Thai FM Surapong Wants Details On Secret Meetings With Cambodia

[webfact]

Details sought on 'secret' meetings

By The Nation

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday he would ask Phnom Penh for more information on reported secret meetings on maritime resources in the Gulf of Thailand in 2009 and 2010 between then Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and his Cambodian counterpart.

"I will contact Cambodia to get more information on what Suthep said on the matter, and I will relay that information to the public," Surapong told reporters.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra instructed Surapong to examine the issue after the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority said in a statement Tuesday that Suthep had attempted to cut a secret deal on maritime resources in the two countries' overlapping claims area in the Gulf.

According to Tuesday's statement, Suthep held secret meetings with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in Hong Kong and Kunming, China, in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

The Democrat Partyled government of Abhisit Vejjajiva announced in November 2009 that a 2001 memorandum of understanding on the issue signed during former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's administration would be scrapped. The announcement followed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's appointment of Thaksin as his adviser.

Surapong said he wanted to know why Abhisit instructed Suthep to talk with Sok An in Kunming in 2010, after the decision to scrap the MOU had been announced.

The MOU itself was never formally abandoned, as Abhisit's government did not officially inform Phnom Penh of the decision. "Why did Abhisit's government simply talk, and not take action? This has confused the public. I beg Suthep and Abhisit to explain what they did," Surapong said.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said Suthep's meetings with Sok An were unofficial, but not secret. There was nothing to hide regarding the meetings, he said.

"Everything [related to a possible deal] ended with the renunciation of the MOU," he said, adding that the meeting in 2010 was held simply so that the officials could get to know each other.

"We welcome this scrutiny. I challenge the minister to carry on and I would do the same, so that the public can understand what went wrong with this MOU and why we had to renounce it," Chavanond said.

-- The Nation 2011-09-03

[janverbeem]

While he is at it,he maybe he also can get the information about the secret meetings regarding the same matter between the Cambodian government and the enemy of state Thaksin and relay that to the public at the same time.

[OzMick]

It seems highly unlikely that any deal was cut, considering immediately after the first Hun Sen started playing footsie with Thaksin, and not long after the second Cambodia begins a series of border incursions designed to destabilise the Thai government shortly before an election.

[JurgenG]

It seems highly unlikely that any deal was cut, considering immediately after the first Hun Sen started playing footsie with Thaksin, and not long after the second Cambodia begins a series of border incursions designed to destabilise the Thai government shortly before an election.

Nice try !

Agree the incidents at the border were designed to derailed the democratic process before the election. But it was the PAD that was responsible for these incidents, not Cambodia. Cambodia was instead looking for international arbitration to solve pacifically the situation.

Lies and deception, Sondhi's boys are still alive and kicking

[OzMick]

It seems highly unlikely that any deal was cut, considering immediately after the first Hun Sen started playing footsie with Thaksin, and not long after the second Cambodia begins a series of border incursions designed to destabilise the Thai government shortly before an election.

Nice try !

Agree the incidents at the border were designed to derailed the democratic process before the election. But it was the PAD that was responsible for these incidents, not Cambodia. Cambodia was instead looking for international arbitration to solve pacifically the situation.

Lies and deception, Sondhi's boys are still alive and kicking

You are entitled to your opinion, but I believe that PAD destabilising the Democrats to ensure a PTP/Thaksin victory is illogical even with their (PAD/Dem) differences.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened had the Dems declared war against Cambodia. It worked for Maggie Thatcher.

[Bakseedaa]

It seems highly unlikely that any deal was cut, considering immediately after the first Hun Sen started playing footsie with Thaksin, and not long after the second Cambodia begins a series of border incursions designed to destabilise the Thai government shortly before an election.

Nice try !

Agree the incidents at the border were designed to derailed the democratic process before the election. But it was the PAD that was responsible for these incidents, not Cambodia. Cambodia was instead looking for international arbitration to solve pacifically the situation.

Lies and deception, Sondhi's boys are still alive and kicking

You are definately living on another planet.... stop forgetting your medicine..! Pad were trying to stick up for the Thai peoples whom were being displaced by the ungrateful Cambodians..!

[hammered]

I wouldnt doubt secret meetings happened. It is the way of diplomacy and Suthep couldnt exactly be open when he had the yellows regarding him as a traitor to the country already and the reds and PTP looking for ammo. When the Dems lost the election it was only going to be a matter of time before this kind of thing came out.

