By Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation
Thai businesspeople, fearing that the border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia will harm bilateral trade and investment if they drag on much longer, will make four proposals to the government aimed at easing tensions.
The Joint PrivateSector Committee will make the proposals to Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri soon, it announced yesterday.
The first proposal is that the government carefully consider closing border checkpoints as well as cutting the supply of electricity to Cambodia. Second, concerned agencies and media should be more careful with the release of information that could intensify the conflict.
Third, the two countries should find ways to compromise over the disputed territory to ensure further border trade. Finally, economic and security issues should be clearly separated to reduce tension or conflict between the two countries.
Payungsak Chartsutipol, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the business sector still had confidence that the border conflict will be eased soon.
"People of the two nations are considered relatives. Nobody wants to see war or any fight," he said.
The closure of checkpoints should be considered only at a certain point and for a short period; otherwise, it would affect overall trading and people's confidence, Payungsak said.
Despite the conflict, private enterprises of Thailand and Cambodia have insisted on setting up the ThaiCambodian Business Council to strengthen trade and investment growth.
Thanit Sorat, secretarygeneral of the council and vice chairman of the FTI, said private enterprises were conducting business activities as usual although the tension has decreased investors' confidence.
Bilateral trade is expected to grow continuously to more than Bt85 bilฌlion this year from last year's Bt79.26 billion. However, Thanit said prolonged fighting would not only affect investment but also lower the value of bilateral trade between the two countries, particularly crossborder trade.
For instance, Thanit pointed out that Thai investment in Cambodia had shrunk considerably over the past few years because of the border conflict. Only one project from Thailand worth Bt30 million was approved by the Cambodia Investment Board last year.
From August 1995 to June 2009, 81 Thai projects have been launched in Cambodia with a combined investฌment value of Bt7.02 billion. Of these, nine projects are hotels worth Bt4.29 billion, followed by agriculturalindustry schemes worth Bt2.34 bilฌlion, and garmentindustry projects worth Bt221 million.
Bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia was worth Bt79.26 billion last year. Of that, Bt55.41 billion was from crossborder trade, of which exports from Thailand were valued at Bt51.11 billion.
The flareup at the border has hit the tourism industry hardest, as tourists have cancelled their bookings to Cambodia. Eventually, it will directly harm inbound tourism from Cambodia as well.
Thailand is projected to boost crossborder trade with Cambodia by 8 per cent to Bt59 billion this year. Crossborder trade with that country accounts for 7.09 per cent of the Kingdom's total crossborder trade value.
Poonsak Kunudom, counsellor for the Thai Trade Representative in Phnom Penh, said bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia was still growing normally.
The Commerce Ministry's Export Promotion Department has no plans to cancel the Thailand Trade Exhibition 2011, which will be held from May 1922 in Phnom Penh.
Read more!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Private sector has four proposals to ease border tensions
Monday, April 25, 2011
Troops ready to fight with Cambodia if government orders: Thai army chief
The army chief made his remarks following criticism over the operations of the Thai military in the latest border clashes with Cambodia.
The renewed border clash occurred near the Ta Kwai and Ta Muan Thom temples in Surin on Friday. Sporadic clashes have been reported since then as border demarcation remains disputed by the two neighbouring countries despite attempts to resolve the problem through meetings of bilateral commissions at several levels.
The renewed border clash occurred near the Ta Kwai and Ta Muan Thom temples in Surin on Friday. Sporadic clashes have been reported since then as border demarcation remains disputed by the two neighbouring countries despite attempts to resolve the problem through meetings of bilateral commissions at several levels.
Five Thai soldiers were killed while 35 were wounded during the four days of clashes. About 25,000 border area residents in Surin and about 4,500 others in Buri Ram have been evacuated from their homes to temporary shelters.
Gen Prayuth stated troops have been deployed in every conflict zone to protect Thailand's sovereignty and have never retreated even a single step from the border.
Now the soldiers are staying fixed at the Thai border and we are ready to fight if ordered by the government, but [whether] the government can do it or not depends on the bilateral agreements that we have made with [our] neighbour,” the army chief said.
Gen Prayuth noted that whether the battle will occur or not depends on the governments of the two countries, adding that war has not been declared and that the latest incidents are only normal clashes along the border.
He stated that if a third country wants to intervene in the talks between Thailand and Cambodia in case the parties cannot continue their bilateral talks, such action will be accepted only when Cambodia withdraws all its troops from the disputed areas.
"There must be no Cambodian soldiers at Preah Vihear temple, or in local communities and temples, otherwise no observers will be allowed to do their work," Gen Prayuth asserted.
The army chief said that concerned agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters and the three armed forces disagreed with having third country observers, but if necessary, the army has already made its stance clear to the Abhisit government that all troops must leave the disputed Preah Vihear area.
