On 7 March 2011, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, briefed the media on the progress regarding the Thai-Cambodian relations, as follows:

1. The next meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), which Thailand had proposed for 7-8 March 2011, with Indonesia playing a facilitator’s role, has to be postponed, as Cambodia maintains that the three draft agreed minutes of the previous JBC meetings have to be approved by the Thai Parliament before the said meeting could be convened.  It should be noted, however, that both the United Nations Security Council at its meeting on 14 February 2011 and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at their informal meeting on 22 February 2011 had called on Thailand and Cambodia to resume their bilateral negotiations at the earliest opportunity, including the JBC and the General Border Committee (GBC) co-chaired by the two Defence Ministers, with appropriate engagement of Indonesia, as the current ASEAN Chair.  As Thailand has always been ready to hold bilateral negotiations with Cambodia, such resumption would depend on when Cambodia would be ready.

2. Regarding the invitations by Thailand and Cambodia to Indonesia to send observers to their respective sides of the border, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson noted that Indonesia has sent the draft Terms of Reference of the said observation mission to Thailand and Cambodia. The Royal Thai Government, in principle, has no objection to the Indonesian proposal.  Nevertheless, Thailand and Cambodia would need to discuss details of its implementation in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable conclusion. It is hoped in this connection that the issue could be brought up at the next GBC meeting to be convened as soon as the Cambodian side is ready.

3. On the assistance provided to Mr. Veera Somkwamkid and Ms. Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that Mr. Veera’s relatives had visited Mr. Veera last week, as arranged and coordinated by the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh. As for their cases, Mr. Veera and Ms. Ratree would have to consult their lawyers on the submission of their requests for royal pardon.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stands ready to render its full support to both of them.

Regarding media reports about Mr. Veera’s health, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assigned officers at the Royal Thai Embassy to look after the well-being of Mr. Veera and Ms. Ratree, including delivering food to the prison for them twice a day. Recently, obtaining a permission to visit Mr. Veera in person takes time and has to be done in accordance with the procedures and regulations of the Cambodian authorities.  It was during their visits to deliver food for Mr. Veera that the officials of the Royal Thai Embassy learned from the doctor of Prey Sar Prison that he had a cold but that he had already been treated.  Be that as it may, in response to the concern expressed by Mr. Veera’s relatives, the Foreign Ministry has instructed the Royal Thai Embassy to request that a doctor in Phnom Penh be allowed to visit Mr. Veera and give him an additional medical examination, or if possible, that permission be granted for him to leave the prison temporarily to have a health examination.  The Cambodian authorities have yet to approve the Embassy’s requests.

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7 March 2011