Surapong Plays Down Cambodian Attack On Chopper

[Lite Beer]

Surapong plays down Cambodian attack on chopper

The Nation on Sunday

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday that an incident in which Cambodian forces fired upon a Thai helicopter near the Cambodian border last week was a misunderstanding and would not lead to a dispute between the countries.

He said he would clear up the misunderstanding, although reports had it that Navy commander Admiral Surasak Runrerngrom had issued a letter of protest against Cambodia and closed border checkpoints and goods-transit points.

The foreign minister said the incident would not inflame the border conflict because Thailand and Cambodia enjoyed cordial relations. He said he is scheduled to meet Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on December 29, which would give him an opportunity to discuss many issues.

Vice Admiral Pongsak Riroj said the helicopter of the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Prevention Command was attacked and damaged by Cambodian forces for unknown reasons while flying in Trat on Friday. The Thai military retaliated by closing two transit points for goods in Trat's Muang and Bo Rai districts, and 30 smaller border checkpoints in Chanthaburi and Trat used by Cambodia to buy supplies for military personnel and civilians.

The checkpoint at Ban Had Lek, however, remained open.

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut accused Surapong of failing to protect the country's integrity and sovereignty by not protesting to Cambodia over the incident. "The first thing the government must do is to lodge a protest with the Cambodian government, otherwise it means we admit that we are wrong.

"Cambodia has issued a statement saying its forces shot at the helicopter legitimately because Thailand encroached upon its territory,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Chavanond called on the Foreign Ministry to reveal the truth over the issuing of a passport to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Pheu Thai Party earlier said Thaksin, who is on the run from a corruption conviction, was not on a ministry blacklist. Chavanond said Thaksin is the subject of an arrest warrant on a criminal charge and is banned from holding a travel document.

"The rules are clear. How can the government distort or delete these rules?'' the spokesman asked.

Meanwhile, Auditor-General Sriracha Charoenpanit said his office last week submitted its second summons for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to give a statement on an alleged conflict of interest in connection with the government's tax-deduction policy to support first-time homebuyers. Sriracha said Yingluck postponed her first summons response because she was occupied with tackling the flooding.

Yingluck has 30 days from the issuing of the second summons to meet with officials. The Democrat Party accuses the government of policy corruption by issuing a housing scheme that favours SC Asset. Yingluck is a former chief executive of the company.

-- The Nation 2011-12-18

[Reasonableman]

Thailand and Cambodia enjoyed cordial relations.

[OzMick]

Perhaps the news that their has been a change in government hasn't reached the border yet, and the Cambodians are still kicking off destabilizing border incidents as a favour to their little friend.

Nice of Surapong to take time off from brown-nosing Thaksin to give the trigger happy Cambodians a big "Mai pen rai!"

[Moruya]

Surapong is another waste of space. About to be jettisoned from the cabinet for being useless he attempts to brown nose his way back into the boss' good books.

[moe666]

When you sleep with a tiger you will get scratched. This is a game that Thailand will lose and BIG T doesn't care

[anoncommercialname]

Looking to travel from Bangkok to Sihanoukville tomorrow via the Hat Lek - Krong Koh Kong border crossing. As I have no idea if this is the same as the checkpoint at Ban Had Lek mentioned in article (id imagine so with the similarity in name) I'd be grateful if some kind soul could please confirm absoultely that i should have no difficulty crossing the border at this location and do not need to change my plans.

[Oberkommando]

Perhaps the news that their has been a change in government hasn't reached the border yet, and the Cambodians are still kicking off destabilizing border incidents as a favour to their little friend.

Nice of Surapong to take time off from brown-nosing Thaksin to give the trigger happy Cambodians a big "Mai pen rai!"

The Thai military could be accused of being trigger happy also with all their killings of Cambodian loggers of late.

Most of the former Khmer Rouge cadres that make up the Cambodian forces in that area will have spent time in Thailand and be quite sympathetic to the Thai military, having been allies in the 80's when the Thais were protecting and providing safe haven for their leader Saloth Sar aka Brother Number One aka Pol Pot.

Probably just a drunken mistake, all told.

[Oberkommando]

Looking to travel from Bangkok to Sihanoukville tomorrow via the Hat Lek - Krong Koh Kong border crossing. As I have no idea if this is the same as the checkpoint at Ban Had Lek mentioned in article (id imagine so with the similarity in name) I'd be grateful if some kind soul could please confirm absoultely that i should have no difficulty crossing the border at this location and do not need to change my plans.

You'll have no problems whatsoever. Enjoy Sihanoukville. It's a fantastic place.

[Ricardo]

FM-Surapong cites "cordial relations" between Cambodia & Thailand, when they shoot down a Thai helicopter, but I doubt that the helicopter-crew thought of it as 'friendly-fire' ! Let's hope relations don't improve further, they might start shelling Thai villagers again, as a further 'gesture of goodwill' !

One wonders what it might take, to get the FM to take the side of his fellow Thais, against Hun Sen's armed-forces ?

[Oberkommando]

Let's hope relations don't improve further, they might start shelling Thai villagers again, as a further 'gesture of goodwill' !

Let's hope the Thais don't start using banned cluster munitions again.

You really can't trust anything the Thai military says with their record of lies over munitions procurements, the GT-200 bomb scanners and the deployment of cluster munitions in the recent border skirmishes with Cambodia.

They'll just have to be content with murdering Chinese sailors on the Mekong or killing Cambodian loggers along the border, unless some more Rohignyas come along for them to torture.

[Buchholz]

FM-Surapong cites "cordial relations" between Cambodia & Thailand, when they shoot down a Thai helicopter, but I doubt that the helicopter-crew thought of it as 'friendly-fire' ! Let's hope relations don't improve further, they might start shelling Thai villagers again, as a further 'gesture of goodwill' !

One wonders what it might take, to get the FM to take the side of his fellow Thais, against Hun Sen's armed-forces ?

A higher percentage on the oil and gas revenues from a brokered deal.

[Buchholz]

Probably just a drunken mistake, all told.

Quite likely.

The standard in the Cambodian Army isn't the highest military, as exemplified by this indiscriminate machine gunner who fires without really looking at his target during an earlier skirmish.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Buchholz

[david555]

Looking to travel from Bangkok to Sihanoukville tomorrow via the Hat Lek - Krong Koh Kong border crossing. As I have no idea if this is the same as the checkpoint at Ban Had Lek mentioned in article (id imagine so with the similarity in name) I'd be grateful if some kind soul could please confirm absoultely that i should have no difficulty crossing the border at this location and do not need to change my plans.

i think it is safe ......unless you go by helicopter... :lol:

[MEL1]

"Surapong Plays Down Cambodian Attack On Chpper".

Surapong plays down everything. Simple as.

He plays down the ladder of his mouse-trap game daily, aged 4-10.

Soon enough he'll end up in his own cage, where he can't get out, and a big big rat will eat his head.

Mwahahaha.

-mel.