Joint committee: Let Asean mediate

via CAAI

Published: 9/02/2011

The Joint Committee for Khmer-Thai People Relationship Building (KTPR) has called on the governments of Thailand and Cambodia to let the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) mediate their continuing border conflict, committee representative Chalida Tacharoensak said on Wednesday.

"We want Asean to help solve the border issue because we want the border war to end.

"Villagers from the two countries have been affected and want soldiers from both sides to stop exchanging fire so they can return to their normal lives," Mrs Chalida said after submitting the group's letter to Puea Thai MP Torpong Chaiyasarn, chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, on Wednesday.

Mrs Chalida said the temporary shelters were taking good care of the displaced villagers but they were still worried about their belongings and animals they left behind.

The Thai and Cambodian governments must settle the Preah Vihear temple issue, she said.

A KTPR representative from Cambodia said through an interpreter that to solve the Thai-Cambodian row, one must consider the Buddhist doctrine: one must depend on oneself - similar to 'God helps those who help themselves'.

He urged politicians, diplomats and historians to use the principles of justice to address the problem.

The KTPR is a private organisation. It describes itself as "a joint effort between Cambodian and Thai people who care about a sustainable relationship between the two nations of Cambodia and Thailand".