On 27 April 2011, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, gave a press interview on the discussions between Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and diplomatic representatives from various countries regarding the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border.  During the day, the Foreign Minister met with the U.S. Ambassador at 10.00 hrs., the Indonesian Ambassador at 17.00 hrs., and the Australian Ambassador, New Zealand Ambassador, and the Canadian Chargé d’Affaires together at 17.50 hrs.  He also assigned the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Theerakun Niyom, to meet with the Singaporean Ambassador, Myanmar Ambassador, Laotian Ambassador and Malaysian Chargé d’Affaires on the same day.  Gist as follows:

1. The Foreign Minister and the Permanent Secretary informed the invited diplomatic representatives of the background of and Thailand’s position on the clashes in the areas of Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Temples, which began on 22 April 2011.  They emphasized that Thailand had no reason to initiate the clashes.  As the country was attacked, it had to respond to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Thailand has been promoting friendly relations with Cambodia and would like to continue doing so, but Cambodia must also show its sincerity.  In this regard, the Thai side has asked its friends to help persuade Cambodia to return to the negotiating table with the Thai side.

2. The diplomatic representatives expressed understanding of Thailand’s position and their desire to see Thailand and Cambodia resolve the dispute through peaceful negotiations.

3. The Thai side also informed the diplomatic representatives about the progress regarding the dispatch of Indonesian observers to the border area around the Temple of Phra Viharn, noting that on 28 April 2011 the Foreign Minister would be attending the ASEAN Social and Cultural Community Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia and would take the opportunity to discuss the remaining issues in the draft Terms of Reference (TOR), such as the issues of privileges and immunities of the Indonesian observers, with his Indonesian counterpart with a view to finalizing the text.  In this regard, the Foreign Minister reiterated that before the Indonesian observers would be dispatched to the area, the Thai side would have to be assured that Cambodia would withdraw its troops from the Phra Viharn Temple as well as from the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda and the community, which are situated in the so-called “disputed area” of 4.6 square-kilometres.

4. In response to media enquiries regarding the statement by Cambodia that the Thai Cabinet’s decision authorizing the army to use force against Cambodia was similar to a declaration of war, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that the Cambodian side had distorted the said Cabinet decision.  In fact, the Cabinet had simply reiterated that, if attacked, the military could respond by using force to defend the country’s sovereignty.

As for news report that the Prime Minister of Cambodia had expressed his readiness to meet with the Thai side at the ASEAN Summit next week, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that Thailand had not yet received any official contact from the Cambodian side on the matter. Nevertheless, if true, the above position of Cambodia would be consistent with what the Thai Prime Minister has always affirmed since the first day of clashes when Thailand proposed that the two countries should discuss the dispute either at the General Border Committee (GBC), the Regional Border Committee (RBC) or other mechanisms.

The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson also responded to media enquiries regarding the issues to be discussed between the Thai and Indonesian Foreign Ministers on 28 April 2011, saying that discussions would mainly focus on the outstanding issue of privileges and immunities of Indonesian observers in the draft TOR to make it comply with Thailand’s internal laws.  When agreement is reached, the draft TOR would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.  The Foreign Minister Spokesperson reiterated that it was the Thai Government that had invited the Indonesian observers to be dispatched to the Thai side of the Thai-Cambodian border.  In addition, before the mission takes place, Thailand must be assured that there are no Cambodian troops deployed in the Temple of Phra Viharn as this would violate the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Properties in the Event of Armed Conflict as well as the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.  Additionally, there must be no Cambodian troops at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, as well as in the market and community areas as these are within the so-called “disputed area” of 4.6 square kilometres, which is part of Thailand.

************************

27 April 2011