Thai-Cambodian ties 'warming'
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prayut govt keen to do a deal on oil-rich disputed zone in the gulf, source says

Thailand and Cambodia look set to take a more compromising stance over their dispute on "overlapping" maritime areas, according to a security source.

"They have adopted such a stance because they have already reckoned that unsuccessful negotiations mean both sides will lose benefits. If they can't reach a deal, it will be impossible to use the maritime resources from the overlapping areas," the source said.

Spanning thousands of square kilometres, the "overlapping" areas in the Gulf of Thailand are believed to hold a massive amount of natural gas and oil.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a security official revealed that Thailand and Cambodia had already held informal discussions on the issue.

Since General Prayut Chan-o-cha came to power this year, ties between Thailand and Cambodia have turned remarkably smooth, observers say. The release of Thai activist Veera Somkwamkid from a Cambodian jail was seen as solid proof that under Prayut's leadership, Thailand had managed to tighten its ties with Cambodia.

There have been exchanges of visits by top-level delegations between the two countries in recent months.

For example, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan last week led chiefs of the armed forces to Cambodia for official meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Deputy PM and Defence Minister Tea Banh. He also attended meetings on the Cambodian-Thai General Border Committee.

Accompanying Prawit were Deputy Defence Minister and Royal Thai Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr, permanent secretary for Defence Sirichai Distakul, Royal Thai Navy chief Admiral Kraisorn Chansuvanich, Royal Thai Air Force chief ACM Tritos Sonjaeng, and National Police Commissioner General Somyot Poompanmoung.

After returning from Cambodia, Prawit said the two countries had discussed various issues including the maritime resources.

At a recent meeting on the National Maritime Security Plan 2015 - 2021, Prawit emphasised the need to take care of the country's maritime resources for the benefit of posterity.

According to the plan, Thailand's maritime interests are estimated at no less than Bt17.9 trillion a year and they look set to grow over the next 10 years.

A minor row last week over the building of a road in a disputed border area east of Preah Vihear appears not to have affected the warmer ties and push for deals to be done on these key issues.

Cambodian strategists, meanwhile, have addressed the need to manage maritime disputes with neighbouring countries.

The same security source disclosed that the two countries had discussed the possibility of establishing a joint committee to delimit their borderline and negotiate on overlapping areas.

Thailand's Foreign Affairs Ministry was in the process of arranging a high-level meeting between Thailand and Cambodia.

"The meeting will take place in mid-January," the source said

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/index.php

-- The Nation 2015-01-04

I thought there was another article about a military standoff at the checkpoint in Ubon's Nam Yeun province.

You can't have it both ways.

Warming in Thailand's dreams!!

Warming in Thailand's dreams!!

as in wet..

Can't put rigs in the water there - may be a hazard for Thailand's yellow submarine

A Thai security source revealing secretly how much progress Thailand is making with Cambodia negotiations about offshore oil and gas reserves. Who would buy in to such comments?

I was under the impression they were "warming up" for another fight, over the border business.

Can any cunning linguist help me explain to the Thai g/f that 'heating up' and 'warming' mean movement in different directions, and 'cooling' can mean both?

Can any cunning linguist help me explain to the Thai g/f that 'heating up' and 'warming' mean movement in different directions, and 'cooling' can mean both?

Nope, you are on your own. Nobody was there to help when I tried to explain the story of Christmas to my wife.

Can't put rigs in the water there - may be a hazard for Thailand's yellow submarine

God one...ha ha ha

It has to be seen to be believed. Cambodians were building roads near the Thai boarder just last week when the Thais complained that it was an infringment of Thai soverignty.

Thai-Cambodian ties are warming but no lit cigars as yet.

'Thai-Cambodian ties 'warming'': like in: 'happiness is a warm gun' (The Beatles)?

Thai-Cambodian ties are warming but no lit cigars as yet.

Terribly sorry and all that, but doctor's orders.

Can any cunning linguist help me explain to the Thai g/f that 'heating up' and 'warming' mean movement in different directions, and 'cooling' can mean both?

Easy: with your Thai g/f, you, feeling deprived, want some 'warming up' in the relationship, but you are not happy getting no positive response, and she's not because you dare asking for anything, then the situation is 'heating up', and when, lucky you, she doesn't have a sharp knive close to her, and that you accept to leave her doing just what she wants in the end, the relationship will be 'cooling' back (down) to the unsatisfactory level it was at before for you, but ensuring her of the material security which is the only reason why she got together with you in the first place...

A Thai security source revealing secretly how much progress Thailand is making with Cambodia negotiations about offshore oil and gas reserves. Who would buy in to such comments?

For sure the Sen's and the Shinawatra's won't care, they have cut the biggest shares of that cake among themselves long time ago...

(I'm wondering why dictators' families have such a 'love story' with everything 'off-shore'...)

You know, I am starting to get really fed up with 'News' in general. One minute it is this, the next, that, keeping everyone on edge all the time.

Do any of you agree that something is starting to stink, regardless of one's nationality or politics?

Cambodian-Thai ties 'warming'

That's better!

Thai-Cambodian ties are warming but no lit cigars as yet.

....more like long burning fuses!