Thailand has accused Cambodia of portraying itself as the victim and distorting facts in the ongoing border dispute, making a mockery of the truth.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told delegates that he was compelled to rewrite his prepared statement after hearing “the most regrettable remarks” from his Cambodian counterpart earlier in the day.
“To my dismay, Cambodia continues to present itself as the victim. Time and time again, it has portrayed its own version of the facts, which does not hold up to scrutiny because it is simply a distortion of the truth,” he said.
The real victims, he said, are Thai soldiers who have lost their legs to landmines, children whose schools were shelled and civilians caught in rocket fire on a grocery store.
Sihasak recounted that he had met his Cambodian opposite number at the UN the previous day, to discuss peace, dialogue, mutual trust and confidence, a theme also echoed during informal four-party consultations hosted by the United States, but what was said at the General Assembly, “was the complete opposite of what was said yesterday at the meeting. It revealed the true intention of Cambodia."
The allegations were so far-fetched that they make a mockery of the truth.”
Photo: Sokhonn Prak
Cambodia was represented by its deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Sokhonn Prak.
He went on to accuse Cambodia attempting to expand a border dispute into an international national conflict.
Referring to villages cited by the Cambodian side, he said “The villages … are in Thai territory, full stop.
Admittedly, the current situation with Cambodia is neither desirable nor in the interests of either side. Our peace, stability and prosperity are closely intertwined. We cannot move away from one another. We are part of the same ASEAN family."
According to Sihasak, these settlements emerged after Thailand decided, in the late 1970s, to open its borders to hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fleeing civil war, a decision made “out of compassion and humanitarian principles. As a young diplomat, I witnessed that scene myself,” he added.
He also noted that, despite Thailand’s repeated protests, Cambodia had ignored requests to address what he described as encroachment, even as Thailand later helped rebuild homes, roads and hospitals in Cambodia following the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.
“The ceasefire is still fragile. We must make it work,” he said.
He warned, though, that Cambodia’s continued provocations, including the mobilisation of civilians into Thai territory, cross-border firing since September 23 and repeated intrusions by surveillance drones, threaten stability along the border.
“These actions constitute a violation of Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the ceasefire agreement, reached at the special meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia and reaffirmed at the bilateral border committee meetings,” he declared.
Sihasak stressed that Thailand will always stand for peace and seek dialogue through existing mechanisms, but would remain “firm and resolute” in defending its sovereignty.
“Today, our two countries face a defining choice,” he said. “As a close neighbour and as a friend, we must ask Cambodia which path they wish to take; the path of continued confrontation or the path of peace and cooperation.”
“Thailand chooses the path of peace… but we really question whether it is the intention of Cambodia to join us in the pursuit for peace.”
Read more -Cambodia accuses Thailand of undermining the ceasefire at UN
