10 Feb, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post
It is not necessary for France to intervene in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Thursday.
Mr Abhisit was responding to questions about an offer made by the French foreign ministry on Wednesday, that Paris was willing to mediate a settlement to the border conflict between the two countries.
The United Nations (UN) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) want the two countries to settle their dispute through bilateral negotiations, he said.
If France wants to help, it should explain to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) that Thailand wants the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site put on hold.
This would help reduce tthe ension between Thailand and Cambodia, he said.
PM Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban
Asked about Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's comment that Thailand and Cambodia were already at war and he did not want to negotiate, Mr Abhisit said it was Hun Sen's wish to lift the conflict to a higher level.
He stressed that Unesco should review the listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site before the World Heritage Committee's meeting in June, as a way of resolving the conflict.
All concerned, including the Foreign Ministry and armed forces, were working in harmony in handling the Thai-Cambodian conflict without any influence by vested interests, Mr Abhisit said.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said earlier that Thailand and Cambodia can settle their border dispute, without need for any other country acting as mediator.
Mr Suthep insisted the Thai government wants peace and does not want the conflict to escalate.
He said it is not uncommon for neighbouring countries to have some problems between them, but leaders of the two countries must try to rapidly and peacefully settle the conflict.
The deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs admitted that he was wary that any involvement by France could lead to a further loss of Thai territory, as happened in 1962 when Thailand lost the ancient Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia by a ruling of the international court.
The spokesman for the French foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Paris was willing to mediate a settlement to the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
The spokesman said his ministry was ready to provide the map showing Thai and Cambodian territory prepared for the signing of the 1907 treaty between France and Siam, as Thailand was then called, to help resolve the conflict.
Meanwhile, F16 and F18 fighter planes flew very close to the Cambodian border about 1pm on Thursday.
Air force chief-of-staff Air Chief Marshal Prachin Chantong said the planes flew there by mistake.
ACM Prachin said the fighters were seen flying only two or three kilometres from the Thai-Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket.
This caused speculation they were testing the border at a time the two neighbouring countries are engaged in a border conflict. This was not so.
In fact, the jets were from the air forces of Thailand, the United States and Singapore and were taking part in the Cobra Gold 2011 joint exercise being held in the 2nd and 3rd Army Regions, he said.
ACM Prachin said aircraft taking part in the exercise should have kept at least 10km from the border, but an error caused planes to approach to within two or three kilometres of the border.
A house in Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district damaged by shells allegedly fired by Cambodian troops following clashes between Thailand and Cambodia since Feb 4, 2011. (Photo by Phongthai Wattanavanitvut)
Si Sa Ket governor Somsak Suwansucharit said soldiers of the army's Suranaree Task Force have begun reparing villagers' houses damaged by cross-border artillery fire during the clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces last weekend.
Patrols had also been assigned to guard border villages affected by the clashes in tambons Phu Pha Mok, Sao Thong Chai, Lalai and Rung of Kantharalak.
Mr Somsak said there were no reports of clashes on Wednesday night.
Since the situation had improved, people had begun to return to their homes.
The number of people remaining at evacuation centres had dropped from 21,000 to 13,000 on Thursday morning, while the number of holding centres also went down from 37 to 34.
The governor said all house repairs were expected to be completed in about a month.
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