to fight? Say it ain't so!

Playground antics aside, please highlight one single "right wing view" of mine.

And the offer still stands for your "bare faced liar" accusations.

[hanuman1]

Care to elaborate on the "right wing nutters" flame?

No probs. In your instance you hold right wing views, and you are a nutter who pm'd me wanting to meet up and have a fight.

Right-wingers wanting to fight? Say it ain't so!

Playground antics aside, please highlight one single "right wing view" of mine.

And the offer still stands for your "bare faced liar" accusations.

I don't believe I ever called you a bare faced liar. Show me the post?

[Insight]

The challenge is obviously aimed at Simon, hauman1. And I think he could do with your help - pls identify one single "right wing" post of mine.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Insight

[Siam Simon]

Playground antics aside, please highlight one single "right wing view" of mine.

And the offer still stands for your "bare faced liar" accusations.

ALL your posts about Thai politics are right wing. You jump through hoops to defend a very right wing establishment.

So, let me get this right: You're condemning perceived playground antics in the first line of your post and then asking for a fight in the second line?

And my "bare faced liar" comment wasn't an accusation, it was a statement of fact.

[Insight]

Playground antics aside, please highlight one single "right wing view" of mine.

And the offer still stands for your "bare faced liar" accusations.

ALL your posts about Thai politics are right wing. You jump through hoops to defend a very right wing establishment.

So, let me get this right: You're condemning perceived playground antics in the first line of your post and then asking for a fight in the second line?

And my "bare faced liar" comment wasn't an accusation, it was a statement of fact.

Many Thais, and many Labour supporting people like myself, consider this government very left-of-center. Please highlight a single post that highlights my "right wing" agenda.

As for your "bare face liar" "statement of fact" - feel free to bring this one to the attention of the forum again.

Or meet me.

[Siam Simon]

Many Thais, and many Labour supporting people like myself, consider this government very left-of-center. Please highlight a single post that highlights my "right wing" agenda.

I don't need to highlight a single post because they ALL are. The fact that you think the current government is left wing says it all.

As for your "bare face liar" "statement of fact" - feel free to bring this one to the attention of the forum again.

We've been over this several times on the forum and via pm. You stated that a post of mine had been edited in an unfavourable way toward you, based on John's creative editing of nested quotes in his post immediately following mine. I made it clear that my post hadn't been edited (there was no edit time stamp). But you couldn't accept that, and continued to behave aggressively toward me (now there's a surprise), telling me that I knew the post had been edited. A mod suggested that my post may have been edited by another mod without leaving a time stamp. I pointed out that the line you said had been edited had been left in several previous posts quoting it including one of yours, so why would a mod only edit the line out of my post, but leave the same line in all the others? No answer. not long after, you started pm'ing me with childish threats of violence. Which leads us to this:

Or meet me.

[Insight]

an unfavourable way toward you, based on John's creative editing of nested quotes in his post immediately following mine. I made it clear that my post hadn't been edited (there was no edit time stamp). But you couldn't accept that, and continued to behave aggressively toward me (now there's a surprise), telling me that I knew the post had been edited. A mod suggested that my post may have been edited by another mod without leaving a time stamp. I pointed out that the line you said had been edited had been left in several previous posts quoting it including one of yours, so why would a mod only edit the line out of my post, but leave the same line in all the others? No answer. not long after, you started pm'ing me with childish threats of violence. Which leads us to this:

Or meet me.

You mean this post?

Would be nice if the "Root Admin's" could check into the edit history of the post. It's in one if the forum MySQL tables.

Offer still stands anyhow.

/edit - BTW, I'm only responding to a poster who makes comments such as "man up", "diddums" and "pathetic".

Let's meet.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Insight

[Siam Simon]

an unfavourable way toward you, based on John's creative editing of nested quotes in his post immediately following mine. I made it clear that my post hadn't been edited (there was no edit time stamp). But you couldn't accept that, and continued to behave aggressively toward me (now there's a surprise), telling me that I knew the post had been edited. A mod suggested that my post may have been edited by another mod without leaving a time stamp. I pointed out that the line you said had been edited had been left in several previous posts quoting it including one of yours, so why would a mod only edit the line out of my post, but leave the same line in all the others? No answer. not long after, you started pm'ing me with childish threats of violence. Which leads us to this:

Or meet me.

You mean this post?

Would be nice if the "Root Admin's" could check into the edit history of the post. It's in one if the forum MySQL tables.

Offer still stands anyhow.

/edit - BTW, I'm only responding to a poster who makes comments such as "man up", "diddums" and "pathetic".

Let's meet.

No, let's not. You're a violent nutter.

[Insight]

No, let's not. You're a violent nutter.

The world according to Simon is a very paranoid place indeed.