Protesters block Veera from casino site while Prawit dismisses concerns

[webfact]

Protesters block Veera from casino site while Prawit dismisses concerns
By The Nation

 

 

BURI RAM: -- ACTIVIST Veera Somkwamkid was forced yesterday to halt plans to inspect a casino, which he has said was built on a boundary area overlapping Thailand, as local residents protested against his visit, while Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan refused to take his concerns seriously.

 

More than 100 local traders and villagers gathered near the border checkpoint at Chong Sai Taku in Buri Ram’s Ban Kruat district after they learned that Veera planned to visit the casino.

 

Meanwhile, Prawit, who is also defence minister, led a delegation of security officials to a General Border Committee meeting in Siem Reap to discuss a wide range of issues on border security, but the controversial issue about the casino in the Buri Ram area was not included on the agenda.

 

The two-day meeting beginning yesterday is a routine gathering between security officials co-chaired by defence ministers Prawit for Thailand and General Tea Banh for Cambodia. The event marks the 12th annual meeting.

 

The talks were meant to focus on strengthening cooperation between the two countries’ militaries, particularly in maintaining peace, stability, security and development along the border, and notably on the prevention of transborder crimes, an official said.

 

Prawit said there would not be a specific focus on issues such as the Preah Vihear Temple or the casino on the agenda and he had no intention of informal discussions.

 

“Our relations are going well now and we can talk about all relevant issues but we don’t need to talk [about the issues] now,” he told reporters as he left for Siem Reap.

 

While Veera has accused the military of allowing the casino to be built on the border overlapping Buri Ram’s Ban Kruad district, Prawit said the accusation was not an issue for the two countries.

 

“It’s nothing, and people in the area know the reality,” he said, adding that local people did not want Veera to disturb their lives.

 

Local residents said they did not want Veera to cause trouble for them, adding the casino generated tourism and income.

 

The casino, under the brand of the Sai Taku resort, was apparently built close to a border gate on the Cambodian side.

 

The land boundary between Thailand and Cambodia was delimited when Cambodia was a French colony in the early 20th century. Boundary pillars in the area were damaged, removed or simply disappeared for many reasons including accidents and conflicts over the years.

 

In modern times, the two countries have not demarcated the boundary line clearly.

 

The military and relevant agencies have insisted that they had checked with their Cambodian counterparts and found the casino was not on overlapping area.

 

Veera wrote on Facebook that the confrontation with local people occurred just as Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart had warned him it would on Tuesday.

 

Veera questioned whether the group of local people had been organised with the specific aim of obstructing him from meeting the media and investigating the casino.

 

A noted nationalist, Veera was released from Cambodian prison in July 2014 after facing charges of espionage and |trespassing on Cambodian |territory in December 2010 as |he tried to enter the country to prove Thai sovereignty at a |border area near Sa Kaew province.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30310708

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-30

[khwaibah]

Bangkok Post front page reports it was not  at the crossing but at a resort that Veera Somkwamkid was at that he was blocked (photos) and the casino is still under construction and scheduled to open April 7.

Edited March 30, 2017 by khwaibah

[Eric Loh]

Something about Buriram , Bhumjaithai Party and Newin family and lots of government pouring lots of money into the province that seem to conjure up a collusion and allegiance payoff. I hope Veera will not be intimidated and go all out to investigate the alleged corruption. 

[Dumbastheycome]

I have visited this place  on many  occasion. That the  Thai/ Cambodian  authorities  have  never  had a  cause to dispute what is currently  deemed to be a  demarcation  line seems apparent.

It is  based at the geological crest of  each  side. Not unsimilar to  the   border point  further  north. 

And to me that  makes   the  disputes over  other places  on the same  boundary quite  ridiculous. A obvious  example is  the  famous  Tempe  dispute which  has  more than once  led to  military  action. That the  World  Court  could find  reason to   award  Cambodia  with  a  piece of territory at the  top  of  a cliff  in specifically defiance  of  the  geological line of  demarcation that most  of the  accepted   border follows is somehow  suspect. Similarly to   near area of  dispute  which again logically  follows  the  terrain being  at the base of a small ravine. The  object  of  dispute is  again an ancient  derelict   temple  site which is approximately   75  metres  above  the  current   demarcation  line.

Often  rivers such as the  Mekong  are used  as the  natural  line  of  demarcation  and I have  never  heard  of  any dispute involving  a  small  claim  to  an area on the  neighbouring   bank that  has   come  to  any attention. That  is  not in denial of  the possibility  of the  case  where the  river  dramatically was  to  change  course to a significant degree.

It is  no  surprise  to me  that  a  political  dinosaur wishes  to   raise  his  profile at  the disadvantage of  locals  who recognize  the  very  clear  demarcation  line  that  has  quite  sensibly  been well established at Chong Sai  Taku.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Is the ultimate toadie. If there was a supremo dufus in the the government it would have to be him.

He has no class and has arrogance written all over him and is probably the greatest handicap to reconciliation. If ever there is to be such a thing which is most unlikely.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Foghorn Leghorn

[Miaow]

Veera, my sceptic field is clugged. Drop by anytime...