Team heads to Hague for Preah Vihear case

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul, left, and Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat speak to reporters before departing for The Hague yesterday.

Surapong urges Thais to follow hearing; defence minister 'not worried' about situation on border

A high-level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul left for The Hague yesterday to make the Kingdom's case in the International Court of Justice hearing over the Preah Vihear land dispute with Cambodia.

Joining him in the team are Defence Minister General Sukampol Suwannathat, Defence Ministry deputy permanent secretary-general Nipat Thonglek and other high-ranking military officials.

The court hearing in the Dutch city is scheduled to be held from tomorrow to Friday. The Cambodian government has asked the court to reinterpret its 1962 decision awarding sovereignty over Preah Vihear to Cambodia, to determine whether 4.6 square kilometres of scrubland near the temple belongs to Cambodia or Thailand.

Surapong said before leaving the country that the Thai team is ready to give its final verbal statement to the court and has prepared complete information covering every development in the dispute since 1962. He added that the court is expected to issue a ruling in September or October.

Surapong urged Thais to follow live coverage of the Thai team's delivery of its final statement at the ICJ on Channel 11, FM 92.5, AM 891 and Saranrom radio station. The Foreign Ministry has set up a team to answer the public's questions related to the case. Issues that need to be clarified will also be presented in Thai and English on the Foreign Ministry's website.

"I would like the public to listen and follow the case with an open mind as they hear academics and critics provide their views on the case," he said.

"We are confident in the process of justice at the ICJ, as it has issued rulings in many international disputes. The court has taken into account peace between countries," he said.

Surapong said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra offered the team moral support, urging members to do their best and asking them to answer Thais' questions on the case. "We are fighting this case for every Thai. We are going to protect our country's sovereignty. We will do our best," he said.

Verapat Pariyawong, an independent legal expert with a background in ICJ cases, said it appeared Cambodia's request for an interpretation of the 1962 ruling was aimed at "extending the scope" of the original ICJ verdict.

He noted that the original ICJ verdict stated clearly that the world court was not empowered to make any ruling regarding boundaries or maps. The verdict focused solely on the question as to which country held sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple, whether Thailand had to withdraw its troops from the temple ruins, and whether the Kingdom had to return ancient Khmer artefacts to Cambodia.

"I don't think Cambodia's goal is to have the court make a 'clearer verdict' about the original case. They want the verdict changed, or its scope extended. Judging from this fact, it is possible that the court may reject the request for interpretation," Verapat said.

Sukampol dismissed concerns over border tensions, saying the situation is normal though people from the two countries are aware that the ICJ hearing is to be held this week. He said he had not ordered tighter security on the border, but has instructed the military to prevent a group that has been campaigning against accepting the court's decision - an apparent reference to the People's Alliance for Democracy - from provoking violence.

"We have explained to the group that it is impossible not to accept the court decision. They have not accepted our reason and we do not know why. We just have to prevent them from instigating violence. They can express their political opinion and we will provide areas for them to access [for this purpose]," the defence minister said.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party Surat Thani MP Suthep Thaugsuban said he felt that the government had compromised over the Preah Vihear land dispute, and that this has made Thais uncomfortable. He said if the government fights to the best of its ability, the country would not lose the 4.6 square kilometres of territory.

"The court will rule in accordance with the evidence, so it depends if we present solid evidence. What I am worried about is whether their heart is in it. If not, we have nothing with which to fight them," he said.

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/04/14/team-heads-to-hague-for-preah-vihear-case/