05.04.09 Thailand's PM Abhisit refers Thai-Cambodian dispute to ASEAN
Source: TNA
BANGKOK, April 5 (TNA) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday
that clashes between Thai and Cambodian military units along the two
countries disputed border last week will be raised at the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit with the regional
organisation’s six partner nations which opens Friday at Thailand’s
oceanside Pattaya resort southeast of Bangkok.
Speaking during
his weekly Sunday morning television address, Mr. Abhisit said tensions
at the disputed border had existed for some years, but had become more
worrisome since July last year following the granting of United Nations
(UNESCO) world heritage status to the ancient Preah Vihear temple which
straddles the border.
The International Court of Justice ruled
in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple – called Khao Prah Viharn by Thais --
belongs to Cambodia, but the most practical entrance is from a mountain
in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the same portions of
surrounding territory.
The latest incident broke out last
Friday when soldiers of the two countries clashed twice near the
ancient temple. Two Thai soldiers and two Cambodian soldiers died in
the fighting while nine Thai soldiers were wounded.
Expressing
his condolences to families of Thai soldiers who were killed and
wounded in the fighting, Mr. Abhisit said he had earlier discussed with
his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen that the border dispute should be
settled by the Thai-Cambodian joint border committee (JBC).
The
border committee will meet in Phnom Penh on Monday and Tuesday. The
meeting was planned before last week’s clashes took place.
The
prime minister said both Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and
Defence Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan have been in sustained contact
with the concerned Cambodian authorities to settle the
“misunderstanding” and he said he expects that the problem has now
eased.
Thailand’s Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Anupong
Paochinda said Saturday that the latest fighting between Thai and
Cambodian military personnel at the disputed border resulted from
‘misunderstanding’ on both sides.
Soldiers from each country
stationed along the disputed border area believed that the other side
intruded into their country’s territory, according Gen. Anupong, adding
that Thailand would not use force to resolve the problem. (TNA)