Meanwhile, Cambodia accused Thailand of damaging the two ancient temples during three days of border clashes that killed 12 people on both sides.
Agence-France Presse (AFP) news agency reported Cambodia's defence ministry as saying in a statement that the Thai attacks had caused damage to the ruins, without giving further details.
"We do not know the extent of the damage to the temples yet," AFP quoted ministry of defence spokesman Chhum Socheat as saying. (MCOT online news) Read more!
Ties with Cambodia in danger
Govt threatens harder line over 'hostile acts'
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said the government will review all ties with Cambodia since Phnom Penh had shown no intention of bringing the border spat back to the negotiating table and had continued to commit hostile acts against Thailand.
His comment came after Thai and Cambodian troops battled yesterday for a fourth straight day along the disputed border area in a fresh bout of violence which has claimed the lives of five Thai soldiers and at least seven Cambodian troops.
"Cambodia has attacked Thailand continuously and intentionally," Mr Kasit said after returning from a trip to villages affected by skirmishes in Surin province.
Thailand had tried to contact Cambodian officials at all levels to work out a truce, but the Cambodian side repeatedly refused to talk, Mr Kasit said.
"Since Cambodia showed no intention to negotiate, we have to revise our relationship with the country in a bid to return peace and safety to people along the border areas," the minister said.
Mr Kasit said he would discuss the policy alteration with Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon after the latter returns from Surin today.
The ministry will also inform fellow Asean members that the fatal clashes erupted because Cambodia encroached on Thai territory, he said.
But while the government is taking a harder line, Thailand's military appears more open to compromise.
Gen Prawit said yesterday he was ready to hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart through the General Border Committee (GBC) in a third country.
It is the first time that the Thai military has agreed for a GBC meeting to be held outside Thailand or Cambodia.
The minister said he wanted the eighth meeting of the GBC, which is co-chaired by both Thai and Cambodian defence ministers, to take place earlier than originally scheduled in June.
Cambodia is set to host the GBC meeting but if it is not ready, the Thai armed forces are willing to hold the meeting instead, said Gen Prawit.
"The GBC meeting can be held anywhere, but it must be a bilateral issue," he said.
A source at the Defence Ministry said Gen Prawit will travel to Indonesia to attend the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting in mid-May and he will meet his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Tea Banh, to discuss the border issue on the sidelines to prepare for the GBC meeting.
But the military's stance on Indonesia's proposal to deploy observers to border areas on both sides remains unchanged.
Indonesian observers may be allowed to enter the disputed area on the condition that Cambodian soldiers withdraw from the area around Preah Vihear temple and other temples and communities in the area, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha says.
Gen Prayuth said the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the armed forces have disagreed with the proposal to allow a third country to observe.
"But if it is necessary, we have put forward a condition that all Cambodian soldiers must withdraw from Preah Vihear," Gen Prayuth said.
"There must not be Cambodian soldiers around Preah Vihear, other temples and communities. If Cambodian soldiers remain, there will be no observers."
Gen Prayuth said he did not consider the clashes to be a war, but if does escalate, Thai soldiers are ready to protect the country's sovereignty, he said.
Gen Prayuth dismissed reports that Thai troops retreated during the fighting.
"We will launch an attack at the government's order. If the order is issued today, by tomorrow we will have seized the area," he said, adding that troops of the two countries are now face to face 100 metres away from each other's territory.
A border clash broke out near Ta Muen Thom and Ta Kwai temples in Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district again when Thai and Cambodia troops exchanged artillery fire yesterday evening. No casualties were reported.
A previous exchange had broken out at around 10.30pm on Sunday.
Paramilitary ranger Aree Kongnakpanao was killed and six soldiers injured.The wounded were taken to a hospital in Wirayothin military camp and Surin Centre hospital in Surin.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand has evidence Cambodian troops had attacked first and Mr Kasit would discuss the issue with the Asean chair on Thursday.
Mr Abhisit said negotiations were useless if Cambodia wanted to escalate the conflict. There will be retaliation if Cambodian opens fire, he said.
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Cambodia says Thailand damaged temples
Cambodia on Monday accused Thailand of damaging two ancient temples during three days of border clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbors that have left at least 12 soldiers dead.
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| Cambodian armored vehicles stand by near disputed border |
Natalegawa was due in Cambodia on Monday, but Thayeb said the trip was postponed because Indonesia was still negotiating terms on sending in military observers - a move that Thailand has so far vehemently rejected.
The dispute between Cambodia and Thailand involves small swaths of land along the border, with nationalistic politics fueling tensions. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Cambodia's 11th-century Preah Vihear temple was given UN World Heritage status over Thailand's objections.
