UN calls for 'permanent ceasefire' between Thailand and Cambodia

Thai FM Kasit Piromya (left) and Cambodian FM Hor Namhong in New York

The UN Security Council (UNSC) has called for a 'permanent ceasefire' between Thailand and Cambodia after a border dispute erupted into deadly clashes last week around a disputed Hindu temple.

 

The council insisted it would not intervene in the border dispute, and encouraged mediation efforts by Indonesia, the current president of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Clashes broke out on 4th February around the base of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, and lasted for 3 days. The temple and the area around it has been the cause of great tension between the two neighbours. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that it lay in Cambodian territory, but it did not rule on the 4.6sq km at the base of the temple, where the main access lies, which has been in dispute ever since.

Cambodia sought – and was awarded – world heritage status for the temple in 2008, despite the wishes of Thailand which wanted the temple to have joint Cambodian-Thai status. Border clashes broke out soon after, and tension in the border region has been present since.

Displaced people leave the border region

The most recent spate of violence was, however, the most extreme. At least 10 people died and some 30,000 people were displaced from villages in the border region. Additionally, the temple itself was damaged in one of the Thai artillery offensives. Both sides claimed the other side started attacking first.

Cambodia last week submitted petitions to the UNSC calling for international intervention in handling the issue. Thai, Cambodia and Indonesian representatives met with the UNSC in New York on Monday 14th February.

Council president Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil made the call for a ceasefire after a closed door session with foreign ministers of Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia.

"Members of the Security Council urge the parties to establish a permanent ceasefire and to implement it fully," she said.

Ms Viotti said council members expressed "great concern" over the clashes and "called on the two sides to display maximum restraint and avoid any action that may aggravate the situation."

Cambodia has been trying to raise the border fighting issue to the UN platform since 2008, but without success. Thailand has rejected third party intervention and mediation, and despite the current violence, it appears the position has not changed.

Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya, speaking early on 16th February to the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) said Thailand supports a 'permanent ceasefire' agreement and that the country could implement it soon after defense ministers of both countries hold talks.

"Thailand has proposed to hold Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on Feb 27 and Cambodia should express her sincerity to solve border issue by joining the talks," Thai FM said. At the UNSC meeting, he insisted the two countries could resolve the dispute themselves.

He also said that Cambodia's development plans for the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple should be halted until negotiations on border demarcation could reach agreement.

"The listing of Preah Vihear temple was seen as the source of fresh tension and had frequently led to cross-border clashes," Kasit said.

On Sunday 13th February, Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva laid the blame for the crisis on UNESCO's decision to declare the temple ruins a world heritage site even though the land around it is disputed.

Cambodia has taken a tougher line, with foreign ministry spokeman Koy Kuong saying UNESCO was not to blame.

"The war was not caused by the listing of the temple, but by Thailand's invasion of Cambodian territory," said the Cambodian spokesman.

"They want not only the territory, but also the temple."

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen even went as far as calling the clashes a 'real war', the first time the term has been used to refer to clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.

ASEAN president and Indonesia foreign minister Marty Natalegawa is using the issue to try to raise the standing of ASEAN. His call for a "brief, urgent and informal" meeting with his ASEAN counterparts on 22nd February in Jakarta is an anticipation of a mandate from the Security Council for ASEAN, under his leadership, to take up "regional" responsibility.

A more systematic approach to conflict resolution and dispute settlements as outlined in the ASEAN Charter as well as those contained in the ASEAN Political and Security Community blueprint are likely to be discussed and put into practice.

In recent international security issues, the UNSC has often made use of Article 52 of the UN Charter to share burden and delegate responsibility to existing regional arrangements. ASEAN members have traditionally avoided taking collective responsibility, but it appears that is now changing.

Sources: Bangkok Post, Xinhua, China Post, BBC News

For more information on this dispute, see the Menas Borders website, here.

Soldiers exchange fire along Thai-Cambodian border

Cambodian soldiers at the Preah Vihear temple

Gunfire has been exchanged by Cambodian and Thai soldiers on the afternoon of Friday 4th February.

The clash started just after 1500 local time near the disputed 4.6 square km around the base of the Preah Vihear temple. At least two Thai soldiers have been wounded according to the Bangkok Post, and it is not clear if there were any injuries on the Cambodian side.

Unsurprisingly, both sides blame the other for starting the clash. Thai Lt-Gen Tawatchai Samutsakhon, the second Army commander, said it was Cambodian troops who started the shooting. A Cambodian government spokesman, however, told the BBC that Thai soldiers had encroached upon Cambodian territory, and said a similar incident had only been narrowly avoided the day before.

The BBC reported that witnesses in the area said that Thai troops had attacked a Cambodian Buddhist pagoda in the border area.

Artillery shells have landed in Huay Thip village, north of the Preah Vihear temple and about 1km from Phu Makhua mountain, which is part of the disputed area.

