UN's top court to rule in Thai-Cambodia temple spat
by Jan HENNOP

THE HAGUE, November 9, 2013 (AFP) - The UN's top court will on Monday hand down its verdict in a dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over a flashpoint temple that threatens to reignite nationalist tensions.

The Hague-based International Court of Justice is to rule in the bitter border conflict between the two Asian neighbours, over which at least 28 people were killed in clashes in 2011.

Tens of thousands of people were displaced in the fighting over the patch of land around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, leading Cambodia to ask the ICJ for an interpretation of an original 1962 ruling.

Thailand does not dispute Cambodia's ownership of the temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, but both sides claim an adjacent 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) patch of land.

Leaders of the two countries have appealed for calm ahead of the ruling by 17 international judges but residents on the border have been building bunkers in anticipation of renewed violence.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday he had spoken with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra and the two agreed to accept the verdict and to maintain peace along the border.

"I would like to appeal to all armed forces who are fulfilling their duties protecting the border to remain calm, show restraint and to avoid any activities that could cause tension or clashes," he said on state television.
The verdict poses a particular challenge for the Thai government, which is already grappling with mass street demonstrations over a controversial political amnesty bill.

If the ICJ rules against Thailand, the country's opposition is likely to direct public anger towards the government.

The dispute has touched a raw nerve in Bangkok, with Thai censors briefly banning a documentary film on the issue, saying it could "cause disunity among Thais and jeopardise national security".

Monday's ruling will be broadcast live on Thai national television and Yingluck is scheduled to address the nation shortly afterwards, according to government spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi.

Tensions between the two nations have calmed since mid-2011 when Yingluck, the sister of exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, became Thai prime minister.

Thaksin and Cambodia's Hun Sen are close friends.

Last year, the ICJ ruled that both countries should withdraw forces around the ancient Khmer temple, which is perched on a clifftop in Cambodia but with access much easier from the Thai side.

Access from the Cambodian side was so difficult that in the 1970s it was the last place to fall to the Khmer Rouge regime, and also the communists' last holdout in the 1990s.

Cambodia and Thailand finally pulled hundreds of soldiers from the disputed area in July 2012, replacing them with police and security guards.

But Cambodia told the ICJ earlier this year that Thailand must withdraw its security personnel from the temple so as to respect the 1962 judgement.

Thailand in turn said Phnom Penh's request did not meet ICJ criteria and therefore should be declared inadmissable.

It also wants judges to rule that the 1962 decision did not determine "with binding force" where exactly the boundary between the two countries lay.

The roots of the dispute lie in maps drawn up in 1907 during French colonial disengagement.

Residents in the area said they were nervously preparing in case the ruling sparked renewed fighting.

Phumsarol Wittaya, deputy head of a school in the Thai border province of Si Sa Ket told AFP he and his students were clearing bunkers in front and behind the school in preparation.

On the Cambodian side, Pen Chheng, a soldier based a few kilometres from Preah Vihear, said the situation was normal but the army was on heightened alert.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-11-09

PM to address nation at 7.30 pm on Monday after ICJ verdict reading

BANGKOK, 9 November 2013 (NNT) – The government is prepared for the November 11 (Monday) International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict reading on the Phrear Vihear dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, announcing that the prime minister will address the nation about the verdict at 7.30 pm on Monday.

According to Thirat Rattanasewi, spokesperson to the Office of the Prime Minister, special television programs about the Phrear Vihear Temple dispute will be aired on NBT Channel and Modern Nine TV on Monday; beginning from 3 pm. The TV channels will start their live broadcast of the ICJ verdict reading at 4 pm. At 6.30 pm, the chief of the Thai legal team fighting the case at the ICJ will provide the Thai public with a summary of the verdict.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces will be monitoring the verdict reading at Government House, and the prime minister will address the nation about the verdict at 7.30 pm, through TV pool.

More details on the Phrear Vihear Temple case will be elaborated by the Thai foreign minister, in the 'Prime Minister Yingluck Meets the People' radio program today (November 9).


-- NNT 2013-11-09

The Thai government seems to be the most concerned about the forthcoming decision. We have been hearing about what ifs, and different plans for a decision that will be made public on Monday, for the last few weeks.