The current round of clashes is the first reported since February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the Preah Vihear temple, which suffered minor damage from exploding artillery and mortar shells that knocked small chucks out of a few of its walls. The latest fighting is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Preah Vihear.
After easing earlier in the day, fighting resumed late Sunday night, both sides said.
Thai Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Cambodian troops opened fire, killing a Thai soldier. Chea Samrach, a Cambodian soldier on the front line, said Thai snipers killed one Cambodian soldier and wounded two others. Ten soldiers died in the first two days of the clashes.
Cambodia's defence Ministry said Thai forces fired 1,000 artillery and mortar shells Sunday, damaging the two temples. Some shells landed about 12 miles (20 kilometers) inside Cambodian territory, forcing 17,000 people to flee and destroying one school and a dozen homes, and setting ablaze some farming fields, the ministry said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a cease-fire, but the prospects for peace appear shaky, with the two sides disagreeing on what triggered the fighting and differing on how to negotiate the conflicting territorial claims underlying the crisis.
Indonesia's efforts to mediate have been stymied so far by Thailand's reluctance to allow Indonesian military observers in the area of dispute. Thailand insists the problem should be solved through bilateral talks with Cambodia, but Cambodia wants third-party mediation.
The fighting comes as Thailand's military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of general elections expected by early July. The army previously effectively vetoed a plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.
- AP Read more!
Thai-Cambodia border clashes raise diplomatic stakes
Regional diplomats stepped up efforts Monday to end the clashes along a disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia.
By Simon Montlake
Bangkok, Thailand
Diplomats are struggling to tamp down on four days of deadly firefights between Thai and Cambodian troops along their disputed land border. Repeated clashes between the two militaries, egged on by nationalist rhetoric from both sides, has thus far proven an intractable and embarrassing issue for Southeast Asia's regional diplomatic body.
Thailand and Cambodia have each accused the other of provoking fighting that erupted Friday, which has killed at least 12 soldiers and forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee. The clashes are the deadliest in nearly three years of skirmishes along the mountainous border, which is disputed in several places, including around the grounds of an 11th century Hindu temple known as Preah Vihear.
The latest fighting broke out near two other ancient Hindu temples. Cambodia said Monday that Thai troops had damaged the ancient sites, though similar claims have proven to be exaggerated in the past. Both sides have fired mortar shells and rockets in recent days.
IN PICTURES: Preah Vihear temple battle
While Thailand insists on settling the dispute via bilateral talks, Cambodia has repeatedly appealed to the United Nations to intervene. In February, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which both countries belong, agreed to send observers to monitor a ceasefire in what analysts say is a test of ASEAN’s diplomatic weight. Until now, the group of 10 nations has focused on economic cooperation and steered clear of thorny border disputes.
As the current ASEAN chair, Indonesia offered to send observers to the border. But disagreement over the observers’ role, and opposition from Thailand’s powerful military, has delayed the mission. Angered by the delays, Cambodia has accused Thailand of reneging on its commitment to ASEAN’s monitoring mission.
Amid wrangling, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa canceled a planned visit Monday to Bangkok even as ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan called for "a genuine dialogue between the two sides." Thailand's foreign minister is currently scheduled to fly to Jakarta later this weeks for talks with Mr. Natalegawa.
In a statement Sunday, the Cambodian government described Thai claims of recent Cambodian aggression as a “slanderous and false allegation, which is aimed at misleading the public opinion.”
Thani Thongpakdee, a spokesman for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Cambodian troops were to blame for the latest clashes. He said that Thailand was ready to accept Indonesian monitors, as long as they were unarmed and confined to specific border areas. However, he admitted that the current fighting was outside the designated areas.
“We still believe that having these observers in here is better than not having them and gives some kind of confidence to those living along the border,” he says.
The controversy over Preah Vihear, which was listed in 2008 as a World Heritage Site, dates back at least 50 years. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia. Thai nationalists argue that this ruling was based on flawed French colonial-era maps and that it should be given to Thailand.
Thailand’s polarized politics may be stoking the current conflict, amid warnings of military meddling in a planned election in June or July. Some analysts believe that saber-rattling by Thailand’s military could be a tactic to delay the election and suppress the opposition, which is loyal to ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
However, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Monday that he wanted to repair bilateral ties with Cambodia. “We don’t want it [the fighting] to escalate,” he said. Read more!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thai-Cambodian border fighting enters third day
Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged artillery fire on Sunday in a third day of fighting that has killed 10 soldiers and uprooted thousands of villagers from their homes.
Officials from both sides said the clashes over disputed territory lasted about two hours on Sunday morning. Cambodian military officials said the shooting resumed in the afternoon.
