kang
September 21stFrom Post Today newspaper (Thailand)
Analysis
Translated and edited by Wacharapol Isaranont
The international dispute over the ownership of a 4.6-kilometer overlapping land adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear Temple between Thailand and Cambodia has been a sensitive and longstanding issue that needs more than a truce to settle.
And while the tension is about to calm down after several deadly confrontations between Thai and Cambodian troops have seen both countries lose more than gain and efforts to peacefully resolve the issue through international political instrument are widely exercised, domestic movements to protest Cambodians encroaching on the unsettled area have reignited the flame of dispute.
During the past weekend, a group of the People's Alliance for Democracy supporters, led by Veera Somkwamkid, staged a protest at the Khao Phra Viharn national park in Si Sa Ket Province and called on the Thai government to forcefully drive Cambodian villagers and troops away from the disputed land.
The move may be motivated by patriotism with good intentions to protect the country’s sovereignty, but in the big picture it turned out to foil the plan to peacefully settle the issue by both the Thai and Cambodian governments. Besides, it created a reverse effect by leading to a rift among Thai people themselves, evidenced by a confrontation betwwen the yellow-shirt group and local villagers in Si Sa Ket Province.
Sadly, the PAD’s protest seems to infused with anger and foolhardy resistance to unknown facts behind the dispute, particularly the fact that the conflict took place as Thailand and Cambodia referred to different versions of maps when negotiating the border demarcation.
The yellow-shirt group should not let anger cloud their judgment about the cause of problem and the proper solution, for it could turn inspiring patriotism into uncontrollable madness, which are two sides of the same coin.
All parties must be sensible and look at the issue without distortion in their points of view. They must learn to equip themselves with correct information and to follow the progress of efforts by the government to dismantle the conflict.
Meanwhile, the government should promote transparency and provide the public with accurate accounts and developments of the situation, in order to prevent any dispute that could arise from lack of knowledge and misunderstanding.
So far, various agencies have worked on their own and kept information behind the door. In fact, such a longstanding issue as the Preah Vihear dispute needs collaboration from agencies with varying expertise including history, archaeology, politics and international laws. And all them must work in a unified manner in any efforts to protect the nation’s territorial rights.
All this is to prevent Thai people from unnecessarily getting involved in fights, especially against their fellow countrymen.
And while the tension is about to calm down after several deadly confrontations between Thai and Cambodian troops have seen both countries lose more than gain and efforts to peacefully resolve the issue through international political instrument are widely exercised, domestic movements to protest Cambodians encroaching on the unsettled area have reignited the flame of dispute.
During the past weekend, a group of the People's Alliance for Democracy supporters, led by Veera Somkwamkid, staged a protest at the Khao Phra Viharn national park in Si Sa Ket Province and called on the Thai government to forcefully drive Cambodian villagers and troops away from the disputed land.
The move may be motivated by patriotism with good intentions to protect the country’s sovereignty, but in the big picture it turned out to foil the plan to peacefully settle the issue by both the Thai and Cambodian governments. Besides, it created a reverse effect by leading to a rift among Thai people themselves, evidenced by a confrontation betwwen the yellow-shirt group and local villagers in Si Sa Ket Province.
Sadly, the PAD’s protest seems to infused with anger and foolhardy resistance to unknown facts behind the dispute, particularly the fact that the conflict took place as Thailand and Cambodia referred to different versions of maps when negotiating the border demarcation.
The yellow-shirt group should not let anger cloud their judgment about the cause of problem and the proper solution, for it could turn inspiring patriotism into uncontrollable madness, which are two sides of the same coin.
All parties must be sensible and look at the issue without distortion in their points of view. They must learn to equip themselves with correct information and to follow the progress of efforts by the government to dismantle the conflict.
Meanwhile, the government should promote transparency and provide the public with accurate accounts and developments of the situation, in order to prevent any dispute that could arise from lack of knowledge and misunderstanding.
So far, various agencies have worked on their own and kept information behind the door. In fact, such a longstanding issue as the Preah Vihear dispute needs collaboration from agencies with varying expertise including history, archaeology, politics and international laws. And all them must work in a unified manner in any efforts to protect the nation’s territorial rights.
All this is to prevent Thai people from unnecessarily getting involved in fights, especially against their fellow countrymen.
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