Note this plays directly to the yellow claims of the last government selling the country out. Very clever politics by whoever is playing it, and directly undercutting the Dems reputation for caring about the country that they like to trumpet, and more to the point as Manager pointed to in its cartoon the other day of the decline of the police chief another dig at the seemingly declining power of a puppet master. The PTP certainly are playing hard and fast on the assault the power structures that have stymied them in the past. What it seems they have learned form Samak time is that waiting is only going to see their opponents regroup and launch an assault so this time they arent making that strategic mistake

Very interesting politics

[brianb1944]

I wouldnt doubt secret meetings happened. It is the way of diplomacy and Suthep couldnt exactly be open when he had the yellows regarding him as a traitor to the country already and the reds and PTP looking for ammo. When the Dems lost the election it was only going to be a matter of time before this kind of thing came out.

Note this plays directly to the yellow claims of the last government selling the country out. Very clever politics by whoever is playing it, and directly undercutting the Dems reputation for caring about the country that they like to trumpet, and more to the point as Manager pointed to in its cartoon the other day of the decline of the police chief another dig at the seemingly declining power of a puppet master. The PTP certainly are playing hard and fast on the assault the power structures that have stymied them in the past. What it seems they have learned form Samak time is that waiting is only going to see their opponents regroup and launch an assault so this time they arent making that strategic mistake

Very interesting politics

My take on it, for what it is worth, is that the expendable is fighting back, trying to divert attention and delay the day that he will inevitably sacrificed to political expediency.

[webfact]

Suthep reaffirms no secret talks with Cambodia

BANGKOK, Sept 3 - Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Saturday denied Cambodia's claims over alleged secret talks on overlapping oil and gas-rich maritime territories during the tenure of Abhisit Vejjajiva administration, while challenging the Thai government to speed up investigation of the matter.

Mr Suthep made remarks following a statement by the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA) claiming that secret meetings between him and his Cambodian counterpart Sok An were held several times in various locations such as Cambodia’s Kandal province, China’s Kunming city in Yunnan, and Hong Kong, to deal with overlapping claims to the offshore area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also assigned Foreign Minister Surapong Towichakchaikul to look into the case.

Mr Suthep, former deputy premier who supervised national security, reasserted that it was Cambodian deputy prime minister Sok An who contacted him for unofficial meetings, before an official meeting on maritime demarcation would be officially held.

"After the unofficial talks, I reported the outcome to concerned agencies, with about 30 to 40 people being informed of the meeting results," stated Mr Suthep. "So it was not a secret."

The Democrat MP said that an official meeting however was not held due to the ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia stemming from a border dispute.

"If the government will set up a committee to probe the case, I have no problem, and I challenge them to speed up the investigation and reveal the results to the public no matter who may benefit from the outcome," reaffirmed Mr Suthep.

Following allegations by the foreign minister saying Mr Suthep, former defence minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan and Cambodian deputy premier Sok An jointly opened an energy investment firm, Mr Suthep asserted he has never invested in any energy business with anyone, while urging those who have evidence that he formed such a company to disclose the details.

Mr Suthep said he was willing to divest the business for public benefit if it was found that he had such a business.

Foreign minister Surapong earlier said he would send a letter to Cambodia seeking more details on the allegations regarding Mr Suthep, while defending there was no hidden agenda over the Cambodian move, as Phnom Penh has affirmed that it wanted to improve relations with Thailand.

The Phnom Penh Post earlier reported a CNPA statement saying meetings between high ranking officials including Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Minister Sok An, former Thai deputy prime minister Suthep and former defence minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan took place between June 2009 and July 2010 at various locations, and that Mr Suthep at the time “indicated a strong preference to resolve this issue during the mandate of the Abhisit government.”

As Mr Abhisit earlier accused deposed premier Thaksin Shinawara of having secret interests with Cambodia, the CNPA statement said it needed to reveal the truth “to protect the interests of Cambodia and H.E. Thaksin Shinawatra against baseless allegations made on the part of the Democrats.” (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-09-03

[kraplung]

While he is at it,he maybe he also can get the information about the secret meetings regarding the same matter between the Cambodian government and the enemy of state Thaksin and relay that to the public at the same time.

Exactly!

[473geo]

Best not have too many skeletons in the cupboard if you intend to smear the Goverment........especially one which clearly has access to many areas of information.......and may even have the luxury of witness coming forward to assist in the corruption clean up......which of course is the wish of all Thaivisa posters.....an almost corruption free Thailand?.......