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon called for a ceasefire, but the prospects for peace appeared shaky, with the two sides disagreeing on what triggered the fighting and differing on how to negotiate the conflicting territorial claims underlying the crisis.
Thailand reported no new casualties, after four of its soldiers were killed and 17 wounded over the previous two days. Witnesses saw one Cambodian soldier and a Cambodian television journalist wounded on Sunday. Colleagues said the journalist suffered a head wound but did not appear seriously hurt. Cambodia earlier reported the deaths of six soldiers.
The dispute between the neighbours stems from their claims over small swaths of land along the border, with nationalistic politics fuelling tensions. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Cambodia’s 11{+t}{+h} century Preah Vihear temple was given U.N. World Heritage status over Thai objections.
The current round of clashes is the first reported since February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the Preah Vihear temple. The latest fighting is about 160 km west of there.
Mr. Ban has called on Cambodia and Thailand to implement an effective and verifiable ceasefire. A U.N. statement late Saturday said Mr. Ban believes the dispute cannot be resolved by military means, so the two countries must engage in a serious dialogue to resolve the underlying problems.
Indonesia, a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has tried to mediate, but its efforts have been stymied so far by Thailand’s reluctance to allow Indonesian military observers in the area of dispute. Thailand insists the problem should be solved through bilateral talks with Cambodia, but Cambodia wants third-party mediation.
On Saturday, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his government is willing to accept Indonesia’s assistance in solving the crisis, but he was awaiting approval from Thailand’s Defence Ministry.
Sunday’s flare-up came after it seemed that calm might have been restored. Witnesses on the Cambodian side said an important border crossing that had been closed for two days had been reopened, and Thai media said some of an estimated 20,000 civilians who had been evacuated from the battle zone were starting to move back. The border crossing, which is not in the battle zone, was shut again shortly after fighting resumed.
Each side has accused the other of starting the latest fighting, which has mainly involved artillery duels at long range.
Thailand rejected accusations Saturday that it had used chemical weapons against Cambodian troops.
A Cambodian Defence Ministry statement charged that Thailand had fired 75- and 105-millimeter shells “loaded with poisonous gas” into Cambodian territory, but did not elaborate. Col. Suos Sothea, a Cambodian field commander, said separately that Thailand had used both cluster shells — anti-personnel weapons banned by many countries — and artillery shells that gave off a debilitating gas.
Mr. Kasit said the allegations were not true, and Col. Tawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region, denied that cluster bombs or poison gas had been employed by his forces.
Cluster munitions contain dozens or hundreds of small bomblets that scatter over vast areas. Some can lie dormant for decades until disturbed, posing enormous danger to civilians.
Thailand acknowledged using cluster-type munitions in border fighting in February, but argued that they were not of the type banned from use by 108 countries under an international treaty. Thailand has not signed the pact, but has publicly pledged not to use such weapons.
The fighting comes as Thailand’s military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of general elections expected by early July. The Army previously effectively vetoed a plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.
Read more!
N.Y. Doctor held in Cambodia on child sex charge
A New York doctor who traveled to Cambodia to volunteer at a children's hospital is being held in a Phnom Penh (puh-NAHM' pehn) prison on a charge he had sex with a 14-year-old boy.
The Post-Standard reports Sunday that Dr. James D'Agostino was arrested Feb. 16 and charged in the Phnom Penh municipal court with purchasing child prostitution.
A judge says the 56-year-old D'Agostino could be held up to six months while the court reviews the case before deciding if it goes to trial.
If convicted, D'Agostino could face seven to 15 years in prison under Cambodian law.
Pek Vannak, a lawyer representing D'Agostino, says the doctor denies the charges.
D'Agostino is a pediatric emergency doctor at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. He went to Cambodia in January 2009.
Read more!
Chong Sa-ngam border crossing closed after Thai-Cambodian clashes
SI SA KET, April 24 --- Si Sa Ket’s Chong Sa-ngam border crossing has been closed since Sunday’s noon for safety reasons after fresh Thai-Cambodian fighting reerupted in neighbouring Surin province in the morning, a local customs officer said, while border trade at Rong Kluea Market in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district continued.
Trade and tourism along Thai-Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket province have been suspended, following the Sunday’s closure of Chong Sa-ngam border crossing after it had been opened for four hours in the morning.
Orawan Boonsang, a head of the customs officers at Chong Sa-ngam border crossing, explained that the closure was for safety reasons for Thai and Cambodian people after the sounds of gunfire was heard along the border in Surin.
Earlier, Chong Sa-ngam border crossing was temporarily closed on Friday (April 22), following the skirmish along Thai-Cambodian border in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district. Later, officers reopened the crossing for trade and tourism, depending on the situation.
Initially, it was projected that the closure of the Chong Sa-ngam border crossing will cause Bt10 million (over US$333,000) in losses.
