Heroes' Welcome For Thai Legal Team Returning From Hague Trial

[webfact]

WORLD COURT
Heroes' welcome for legal team returning from Hague trial
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Thai legal team heading up last week's legal argument before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over the disputed land along the Thai-Cambodian border was given a warm welcome as it arrived home at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday.

Virachai Plasai, Thai Ambassador to The Hague and lead lawyer for the Thai legal team, was given a hero's greeting by well-wishers and said he was ready to provide further evidence relevant to the court case to the ICJ. Deputy premier and Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul also thanked all Thais who showed their support for the Thai team.

Surapong told the media the task for the government now was to explain the various possible rulings by ICJ later this year. Virachai will lead the Thai legal team, which includes three foreign nationals, to brief Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today. He thanked all Thai citizens who gave him and the team their moral support in order for them to perform to the best of their ability.

Asked if he was 100-per-cent certain Thailand would win the case, Virachai said he couldn't answer that question.

The team will hold a strategic meeting with state agencies later this week and provide further map-related evidence to the ICJ on Friday.

Some of those at the airport to welcome the team held up placards praising the team, particularly Virachai and Alina Miron, the French-Romanian lawyer hired by the Thai government.

"Alina Miron: You are Our Hero. We Love you" one placard read. The Thai-hired foreign legal team members, who have become popular on social media, were to arrive in Bangkok on a later flight.

In a related development, Noppadon Pattama, legal adviser to ousted and fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, said he was fed up with accusations by the opposition Democrat Party's spokesperson Chavanond Intarakomalyasut that the government was selling out to Cambodia. He urged Chavanond to study the laws more deeply.

"If you have no knowledge, then ask Ambassador Virachai," said Noppadon.

Democrat party-list MP Ong-art Klampaiboon praised the efforts made by the Thai legal team but cautioned the public not to expect a positive outcome. Ong-art said other related officials from the Foreign Ministry also deserved due credit as they had committed themselves to defending the country's interests.

Ong-art urged the Foreign Ministry to provide as much information to the public as possible - but urged politicians to refrain from doing do. This, he said, was due to the fact that there are people who do not trust the government.

Democrat spokesperson Chavanond meanwhile urged the Yingluck administration to fully commit to defending Thailand's territorial integrity.

Chavanond said it was Noppadon, when he was foreign minister, who removed Virachai from the post of director-general of the Department of Foreign Treaties and International Law.


-- The Nation 2013-04-22

[soi41]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

[NongKhaiKid]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

At least if the judgement goes to Cambodia they will be able to claim Thailand's " watertight case " was badly presented and without having to explain why no all Thai legal team was allowed to do the presentation

[fakename]

So does this mean that Thailand won, and gets to keep all of Cambodia? I guess no one here has heard the saying, "Dont count your chickens till they hatch"!

[keemapoot]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

[Thai at Heart]

Did they win already?

[DGS1244]

Having spent a lot of time listening to both sides I have a feeling that Cambodia put a better case forward and Thailand will loose the argument.

[animatic]

As if this actually matters. Heros. Ha!

The court will find on the evidence, regardless of how well it is presented and argued.

Nothing Stated so far is demonstrably newer/better evidence than all that has passed before,

and they have uniformly lost on all of it.

Yes, they can blame the farang lawyers for not understanding Thailands way of doing things.

[Moruya]

I would imagine that David Bowie was at full volume.

Am I wrong in recalling that Noppadon was the man who was removed from his position around 5/6 years ago for practically signing away the PV rights to the Cambodians?

[rubl]

"The team will hold a strategic meeting with state agencies later this week and provide further map-related evidence to the ICJ on Friday."

Cut and paste map-related evidence? Like they accused the Cambodians of?

[ZhouZhou]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

[keemapoot]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

It was a joke dimwit.

[ZhouZhou]

I would imagine that David Bowie was at full volume.

Am I wrong in recalling that Noppadon was the man who was removed from his position around 5/6 years ago for practically signing away the PV rights to the Cambodians?

yes, you got that wrong.

Noppadorn signed a bilateral agreement to support the UNSECO heritage bid by Cambodia.

Abhisit whit his weird goals and his ultra nationalist friends from the PAD used that to create stink.

[ZhouZhou]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

It was a joke dimwit.

A joke without any quality. Puts you not in the position to call others dimwit.

[DocN]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

They are happy, as long as they haven't lost.

[EyesWideOpen]

Did they win already?

My first thought. Guess this is the legal team equivalent of counting your chickens before they hatch. Thailand has lost every other court case regarding this matter, not really sure why they think they are going to win now..

[Moruya]

I would imagine that David Bowie was at full volume.

Am I wrong in recalling that Noppadon was the man who was removed from his position around 5/6 years ago for practically signing away the PV rights to the Cambodians?

yes, you got that wrong.

Noppadorn signed a bilateral agreement to support the UNSECO heritage bid by Cambodia.

Abhisit whit his weird goals and his ultra nationalist friends from the PAD used that to create stink.

Foreign minister and legal advisor broke the law.......

Methinks that's where the stink came from

[smutcakes]

To be fair, other than the Nation's reporting it as a hero's welcome in the headline, and then a warm reception in the next sentence no one from the Thai team seems to be counting any chickens. They even say they are not sure they would win.

Just worthless hyperbole from the Nation.

[Arkady]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

Yes, but no chance of winning, if they used Thai lawyers and government officials only.

[Artisi]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

Wait and see a complete turn-around if the decision goes against Thailand.

[ZhouZhou]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

They are happy, as long as they haven't lost.

they already know their chances.

[ZhouZhou]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

Wait and see a complete turn-around if the decision goes against Thailand.

that is just in your head.

the ultra nationalist will be unhappy with the court decision. they are already unhappy.

but those who writing here the feel good articles and praise the foreign lawyer who help Thailand will not blame them afterwards.

[ZhouZhou]

To be fair, other than the Nation's reporting it as a hero's welcome in the headline, and then a warm reception in the next sentence no one from the Thai team seems to be counting any chickens. They even say they are not sure they would win.

Just worthless hyperbole from the Nation.

They even say they are not sure they would win.

Of course they know that and do not really expect to win.

Does that spoil the positive spirit? No.

[Locationthailand]

Ridiculously premature. They haven't won it yet. Hold the celebrations before you light the candles.

[oldsailor35]

"Are you 100% certain that you will win the case"...........Only a Thai journalist would ask such a stupid question !

[oldsailor35]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

At least if the judgement goes to Cambodia they will be able to claim Thailand's " watertight case " was badly presented and without having to explain why no all Thai legal team was allowed to do the presentation

Anyhow lets have the celebrations first and find out the result later !

[oldsailor35]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

So that if they don't win, they can blaim the Farang Lawyers.

[oldsailor35]

Did they win already?

You are joking ,are'nt you !

[oldsailor35]

Nationalism is showing its ugly head !

How come that the Thais (best at everything), had to hire foreign lawyers??

Because if the court decision goes wrong, they can blame the foreign lawyer.

That is nonsense. read the other article, they are quiet happy with quality of the work by the foreigner.

Yes , but wait till they find that Thailand has lost, then it will be a different tale !

[bigbamboo]

I hope they're not going to put up another 'victory monument' to the returning heroes in Bangkok.