Border town residents 'ready to flee'
Kawintra Jaisue,
Pongpat Traipipat
The Nation


An evacuation drill takes place yesterday at a shelter in Si Sa Ket province in preparation for the International Court of Justice ruling on the Preah Vihear temple, to be announced on Monday.

BANGKOK: -- After losing her home a couple of years ago to artillery shelling from Cambodian troops in a border clash over Preah Vihear, Si Sa Ket resident Samrit Saenpradab says she is ready for any fallout from the International Court of Justice verdict on Monday.

Worried but determined, Samrit says she has packed up, with money, key documents and bank accounts stuffed in a bag, and is ready to flee at any time of the day or night.

"Everything I need is right here by my side, ready to pick up when I need to run. I can get clothes and other necessities when I'm safe," she explains.

The much-awaited ICJ ruling on the temple will be aired live on Monday from 4pm, with Thai-language translation on FM88, 92.5, 100.5MHz and AM 891KHz, and also be televised in a bilingual broadcast on Channels 9 and 11.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to deliver a speech on the ruling at 10pm, followed by a concluding statement from the Foreign Ministry.

In Yingluck's weekly television address this morning, references will be made to reports on the Preah Vihear Temple, and documents or actions taken by previous governments on the issues will be revealed to the public for the first time, government spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Samrit said she supported the campaigns organised by nationalist groups against any ICJ ruling that might put Thailand at a disadvantage.

She said confrontations between both sides would not go away if the ruling were neutral as the dispute has persisted for long enough.

"If the ruling is in favour of Cambodia, Thailand may risk losing its territory and sovereignty, which is unacceptable," she added.

Samrit's home in Phumi Srol Hill in Kantharalak district is in the direct line of fire. After it was damaged two years ago, it was rebuilt with government funding and assistance from vocational students.

She is still paying for the electrical appliances and furniture she bought on instalment, including a sewing machine that she has been using to make a living.

"My daughter has been asking me to go stay with her in Bangkok, but there is enough turmoil going on there as well. Maybe I should stay at home and avoid the conflicts here," she said.

Sodsri Phahom, who lost her husband in the 2010 border clashes, said she and some of her neighbours had made the inspection of bomb shelters a part of their daily routine, which includes taking care of her family's rice fields and rubber and palm plantations.

She said she had been keeping up with all news and development related to Preah Vihear so she can get people to move to the shelters on time.

However, she said she hoped nothing major would come of it and there would be long lasting peace between the two countries.


-- The Nation 2013-11-09

Kap Choeng High School next door to Kap Choeng Immigration. This shelter was last used April 2011 and yes I saw the fire works.

She said confrontations between both sides would not go away if the ruling were neutral as the dispute has persisted for long enough.

"If the ruling is in favour of Cambodia, Thailand may risk losing its territory and sovereignty, which is unacceptable," she added.

So, Thailand will not accept the ruling of the International Court of Justice unless it is in its favour?

Whatever the outcome is......there will be a problem I guess.

Duck, weave, roll!

Here we go again!

I'm not sure the Thai government has understood the concept and intention of a court ruling. But that's the same style it works by for rich people in Thailand, so no surprise I guess

I suppose one solution would be to scrap the UN heritage site stuff and go back to how things were before there was political and financial capital to made from the place and when the locals all got along just fine.

Just blow the dam thing up, already!

Money, money, money is what it is really all about and they think that the world hasn't worked it out yet.

Very sorry for the civilians on both sides who are having to suffer for the greed of those who are probably already rich but want to get richer.

One thing is for sure, whatever the ruling, the local people , whether Thai or Cambodian won't see many of the tourist dollars

Thailand has been ceding its territory for generations (though not taught of course). Why is this 4.5 sq. km. So important if not for political games?

Makes me sick!

Just blow the dam thing up, already!

Exactly. Screw it. It's so crazy that people living around the area are scared and don't know their future. If they can't share the old rock pile then get rid of it.

She said confrontations between both sides would not go away if the ruling were neutral as the dispute has persisted for long enough.

"If the ruling is in favour of Cambodia, Thailand may risk losing its territory and sovereignty, which is unacceptable," she added.

So, Thailand will not accept the ruling of the International Court of Justice unless it is in its favour?

You beat me to it. Does she honestly think that if it is in favor of Thailand that Cambodia will just say oh so sorry we were wrong.

The lady is a complete buffoon. Here is a case where the two countries could have worked the differences out together in a joint occupancy and become more civilized.

All though to be fair it was the Yellow shirts last ditch effort to retain some form of power that caused this whole thing to get out of hand.

When you come down to it the yellow shirts are no better than the red shirts. They cause trouble in a different way but it still leads to a widening of diffferences in Thailand. They made such a big deal out of this that Yingluck must take a stand on it and they refused to vote where there vote would definatly make for a different government. In all likely hood the PTP would still be in the PM office but not with the power they now enjoy.

Money, money, money is what it is really all about and they think that the world hasn't worked it out yet.

Very sorry for the civilians on both sides who are having to suffer for the greed of those who are probably already rich but want to get richer.

One thing is for sure, whatever the ruling, the local people , whether Thai or Cambodian won't see many of the tourist dollars

agreed

To be honest I don't think it makes a damn bit of difference to the people living in the area on both sides of the border. It is just a game of power at the National level on both sides.

That shelter shown in the opening post would be about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. No blast walls or protection from shrapnel from anything landing nearby. Those children would be slaughtered if an artillery or mortar round landed within 50 metres. It doesn't matter how well starched the new combat kit of those posing around it is!

For Gods, Budhas and everyones sake, if you are determined to go to war over a heap of old stones in the jungle (and no it will never be worth it), at least make an effort to protect the civilian population.

In fact, don't go to war. Apart from anything else, the Khmers will almost certainly give you a good kicking.

She said confrontations between both sides would not go away if the ruling were neutral as the dispute has persisted for long enough.

"If the ruling is in favour of Cambodia, Thailand may risk losing its territory and sovereignty, which is unacceptable," she added.

So, Thailand will not accept the ruling of the International Court of Justice unless it is in its favour?

No surprise there!

That shelter shown in the opening post would be about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. No blast walls or protection from shrapnel from anything landing nearby. Those children would be slaughtered if an artillery or mortar round landed within 50 metres. It doesn't matter how well starched the new combat kit of those posing around it is!

For Gods, Budhas and everyones sake, if you are determined to go to war over a heap of old stones in the jungle (and no it will never be worth it), at least make an effort to protect the civilian population.

In fact, don't go to war. Apart from anything else, the Khmers will almost certainly give you a good kicking.

Blast walls +1.

You can see what is coming here can't you! They are going to make up a huge stink when the ruling goes against them, along with the Amnesty Bill.....then give it a week before the tanks start rolling down Sukhumvit for about the 19th time since 1932! Goodbye and adieu Yingluk!

Not an easy problem to solve