Meanwhile, the Aranyaprathet border crossing in Sa Kaeo province remains opened on Sunday with ten thousand of Cambodian people flocking to Rong Kluea Market to buy commodity products back to their country.
Army Captain Chan Vongvaimathee, commander of ranger company 1206, under Burapha Task Force, said there is no reinforcement of Thai troops at the Thai-Cambodian border in Aranyaprathet district, but he has been instructed to closely monitor the situation and for troops to be on standby at their base.
10,000 Cambodians reportedly crossed into Rong Kluea Market for work and trading since the border crossing opened at 7am after the crossings in Surin and Buri Ram provinces were temporarily closed.
Tourists, both Thai and foreigners, also continued travelling to Cambodia's Poi Pet town in Banteay Meanchey province as usual, but about ten tour groups have already cancelled trips to Angkor Wat in Siem Riap. (MCOT online news)
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Cambodia, Vietnam sign investment contracts of nearly 1 bln USD
PHNOM PENH, Apr. 24, 2011 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Some 500 Cambodian and Vietnamese businessman met here on Sunday in the 2nd Cambodia- Vietnam conference and some investment projects worth nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars were signed.
The annual conference was chaired by the two countries' prime ministers.
Speaking in the conference, the visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that to date, excluding the investment costs, which would be signed in the conference, Vietnamese investments in Cambodia have mounted to more than 2 billion U.S. dollars in the fields of telecommunication, aviation, banking and finance, mineral resources, and rubber plantations.
Cambodian investments in Vietnam have mounted to 51 million U.S. dollars.
Nguyen Tan Dung encouraged more Vietnamese investors to consider their ventures in Cambodia, and urged existing Vietnamese investors to strengthen and expand the investment to build closer economic cooperation.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that Cambodia is implementing favorable investment policies for overseas investors.
"There are good opportunity for investors in growing rice, corn, cassava, bean, rubber industries," he said.
He also stressed the government has made its efforts to develop new industries such as car assembly plants, electronic manufacturing.
Read more!
Prayer breakfast hears horror of sexual slavery in Cambodia
By: Melissa Martin
IT was the eyes he couldn't forget, the piercing stares of seven Cambodian girls sold into sexual slavery, their abuse caught on tape by a Canadian pedophile.
So harrowing were the videotaped gazes that, after helping bust convicted sex tourist Donald Bakker in 2004, forensic expert Brian McConaghy left the RCMP and threw himself behind a singular cause: to help save as many children as possible from the nightmare of sex trafficking.
And to fight against an estimated $43-billion global scourge, McConaghy told around 800 religious, First Nations, government and community leaders at the Manitoba Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, takes faith.
"(Faith) is central to it," said McConaghy, who works with Ratanak International, which operates a safe-house for 59 children rescued from Cambodian trafficking rings. "It is the driving force. Trying to take on a battle like this, and do this on your own strength, is lunacy."
As the keynote speaker at the non-denominational Saturday morning event, which included VIPs such as Winnipeg police chief Keith McCaskill (who read from Bible scripture) and Winnipeg Catholic Archbishop James Weisgerber, McConaghy didn't shy from the ugly truths about sex trafficking in his tough, often tender speech.
McConaghy detailed the cycle of slavery, driven by teen pimps who were themselves sold into slavery as children.
"Twelve is old in Cambodia," he said, as a tense murmur rippled through the audience.
"In Cambodia, they start at age six."
That was the blunt tone that the prayer breakfast's honorary chairwoman, Kildonan-St. Paul MP Joy Smith, was hoping for when she asked McConaghy to deliver the keynote at this year's breakfast. "Now that you know, you can't say you don't know. Now we have to do something about it," said Smith, who championed a 2008 bill that raised the minimum sentence for criminals convicted of trafficking children.
Indeed, after Archbishop Weisgerber offered the breakfast's closing prayer at 9:30 a.m., MLA Bill Blaikie called McConaghy's speech a "call to arms."
After the breakfast, Manitoba Grand Chief Ron Evans stood with Smith and McConaghy to call for more awareness about how sex trafficking has impacted the aboriginal community.
The sex trade is linked to the fate of many of Canada's almost 600 missing or murdered aboriginal women. As an RCMP officer, McConaghy helped close the net on Robert Pickton, many of whose victims were aboriginal.
"The more people talk about it, the more people know about it," Evans said. "We will be more conscious of our surroundings. We will start to see the signs. And we will report."
Remember those eyes, the eyes of the seven girls that haunted him right out of his RCMP career and into a life of healing?
