PAD Conditionally Supports Bilateral Talks with Cambodia

UPDATE : 14 February 2011
Source: Thailandoutlook

The PAD has announced its support for bilateral talks with Cambodia to resolve the border dispute, but only when the Cambodian settlements have been removed from the disputed area.

During press briefing, Spokesperson to the People's Alliance for Democracy, or the PAD, Panthep Puapongpan repudiated a remark made by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that the yellow shirts are against bilateral talks with Cambodia to solve the border dispute in order to distort the truth.

Panthep pointed out that the PAD supports bilateral talks with Cambodia, but oppose the memorandum of understanding signed with Phnom Penh in 2000 which endorses the map ratio of 1:200,000, saying the negotiations must take place only once Cambodian settlers have been expelled from the disputed area.


Panthep also lashed out at the government for being incompetent in dealing with the situation with Cambodia and reiterated that the memorandum of understanding of 2000 must be revoked.

Panthep asserted that Phanom Penh's recent attempt to call for a multilateral talks and refusal to scrap the memorandum of understanding will only demonstrate that Thailand has endorsed the 1:200,000 map to the international community.

The PAD also revealed a set of photographs, showing some Thai MPs participating in a religious ceremony at the Buddhist temple built by Cambodia in the disputed area.

Panthep claimed that Phnom Penh could use these photos to argue at the United Nations that the Thai Parliament has approved the Cambodian settlements in the disputed area.


Meanwhile, Major General Chamlong Srimuang, a key leader of the PAD, said that there have been a number of thefts committed by Cambodians who have infiltrated the rally.

He announced that from now on, people will be asked for their citizen ID cards before being allowed to enter the demonstration area.