Critics urge Thai govt to concede defeat on border dispute

[webfact]

Critics urge govt to concede defeat on border dispute
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As a working group strives to find a way to deal with the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) definition of the promontory housing Preah Vihear Temple as Cambodian territory, opposition and conservative figures are pushing the government to confess that Thailand has lost out to its neighbour in the ruling.

The working group comprises officials from agencies including the Thai military and the Royal Thai Survey Department, which oversees maps and discusses boundary definition with neighbouring countries. They will study the situation and offer options to the government as it decides how to handle the court judgement and negotiations with Cambodia.

Critics of the ruling say, however, that the Thai public should not be hoodwinked by the deployment of the working group. They assert that graphics prove that the court judgement has resulted in the loss of Thai territory.

The definition of the promontory was the topic of debate between Ambassador to the Hague Virachai Plasai and opposition MP Sirichok Sopha in Parliament on Wednesday night.

By Sirichok's estimation, Thailand could lose anything from 0.3 to 2 square kilometres of area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple.

The ICJ ruled on Monday that Cambodia had sovereignty over the promontory of Preah Vihear. The court offered a definition of the promontory in its judgement but did not display any map or graphic as illustration.

To Virachai's chagrin, Sirichok used the lines in a 1:200,000-scale map to define the promontory. The lines in this kind of map, according to the court, are difficult, if not impossible, to translate into real geographic terms. "We spent years proving the illegitimacy of the lines in a 1:200,000 map in court, but Khun Sirichok suddenly believes he has re-established it," Virachai said in Parliament.

"World-leading experts we are consulting with have not yet defined the promontory in accordance with the court judgement, but Khun Sirichok has managed to do so in only 48 hours, and bring his findings into Parliament.

"Let the Parliament record that this redefinition is the personal opinion of a Thai MP and has no binding on the Thai government or Thailand as a country," he said.

In another development, the Phra Viharn National Park in Si Sa Ket, next to the Preah Vihear temple, will reopen to the public tomorrow after being closed since November 4 for safety reasons.


-- The Nation 2013-11-15

[Thai at Heart]

Did I basically read that virichai thinks that sirichok is a p***k?

We've been at this for years and you can't even use the right map?

[Katipo]

I actually agree with the government on this one. No good can come from stirring up conflict.

[phuketrichard]

its all about Face not land

[casindonet]

IMO, I think it's almost time for YS to join his bro in Dubai. Checkmate if it's a chess game.....she's finish no matter which direction she choose.

[johnlandy]

its all about Face not land

And as everyone knows 'face' is what they cannot be seen to lose

[BudRight]

It takes an adult to admit when they are wrong.

[noitom]

It takes an adult to admit when they are wrong.

There is no adult supervision in Thailand.

[Jim walker]

They won’t lose anything if it wasn’t theirs in the first place to lose, I think most intelligent Thais accept they were second in this verdict and can now move on with their lives.

[bunuel]

Rule of Law applies to everyone - including Thailand. Given the history of this conflict, this always felt like a distraction created by the Yellow Shirts to whip uo nationalist feelings - like that rock the Jspanese and Koreans ate bickering about. Borders are always difficult - but the ruling has been made. Tiime to move on!)