McConaghy still sees them. He last saw them two weeks ago when he took Bakker's seven victims -- now thriving teenagers in Ratanak's programs -- out to lunch in Phnom Penh. "I have things to learn about faith from these children," McConaghy said, before the crowd bowed their heads in prayer.
melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
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UN chief calls for ceasefire between Cambodia, Thailand
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Cambodia and Thailand Saturday to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate measures to achieve a ceasefire.
Ban was troubled by reports of renewed fighting in the past two days between Cambodian and Thai troops along the two countries' border. The fighting has reportedly claimed numerous lives from both sides, according to a statement issued by Ban's spokesman.
"The secretary-general ... also believes that the dispute cannot be resolved by military means and urges Cambodia and Thailand to engage in serious dialogue to find a lasting solution," the statement said.
Ban had been encouraged by initial signs of progress in strengthening bilateral mechanisms to deal with the dispute between the two neighbors, it said.
This is the second consecutive day of military clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops in the disputed border area after Friday's clashes that cost at least 6 lives and injured over a dozen, forcing thousands of both sides' locals to flee home.
The latest violence occurred two months after a deadly clash on Feb. 4-7 at the disputed border area next to the World Heritage site Preah Vihear temple, an age-old row between Thailand and Cambodia.
Source: Xinhua
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Saturday, April 23, 2011
Cambodia says king to miss British royal wedding
PHNOM PENH - Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni cannot attend the wedding of Britain's Prince William, Phnom Penh's foreign ministry said Saturday, but denied he had ignored the invitation.
British daily The Sun had reported that King Sihamoni was the only one of and estimated 40 foreign royals invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29 not to reply."Due to his royal work, the king is unable to attend the royal wedding," he added.
A worldwide television audience of two billion people is set to watch the event live while crowds of hundreds of thousands are expected to line the route from London's Westminster Abbey to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds.
King Sihamoni, 57, is currently in China for a medical checkup.
His father, former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk, was one of Asia's longest-serving monarchs, but abruptly abdicated in 2004 in favour of his son, citing old age and health problems.
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Cambodian, Thai armed clashes force 5,000 Cambodian villagers flee home
PHNOM PENH, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Two straight days of armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops over the disputed border areas have forced 1,420 Cambodian families to flee their home for safe shelter, said a senior government official on Saturday.
As of Saturday at 4:00 p.m., 1,420 families with 5,000 people have been evacuated to a safe shelter in Banteay Meanchey province' s Samrong district, some 30 kilometers from the fighting zone, Nhim Vanda, the first vice-president of the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, said on Saturday.
The two straight days of armed clashes on Friday and Saturday broke out at the Ta Mon Thom temple and Ta Krabey temple in Oddar Meanchey province, left troops on both sides killed and injured, the temples were in damage and villagers' properties were destroyed.
In the villages near the fighting areas, Cambodian soldiers have found shrapnel and craters resulted from the artillery shelling by Thai troops during the clashes.
Cambodia's Ministry of Defense on Saturday afternoon issued a statement to condemn Thailand for its "repeated deliberate acts of aggression against Cambodia."
"Thai side used DK 75 and 105 mm heavy guns loaded with poisonous gas in today's (April 23, 2011) assault," it said. "Thai military aircraft, including reconnaissance planes flew deep into Cambodia's airspace."
"Heavy weapons, including 130 mm, 105 mm and 155 mm artilleries have also been used during this latest military onslaught," the statement said.
The latest military clashes between the two countries'troops reoccurred just more than two months after the deadly clash on Feb. 4-7 at the border disputed area next to the Preah Vihear temple, a World Heritage Site.
Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had a border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.
Meanwhile, Indonesia, as current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), strongly called for the immediate cessation of hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand that recommenced since April 22, a press statement said on Saturday.
"Indonesia also calls for the two sides to continue to resolve their differences through peaceful means as has been reflected in addressing the border dispute between the two countries," said Kusuma Habir, a spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry.
She said that Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa is in communication with his Cambodian and Thailand counterparts to address this latest development.
Read more!
Thai, Cambodia fighting leaves 7 dead in two days
By Tang Chhin Sothy Tang Chhin Sothy
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| AFP- Cambodia soldiers prepared a BM21 Rocket Launcher near Thai-Cambodia border in Oddar Meanchey Province |
One Thai soldier died in Saturday's fighting and several others were injured, according to a Thai military source, a day after three troops were killed on each side and more than a dozen injured.
The Cambodian defence ministry accused Thailand of using 75mm and 105mm "heavy guns loaded with poisonous gas", but gave no further details and the claim could not be independently verified. The Thai army denied allegation.
In its statement, the Cambodian defence ministry said Thailand was invading its territory "using ground troops and many types of artillery" and said its civilians were in danger.
Thousands of villagers have evacuated from nearby areas on both sides following the latest flare-up of violence.
