Songkitti: Cambodia will 'correct' sign

via CAAI

Published: 24/01/2011

 The supreme military commander of Cambodia has promised to make a "correction" to the controversial sign posted on the disputed border branding Thai troops as "invaders", Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara said on Monday.

Gen Songkitti said this after a meeting with Gen Pol Sareoun, the supreme commander of Cambodia.

They had discussed the controversial stone tablet erected in front of Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara, in the disputed area near Preah Vihear. Cambodia says it is where Thai troops invaded Cambodian territory.

"Cambodia said a correction will be made in a favourable way. Let's wait and see," Gen Songkitti said.

"I don't want to speak more about this. Let's take it this way, that Cambodia will make a correction in a favourable manner.

"Then this matter should come to an end."

Gen Songkitti and his Cambodian counterpart met while attending a tod pha pa ceremony at Wat Chanthorn Buriwong in Phnom Penh during which more than three million baht in donations were made.

Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara (left) and Gen Pol Sareoun, the supreme commander of Cambodia

Altogether 140 high-level officers from the three Thai armed forces took part in the merit-making ceremony. They travelled to Cambodia on two air force C130 transport planes and an Airbus aircraft.

Gen Songkitti said no matter what problems may arise, the military ties between the two country are still good, judging from the fact that the Thai visitors were given due honour and welcomed by a large number of people.

Reports said Army 2nd Region commander Lt Gen Thawatchai Samutsakorn had asked Cambodian troops to take down the sign on Monday morning, but it remained prominently in place.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier he would leave it to the army to ask Cambodia to remove the sign. The political sector would not get involved.

Cambodia put the stone tablet up after Thai troops withdrew from Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sikha Sawara on Dec 1.

People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) co-leader Chamlong Srimuang said the yellow-shirt rally on Tuesday in Bangkok will call on the government to accede to three demands to protect the country's sovereignty.

The government must withdraw from the Unesco World Heritage Committee, revoke the memorandum of understanding on the Thai-Cambodian border signed in 2000, and expel Cambodian people [from disputed border areas], Maj-Gen Chamlong said on Monday.

"Prime Minister Abhisit can implement these three demands at any time, but he has yet to implement any of them, and this has forced us to rally tomorrow," the PAD core member said.

The problem of the seven Thais who were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec 29 would not have emerged if Mr Abhisit had followed the PAD's demands.

"Our rally will end when the prime minister meets our demands. If he cannot tackle the Preah Vihear issue our rally will continue, but we will not occupy Government House as rumoured," he said.

Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang

Maj Gen Chamlong admitted there were rifts between the PAD and Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of the Thai Patriots Network (TPN) - a PAD splinter group.

"However, I'm getting along well with Samana Photirak [leader of the Santi Asoke sect] and the news reports about us being at odds are not true," he said.

PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan said Prime Minister Abhisit's televised address on Sunday night on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute was not factual.

Mr Panthep said the area where the seven Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers was a camp set up by Thai authorities for Cambodian refugees, and the government had allowed the fence to intrude on Thai territory.

Thai villagers could no longer use the area after Cambodian people moved into the refugee camp, he said.

"The Thai government has never raised this issue for talks with Cambodia," Mr Panthep said.

Mr Abhisit's explanation of the border issue last night might cause the country to lose more land, and he could be be liable to punishment by life imprisonment or the death penalty, according to the PAD spokesman.

"The villagers' land title deeds prove that the area belongs to Thai people, but the prime minister has no concrete measures to counter Cambodia or to stop Cambodia asserting sovereignty over our country's land," he said.

National police chief Gen Wichean Potephosree said about 3,600 police will be deployed to maintain law and order in Bangkok on Tuesday when there will be a rallies by the PAD, TPN and Santi Asoke sect.

Pol Gen Wichean said after a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and representatives of the armed forces at Government House that the government's policy is for police to prevent the protesters from laying siege to government installations such as Government House and the parliament.

A total of four police companies, totalling about 3,600 police, will be on duty. Two companies will begin deployment at Government House and another two at the parliament on Monday night, the police chief said.

National police chief Gen Wichean Potephosree

He said 3,000-5,000 people were expected to take part in the rally.

The PAD is calling on the government to revoke the 2000 memorandum of understanding on border demarcation, which it says puts Thailand at a disadvantage in its dealings with Cambodia over territorial disputes.

The TPN and Santi Asoke cult, already encamped in front of Government House, are pressing for the government to do more to secure the release of Veera Somkwamkid, a TPN coordinator, and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, who are still in a Cambodian jail facing trial on charges of illegal entry and espionage, with a ruling anticipated on Feb 1.