Rally and court action planned to delay pact
Published: 29/10/2010
via CAAI
The People's Alliance for Democracy is calling a mass rally for next week to try to block parliamentary endorsement of three reports emerging from meetings of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission.
The movement's lawyers are also looking into possible action through the Administrative Court today to prevent parliament from discussing the reports.
The PAD's warning of a public protest over the JBC reports follows a joint parliamentary debate on Tuesday in which it was agreed to vote on the documents next Tuesday.
Parliament's consideration of the reports, which is required by the constitution, has been delayed for some time as a result of protests by the yellow shirt movement.
The PAD claims the JBC reports are based on the 2000 memorandum of understanding which recognises a French map of 1:200,000 scale and puts Thailand at a disadvantage. The JBC was formed to implement the memorandum to solve the territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
The PAD will file a petition today with the Administrative Court seeking a ban on the use of the memo and an injunction barring the use of the agreement.
The group's leaders called an urgent meeting yesterday to discuss the issue and denounce the government for going back on its word.
Core yellow shirt leader Chamlong Srimuang slammed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for failing to honour a pledge not to allow a debate on the JBC documents.
Maj Gen Chamlong said the PAD suspected something was "fishy" about the move to push the JBC documents through, a move which coincided with Cambodia's claim that Thailand would endorse the meeting reports.
"We've thought about this and decided it's [a rally and court action] the only way [to stop it]. We need to [do this] despite the enforcement of the emergency decree," he said.
Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the PAD supporters had the right to demonstrate peacefully. They were not allowed to instigate unrest or obstruct traffic, he said.
The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation would employ crowd control measures similar to those used on Tuesday during the red shirt rally in front of the United Nations office to submit a petition to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, he said.
The Thai and Cambodian governments would move ahead with their efforts to tackle the unsolved border issue, Mr Panitan said.
This was part of the Thai-Cambodian cooperation agreement backed by Mr Abhisit and Cambodian leader Hun Sen when they met for 15 minutes at the Asean summit in Hanoi last night.
PAD lawyer Suwat Apaipak said he and PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila would ask the Administrative Court today to hold an urgent hearing on the use of the memorandum.
He said endorsement of the JBC minutes would have to be deferred and there would be no need to hold a rally if the court ruled in favour of the group.
Mr Suwat warned lawmakers not to vote in favour of the motion or they would be held in violation of the law.
PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul lashed out at Mr Abhisit for his inaction over Cambodia's alleged occupation of Thai territory. He also called on the prime minister to review Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya's role in the issue, saying he was not supposed to allow a debate to take place.
The Foreign Ministry has submitted the JBC documents for parliament's approval in line with Section 190 of the constitution.
The documents involve a decision by Thailand and Cambodia to survey border areas, including those near the Preah Vihear temple, and to start to make aerial maps of the border.
The next round of the JBC cannot take place until the documents clear parliament.
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