On 15 April 2013 at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, and Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat, Minister of Defence, led the Thai delegation on the first day of public hearings in the Case Concerning the Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 in the Case Concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand).

Mr. Hor Namhong, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, as the country’s Agent, and its foreign legal counsels and experts presented their oral arguments to the Court. In his opening statement, Mr. Hor Namhong argued that different interpretations of the scope and meaning of the 1962 Judgment and Thailand’s failure to fulfill the obligations contained therein, which led to the armed aggression along the Thai-Cambodian border during the previous Thai Government, compelled Cambodia to request the Court to elucidate the 1962 Judgment. Cambodia’s foreign legal counsels and experts then took turns presenting counter-arguments to the reasoning and evidence in Thailand’s Written Explanations submitted to the Court last year.

During the mid-day recess, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong gave a press interview summarizing Cambodia’s arguments. He said that Thailand was not worried after hearing Cambodia’s oral arguments, all pertinent points are exactly what Thailand anticipated and prepared for. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong also reminded the Thai public not to rush to judgment as the oral proceedings just started today, and Thailand is scheduled to present its response on 17 April 2013.