Thailand's TNN TV news channel carried a live report from a villager in the area, who said a 50 year old man had been killed and others hurt by artillery shells which landed in his village, which is well inside Thai territory.

Tension has been on the rise between Thailand and Cambodia in recent weeks after a group of 7 Thai citizens were arrested and charged with illegally entering Thai territory. Two of the arrested are nationalist activists, and they have been convicted of espionage.

Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya was in Cambodia on Friday holding talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong to try to defuse tensions. They agreed to work to calm tensions over a dispute over the use of national flags in the disputed border region near Preah Vihear temple. They also pledged their commitment to efforts to the demarcation negotiations taking place through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

Mr Kasit said he would visit Veera Somkwankid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, the two jailed activists to discuss what help could be provided by the government.

The 11th century Preah Vihear temple was awarded to Cambodia in a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling. The 4.6sq km area around the base of the temple was not, however, ruled on, and has remained in dispute since. The temple became a world heritage site in 2008 under sole Cambodian ownership, an event which immediately sparked border clashes. The border situation has remained tense between the two neighbours ever since.

Sources: BBC News, Bangkok Post

For more information on the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, see the Menas Associates website, here.

Cambodia finds two Thai nationalists guilty of espionage

Veera Somkwamkid

A Cambodian court has sentenced the remaining two of the group of seven Thai citizens who were arrested for illegally entering Cambodia on 29th December.

The other five, including Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth, were released ten days ago. They were convicted of illegally crossing the border, and were given eight months in prison. Their sentences were, however, suspended, and all five were immediately released.

The two others, Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, were remanded in custody facing additional espionage charges. They were convicted and sentenced by a Phnom Penh municipal court on Tuesday 1st February; Veera receiving eight years in prison and his assistant Ratree, six years. They have one month to appeal against their sentence.

The Bangkok Post reports that the two have planned to appeal, and will stand firm in their assertion that they had been abducted from Thai territory and that the Cambodian court did not have jurisdiction to rule on the case.

Veera is the leader of the Thailand Patriot Network (TPN), a splinter group of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), better known as the 'Yellow Shirts' movement. The PAD have called on the Thai government to take a tougher stance against Cambodia over the boder issue.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said on Wednesday 2nd February that the government must bring the two home within three days or face protest.

"If it fails to do so, PAD will call a mass street rally of yellow-shirts to pressure the government to take responsibility for such a failure,” the retired army general said.

He denied reports, however, that the yellow-shirts were planning to set fire to the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. He said that TPN protesters would instead march to the Foreign Ministry to demand the removal of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya for not working to secure the release of the two activities.

The Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva called on the PAD to suggest what he should do to help free the two Thais, rather than just make demands. He added that the foreign minister, Kasit, would fly to Phnom Penh on 3rd February to meet with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong.

Panich, a Bangkok MP, said he felt sorry for Veera and Ratree and that he thought the additional charge of espionage was unjustified because they had no intention to steal anything from Cambodia.

Sources: BBC News, Bangkok Post

For more information on the Thailand-Cambodia dispute, see the Menas Borders website, here.

Cambodian court hears Thai border crossing case

Panich Vikitsreth (2nd left) on his way to court

Seven Thai civilians arrested in late December for illegally entering Cambodian land have appeared in the Phnom Penh Municipal court on Thursday 6th January.

One of the arrested, ruling party MP Panich Vikitsreth told the court that he entered the disputed border area unintentionally. Most of the group were members of the 'Yellow Shirts', a nationalist group who advocates Thailand taking a tougher stand on border issues with Cambodia.

Each of the seven was questioned individually, with Yellow Shirt activist Veera Somkwankid the last to be examined.

Lawyers defending the Thais were waiting for details of charges levied against each of them, and said they could not file bail requests requests until the court delivered its verdict.

Because 7th January is a holiday in Cambodia, it is expected that the lawyers will file requests for the release on bail of the group on Monday.

Panich's lawyer Ros Aun said that Mr Panich told the court he had “crossed into Cambodian territory unintentionally.”

Speaking to AFP, Ros said, "He said he came [to the border area] because Thai people claim it is their land. He said he was walking without knowing that he was entering Cambodian territory and was captured by the authorities."

Relatives of the defendants, reporters and Thai embassy officials were not allowed inside the courtroom.

The seven were charged late last month with illegally crossing the border and entering a military area with ill will. The issue had threatened to derail improved relations between the south-east Asian neighbours, and Thai calls for the groups' immediate release have been ignored.

The issue has proved tricky for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is known to be close to his MP, and it has been suggested that it was he who told the group to travel to the border area.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Bangkok might seek a royal pardon for the seven if the court sentences them. They face a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail if convicted on both accounts.

No trial date has been set.

For more information, see the original menas borders blog on this issue, of the menas borders website for more on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

Yellow Shirts in border area causes Thai-Cambodian friction

Panich Vikitsreth with Cambodian police in Phnom Penh

Seven Thai citizens, including a Democrat Party MP remain in prison in Cambodia after being found in Cambodian territory.