No sense making a mountin out of a mole hill, stirring the pot, etc unless there is a hope to distract from other devious plans.

I don't think Thais will be very pleased that Farangs are interfering in

in their land disputes ,If the ( ICJ ) rules in favour of Cambodia will

the Thai people accept the verdict,will the Government use it as a rallying

point and distract the public from the other mess they caused and have

just backed down from (for the moment).

regards Worgeordie

The Thai government seems to be the most concerned about the forthcoming decision. We have been hearing about what ifs, and different plans for a decision that will be made public on Monday, for the last few weeks.

No sense making a mountin out of a mole hill, stirring the pot, etc unless there is a hope to distract from other devious plans.

Argentina invalded the Falklands to divert the public from domestic issues by stirring nationalism.

With the last months Spain acted up over Gibraltar to take attention from their financial problems and mounting street protests but it backfired as it was mostly Spanish citizens who were inconvenienced.

I hope someone can put me right over the temple issue but from what I've heard if the verdict is for Cambodia and Thai nationalists hit the streets their anger will also be directed against the government.

It seems that once again the govt has mis-calculated and this could backfire on them too.

As the old saying goes " when you're up to your balls in alligators it's hard to remember the object of the exercise was to drain the swamp. "

Surapong: ICJ’s decision will not raise conflict between Thailand and Cambodia

BANGKOK, 9 November 2013 (NNT) – The Foreign Affairs Minister is confident that the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will not raise conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, while urging all sides not to link Phra Viharn case to politics.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul, during “PM Yingluck Meets the People” program on NBT, said by looking at the previous territorial dispute cases judged by the ICJ, the court is likely to be neutral on Phra Viharn case and weigh its decisions carefully in order for Thailand and Cambodia to reach a compromise.

He however affirmed that even if the verdict turned out to be negative, the government would make sure all activities along the Thai-Cambodian border are conducted in a peaceful manner.

Minister Surapong also urged all sides not to link politics with Phra Viharn case and be reasonable when it comes to the final verdict, while asserting that the government will not let its personal relationship with Cambodia put Thailand in a disadvantaged position.

The International Court of Justice will render its decision on Monday, November 11 during which Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be monitoring the reading at the Government House, and she will address the nation about the verdict at 7.30 pm on the same day.


-- NNT 2013-11-09

Have a feeling from all the rhetoric coming from the government,that it's gonna go Cambodia's way.More aggravation on the horizon?

Have a feeling from all the rhetoric coming from the government,that it's gonna go Cambodia's way.More aggravation on the horizon?

Suthep and the rest will have a field day.

Why did they schedule all the amnesty stuff to happen at exactly the same time as this?, are they gluttons for punishment.

Have a feeling from all the rhetoric coming from the government,that it's gonna go Cambodia's way.More aggravation on the horizon?

Suthep and the rest will have a field day.

Why did they schedule all the amnesty stuff to happen at exactly the same time as this?, are they gluttons for punishment.

Just gluttons, they wouldn't have even considered the border issue as there is no money to be made from it.

Edited November 9, 201312 yr by Artisi

I am not red shirt...

But stupid yellow shirt to make this case a national problem.

Monday, ICJ will give it back to Cambodia, and finally for Thailand it will be the lost of face of the century.

This case will fuel for decade hate against Cambodia and U.N. and bring more instability to Thailand and the region.

stupid yellow shirt...

A lot of fuss about a car park.

The Cambodians still resent the Thai annexation of Siem Reap and Battambang Provinces with the help of the Japanese during the Second World War. They couldn't wait for the French to return because they were regarded as better than being under the Siamese colonial yoke.

Have a feeling from all the rhetoric coming from the government,that it's gonna go Cambodia's way.More aggravation on the horizon?

As I understand it, the ruling is currently in Cambodia's favour, and Thailand is appealing to overturn that ruling, which I would have thought is extremely unlikely to happen.

So this really isn't the government's fault, but Abhisit and the Democrats, with their new No-More-Mister-Nice-Guy approach, are going to make maximum mileage out of it.

Ironic, that the biggest publicity slap that Puea Thai will have received over the past 2 years should come from the only thing that it genuinely hasn't botched.