Thai Army Spokesman Maj-Gen Winthai Suvaree today challenged Cambodia’s accusation that Thailand had violated the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries, by claiming sovereignty over Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages in Sa Kaeo province before there is a proper demarcation of the borderline.
Responding to Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet’s accusation, Winthai claimed that all 74 border markers, which include those in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kao, had been surveyed and agreed upon by the joint demarcation committee more than 20 years ago, adding that both sides agreed to maintain the territorial status until the completion of the demarcation of the border line.
Instead, he claimed that, over the past 20 years, Cambodia has continuously changed the territorial status by letting its people build shelters and communities in the overlapping areas and on Thai territory, citing aerial photos that clearly show the changes in the landscape as a result of border violations by Cambodians.
More than 500 protest notes have been sent to Cambodia over the past several years, but all of them have been ignored, he said.
Maj-Gen Winthai further explained that the border line in mountainous areas is normally determined by the water shed. In the flat areas, the line is determined by demarcation, which does not require sophisticated mapping technology, but does require mutual trust and honesty, which would reduce the time needed by the Joint Boundary Commission to complete the task.
He insisted that Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew villages are located on Thai territory and are not in an overlapping area.
The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has not been caused by the peoples of the two countries, as claimed by Hun Manet, but by the Cambodian government’s persistent unwillingness to resolve the problem, claimed Winthai.
Meanwhile, Sa Kaeo Governor Prinya Phothisat made clear that he will not hold talks with Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey provincial governor, to address the problem over Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew, unless the latter orders the evacuation of all Cambodian settlers from the two Thai villages before October 10, when the General Border Committee meeting is scheduled to be held.