MP Panich Vikitsreth was detained on Wednesday 29th December, along with a group of journalists and members of the 'Yellow Shirt' movement, a group which advocates a tough stance on border disputes with Cambodia.

Panich told reporters by telephone that the group was only inspecting the contested border region of Thailand's Sa Kaew province and Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province. Video footage released 4th January, however, shows Panich making a phone call to his secretary, asking that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva be informed, through his secretary Somkiat Krongwatanasuk, that the group was in Cambodia.

"Please tell Somkiat to inform the prime minister that we are already inside Cambodia. I planned to call the prime minister myself but it is okay now," Mr Panich says on the phone to his secretary.

"Call him [Somkiat] so in case there are problems, we can coordinate because we are already in a Cambodian area. And make sure that he does not tell anybody because only the prime minister must know this."

The video footage is seen as contradicting claims that Abhisit did not know about the trip, as well as claims that the group did not cross the border into Cambodia. Abhisit has admitted on 4th January that he sent Panich to the border region, but that he did not know exactly where the group would go.

The Thai foreign affairs ministry has said that the team was sent to investigate complaints from local residents that they could not make a living on the land, and that they sincerely believed they were on Thai soil, despite video evidence to the contrary.

Thailand sent its foreign minister, Kasit Piromya, to Phnom Penh to try to seek the release of the group. They have already appeared in a Phnom Penh court, on 30th December, charged with illegal entry and illegally entering a military base along the border. They could be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison.

Abhisit has called for their immediate release and said any cases concerning disputed border areas should be settled out of court. "If Cambodia wants to maintain good and smooth ties, we should stick to our commitment to talk and work together," he told reporters in Bangkok.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has hit back, however, saying, "They were measuring Thai territory inside Cambodian territory. So Cambodia has the right to arrest them,"

Hun said he hoped the incident would not affect relations between the neighbours.

"I hope Prime Minister Abhisit will understand the Cambodian judicial system," he said, adding that the arrests were "not revenge" against Thailand.

Most of the arrested men are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), better known as the 'Yellow Shirts'. In November, the Yellow Shirts held a rally outside the parliament in Bangkok, calling on the Thai government to take a tougher stance against Cambodia over the border issue.

This issue has received much attention in both Cambodia and Thailand, and on 1st January, representatives from the Thailand Patriot Network submitted a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, asking for justice, humanity and respect for the civil rights of the seven Thais. There are rumours that the Yellow Shirts are planning a rally on 4th January in the border region where the group was picked up.

It seems that neither side has increased border security in response to the situation.

Sources: Bangkok Post, AFP, World Bulletin

Cambodian PM says will open border with Thailand, as Thai army chief visits Phom Penh

Cambodia announced on Tuesday 21st December that it will open its side of the border near Preah Vihear temple after the New Year.

The announcement was part of a series of statements that accompanied the visit of Thailand's army chief to Cambodia. General Prayuth Chan Ochu made a two day visit to Phom Penh, and he promised on Monday 20th December that his government would not allow any group to use Thai territory to mistreat Cambodia.

The visit also saw the release of three Thai villagers that were imprisoned for spying after being caught on the wrong side of the border while hunting and foraging. They were freed on 21st December from a Siam Reap prison upon receiving a royal pardon from King Norodom Sihanouk to mark the 60th anniversary of the Thai-Cambodian diplomatic relations.

General Prayuth said in an interview on his return from Cambodia that the relations between the two countries had been strengthened by his visit. Tension between the neighbours reached a high in July 2010 over Cambodian plans for the Preah Vihear temple, which sits in the border region, but relations have improved since and the top leaders of both countries have met four times this autumn.

General Prayuth only took office in September, and he said the purpose of his visit was to introduce himself to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. He thanked Hun for his efforts during the last two months to ease the tension, and in response Hun said that Cambodia will insist upon peaceful negotiation with Thailand, and will avoid military confrontations.

As well as announcing that Cambodia will open its side of the border near Preah Vihear, Hun encouraged Thailand to reopen its side of the border. Hun also said that demarcation of the common border should be carried out as soon as possible. He said that he expected the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) to hold a meeting in the new year.

"Since we are neighbours and cannot move away from each other, we should cooperate and stay together in peace.”

"Thailand and Cambodia are like a tongue and teeth which must be in contact. It is not right that the teeth must be removed if the tongue is bitten," the Cambodian prime minister said to Gen Prayuth.

During the holiday period, both Thai and Cambodian military leaders are expected to visit their soldiers in the Preah Vihear area to show that their troops are still in the disputed area, but without confrontation. The meeting also resulted in an agreement that Cambodian troops will be sent to Thailand to study the Thai military.

Sources: Bangkok Post, People's Daily

For more information on Thailand and Cambodia's land and maritime border disputes, please see the Menas Borders website.