Thailand afraid of international pressure over Preah Vihear issue
Negotiation between Cambodia and Thailand on 21st July 2008 to find solutions over the Preah Vihear border issue failed and in the mean time, Cambodia is seeking international involvement, while bilateral talks with Thailand may not get fruitful results. Thailand again and again wishes not to have international involvement, though at ASEAN level. Thailand may realize that it can not win Cambodia through multi party talk and international law enforcement. But, Cambodia knows that it is right and can get win against Thailand if the solutions can be found through international diplomacy and laws.
Coming to this point, Thailand is afraid of international pressure over the Preah Vihear border issue. Cambodia has requested the ASEAN chairman to form a group to help solve this, informed the UN, asked the UNNESCO and called for a meeting of UN Security Council to talk about the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute. The last measure of Cambodia is to file complaint to the International Court of Justice.
Thailand failed already over this border issue, while Cambodia shows its strong intention to solve this issue peacefully and through diplomacy and laws. It would be grateful if ASEAN country members denied to let Thailand being Chairman of this association in the upcoming month. Thailand should not be the chairman of the group, and the ASEAN members should hold a meeting to discuss whether to let Thailand be the Chairman.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:36
I often think that when one side knows that itself is in the wrong, the first thing it tends to do is limit the amount of international community involvement. Thailand is a case in point. I agree with you, Sokthy, that if Thailand and Cambodia were to resolve this issue multilaterally, Thailand would be at a disadvantage. Cambodia has the ICJ verdict, as well as maps drawn by the French during its Siam-Franco treaty, to back Cambodia’s case. If Thailand should want to disput the accuracy of the map, they should have done so long before, and not wait until now. When France demanded that Thailand return Khmer provinces that were then under its (Thai) control, Cambodia only received back Battambang, Siem Riep etc., and not the remaing provinces, of which Si Sa Ket and Surin are among them. Please give Cambodia a break. They should not press us to a breakage point, as that would not be a gain for them.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:36
Good Vesna, you know well about history. We must say Thailand is afraid of international involvement over the Preah Vihear case. I think now Cambodia shall raise this case to solve all border dispute with Thailand based on ICJ 1962 verdict and treaty in 1900s.
August 10th, 2008 at 11:36
hi, andar here, i just read your post. i like very much. agree to you, sir.