"Most of the people in my village have fled their homes because many Thai artillery shells landed nearby," 29-year-old farmer Has Pov told AFP at a pagoda complex where he took refugee with his wife and two children in the Cambodian town of Samrong about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the fighting.
"I'm really scared by the shelling," he added.
Thailand recently admitted using controversial Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions during the February fighting but insisted it did not classify them as cluster munitions.
As usual, the two countries accused each other of starting the latest clash, which appeared to have abated after several hours Saturday.
"All of sudden they fired at us," Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon told AFP.
"It could be that they wanted to internationalise the situation to attract a third country (to intervene). We do not want to fight but have to retaliate when they fire at us," he said, calling for the resumption of bilateral talks to resolve the territorial dispute.
"We have to put pressure on them to go back to the meeting table," he said.
The fighting resumed at about 6 am (2300 GMT Friday) with rifle fire and shelling in the same area as Friday's deadly standoff, according to spokesmen on both sides.
It is the first serious outbreak of hostilities since February when 10 people were killed in clashes near the 900-year-old Hindu temple Preah Vihear, prompting UN Security Council members to call for a lasting ceasefire.
Phnom Penh has called for outside mediation to help end the standoff, but Thailand opposes third-party intervention.
The two countries agreed in late February to allow Indonesian observers in the area near Preah Vihear, but the Thai military has since said they are not welcome and they have yet to be deployed.
The latest standoff, which saw more than six hours of fighting on Friday, took place near a different group of temples over 100 kilometres away from Preah Vihear.
Indonesia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc, has called for an immediate end to the violence. Vietnam urged "maximum restraint."
Ties between the neighbours have been strained since Preah Vihear -- the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's Angkor -- was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8 square mile) surrounding area.
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Friday, April 22, 2011
Cambodian King snubs Royal Wedding
THE King of Cambodia is the only royal to not reply to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding invitation.
King Norodom Sihamoni has not replied to the invitation from Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton, "The Sun" reported Saturday.
Sihamoni, 57, a shaven-headed former ballet dancer and instructor, would not be the first Cambodian king to snub a British royal wedding.
In 1963, his dad, Sihanouk, refused to attend Princess Alexandra's wedding after being told he would not get a guard of honor and could not stay at Windsor Castle.
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| No Show: Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni is snubbed an invitation to attend the royal wedding on April 29 - AP |
News of the snub came as the list of guests for the April 29 wedding was published by "The Sun".
It includes 388 close friends and associates invited by groom William, 28, and his 29-year-old bride-to-be, Middleton.
Among them are Victoria and David Beckham, Mr Bean funnyman Rowan Atkinson, posh TV presenter Ben Fogle, rugby supremo Sir Clive Woodward and "Lock Stock" director Guy Ritchie.
Also listed are 254 relatives and friends of the Middleton family.
The Queen and Prince Charles drafted a list of 255 VIPs and aristocrats - including 62 foreign royals and heads of state.
A further 1000 guests, including politicians, senior civil servants and foreign diplomats, received invitations via the Lord Chamberlain's Office.
The list also shows that Middleton invited her favorite fashion designer to Westminster Abbey - the strongest hint yet to the identity of her mystery dressmaker. Brazilian-born Daniella Helayel, who has made clothes for Madonna and Sharon Stone, also created her engagement outfit. Read more!
Singapore urges Thailand, Cambodia to resolve border disputes through talks
SINGAPORE, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed deep concern on Friday over fresh border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia and urged restraint on both sides.
"We urge Cambodia and Thailand to resolve their differences through negotiations," the ministry said in a statement. " Singapore supports the efforts by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa who has been in touch with his Cambodian and Thai counterparts after the clashes today."
Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire over their disputed border earlier on Friday.
Tensions have been high since a skirmish in February in the area where the Preah Vihear temple stands.
Indonesia, currently the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has been actively facilitating dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their differences peacefully. Singapore is also a member of ASEAN.
"This is important for the long term relationship of Cambodia and Thailand, as well as in the broader interests of ASEAN," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said.
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Thai, Cambodian armies clash on border; 6 killed
By THANYARAT DOKSONE and SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press
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| Ap-A Thai soldier injured in a fighting with Cambodia is hilped by his comrades and a nurse after arriving |
A decades-old border dispute over ancient temples and the land surrounding them has fueled nationalist passions in both countries. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Preah Vihear was given U.N. World Heritage status.
Each side blamed the other for the resumption of fighting.
Thai army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Siriya Khuangsirikul said three Thai soldiers had been killed, and 13 wounded, one critically. Cambodian defense spokesman Lt. Gen. Chhum Socheat said three Cambodian soldiers were killed and six wounded.