I say 'almost' because the reality is nobody will ever totally clear corruption at all levels......

I'm sure PTP will do the best they can.......

Edited September 3, 2011 by 473geo

[hammered]

Best not have too many skeletons in the cupboard if you intend to smear the Goverment........especially one which clearly has access to many areas of information.......and may even have the luxury of witness coming forward to assist in the corruption clean up......which of course is the wish of all Thaivisa posters.....an almost corruption free Thailand?.......

I say 'almost' because the reality is nobody will ever totally clear corruption at all levels......

I'm sure PTP will do the best they can.......

All I can think of is that the Democrats and those behind them genuinely thought they would still be in power, as anyoen would have known that after a change like this with polar opposites changing roles, every governmental paper would be examined, every bureaucrat of a neutral, oppressed or careerist nature would be having to please a new boss and any external power with bad relations or wanting better relations were all going to use it to their adavntages. Witness the Cambodia thing. Witness the utter paranoia about the bureaucratic boss changes that make it easier for less zealous underlings to become friendly with new handlers. The drama is immense

[h90]

It seems highly unlikely that any deal was cut, considering immediately after the first Hun Sen started playing footsie with Thaksin, and not long after the second Cambodia begins a series of border incursions designed to destabilise the Thai government shortly before an election.

Nice try !

Agree the incidents at the border were designed to derailed the democratic process before the election. But it was the PAD that was responsible for these incidents, not Cambodia. Cambodia was instead looking for international arbitration to solve pacifically the situation.

Lies and deception, Sondhi's boys are still alive and kicking

So PAD could control Thai and Cambodian Army? Or how did the PAD start these incidents?

[whybother]

"If the government will set up a committee to probe the case, I have no problem, and I challenge them to speed up the investigation and reveal the results to the public no matter who may benefit from the outcome," reaffirmed Mr Suthep.

The government don't want to hurry this up. They want to drag these rumours out for as long as they can.

[hammered]

"If the government will set up a committee to probe the case, I have no problem, and I challenge them to speed up the investigation and reveal the results to the public no matter who may benefit from the outcome," reaffirmed Mr Suthep.

The government don't want to hurry this up. They want to drag these rumours out for as long as they can.

True. Politically it makes sense to keep the wedge driven between Suthep and his Dems and the yellows (and Greens). There will be more to all this than Suthep wants people to know and less than PTP would like but enough to reinforce the yellows suspicions that Suthep in particular and the Dems in general was selling out the country and/or not defending it and its interests rigorously enough. Wait until PTP reps hold the press conference with the freshly released from Cambodian jail Thai patriot dudes too.

[lonewolf99]

If this had been a real Secret Meeting....no one ...certainly not Thai Visa readers would have known about it....or been able to debate the subject...

Freedom Press has a lot to answer for...

[AleG]

"If the government will set up a committee to probe the case, I have no problem, and I challenge them to speed up the investigation and reveal the results to the public no matter who may benefit from the outcome," reaffirmed Mr Suthep.

The government don't want to hurry this up. They want to drag these rumours out for as long as they can.

True. Politically it makes sense to keep the wedge driven between Suthep and his Dems and the yellows (and Greens). There will be more to all this than Suthep wants people to know and less than PTP would like but enough to reinforce the yellows suspicions that Suthep in particular and the Dems in general was selling out the country and/or not defending it and its interests rigorously enough. Wait until PTP reps hold the press conference with the freshly released from Cambodian jail Thai patriot dudes too.

If that would be the case, so much for reconciliation; they are pitting Thais against Thais for political dividends.

[lannarebirth]

"If the government will set up a committee to probe the case, I have no problem, and I challenge them to speed up the investigation and reveal the results to the public no matter who may benefit from the outcome," reaffirmed Mr Suthep.

The government don't want to hurry this up. They want to drag these rumours out for as long as they can.

True. Politically it makes sense to keep the wedge driven between Suthep and his Dems and the yellows (and Greens). There will be more to all this than Suthep wants people to know and less than PTP would like but enough to reinforce the yellows suspicions that Suthep in particular and the Dems in general was selling out the country and/or not defending it and its interests rigorously enough. Wait until PTP reps hold the press conference with the freshly released from Cambodian jail Thai patriot dudes too.

You know hammered. you seem to be enamored of the process of government (as politacally corrupt as it is) but seem to have no particular awareness about the substance of what goes on. I look forward to your posts, when the country is in flames , stating one side or the other played that last move just right.