Cambodia's Bayon TV, which has close links to the government, showed footage Friday night of damaged houses and civilians being evacuated by farm vehicles to schools and Buddhist pagodas 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the front lines.
A statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Thailand said the country had "exercised its inherent right of self-defense on the basis of necessity, proportionality and strictly directed at military targets from where the attacks were launched by Cambodian troops."
Indonesia, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, called for an immediate cease-fire and further efforts to resolve the border dispute. Fighting stopped by early afternoon, but no cease-fire had been reached, Cambodia said.
Tensions between the neighbors have been exacerbated in recent months in part by pressure from influential Thai nationalist groups, which have protested in Bangkok urging the government to take back land awarded to Cambodia by an international court ruling.
The flare-up comes as the Thai military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of a general election expected to be held by early July. The army had previously effectively vetoed an agreed-on plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.
Cambodia in a note from Foreign Minister Hor Namhong to the president of the U.N. Security Council accused Thailand of refusing to accept the Indonesian monitors so it could carry out "this deliberate act of aggression."
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters his government was investigating the cause of Friday's clash and said despite a pause in fighting, the situation was volatile.
"What we would like reiterate is the position of troops of both countries are close to each other. Therefore, any movement can lead to clashes," Abhisit said.
Abhisit called for a meeting of one of the bilateral committees the two countries have set up to discuss border issues.
Reiterating Thailand's stance on its dispute with Cambodia, he said it was not necessary for ASEAN or other multinational bodies to take up the matter, because then "it will be harder to solve."
Cambodia insists bilateral talks are unproductive and a third party's participation would be useful.
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Sopheng Cheang reported from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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PM Dung’s visit will boost ties with Cambodia
Nguyen Tan Yuon's visit to Cambodia is not a surprised for Cambodia. it is a tripped for gold digging and stealing from Khmers. Yuon and Khmer friendship is totally disadvantages for Cambodia.
(VOV) - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Cambodia and his co-chairing the second Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference on April 23 and 24 is expected to accelerate bilateral trade and investment ties.
The relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has developed in various fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties on June 24, 1967.
Bilateral cooperation mechanisms including the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Conference on the development and cooperation of border provinces and the Joint Border Committee meet annually and have brought practical results. The regular exchange of the two countries’ delegations, especially the recent visits by the two countries’ leaders, have helped fasten the fine neighbouring relationship, traditional friendship and long-term sustainable comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Two-way trade has increased from US$1.33 billion in 2009 to US$1.8 billion in 2010. Vietnam has almost 90 investment projects with a combined capital of more than US$2 billion in Cambodia. These projects involve in rubber plantation, mining, oil and gas exploration, power supply development, telecom, finance and banking. The two countries have shown their keen interest in promoting bilateral ties in education and training, energy-power, healthcare and transport.
Both countries’ leaders have affirmed their determination to complete land demarcation and landmark erection in 2012 in order to build a common border of peace, stability, cooperation and development in line with the two peoples’ traditions and customs.
Vietnam and Cambodia have also accelerated bilateral cooperation between border provinces in education, healthcare, culture, science and technology. The two nations have successfully held the Conference on the development and cooperation of the Cambodia-Vietnam border provinces at the deputy prime minister level and the Vietnam-Cambodia border trade development conference at the level of industry and trade/trade minister.
Furthermore, the two nations have promoted cooperation within the framework of regional and international cooperation such as the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the Ayeyawady-Chao Praya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV), and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle (CLV).
PM Dung’s upcoming visit to Cambodia aims to affirm Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to enhancing its relations with Cambodia and the determination of the Vietnamese Government and people to join the Cambodian Government and people in bringing their bilateral ties to a new height for mutual interest.
Both sides are expected to review the investment cooperation results since the first Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference, discuss solutions and policies to boost investment, trade and tourism cooperation and sign a number of cooperation documents.
Around 100 Vietnamese businesses are expected to be present at the second Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference. PM Dung is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Cambodia-Vietnam Securities Joint Stock Company (CVS) and the handover of overseas investment licenses to Vietnamese businesses.
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Thursday, April 21, 2011
US warns Cambodia over controversial law
The United States has threatened to freeze aid spending to Cambodia if the government pushes ahead with a highly controversial draft law designed to regulate civil society.
The comments were made by Flynn Fuller, the country head of the US government's development agency USAID, during a closed meeting between the Cambodian government and donors in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.
The meeting assessed Phnom Penh's progress in attaining a series of 20 benchmarks in areas such as judicial reform and land rights.
"In these times of fiscal constraint, justifying increased assistance to Cambodia will become very difficult in the face of shrinking space for civil society to function," Fuller said, adding that the "excessively restrictive" law would harm development.
"We strongly urge the government to reconsider the necessity of the draft NGO [non-governmental organisation] law, and if so, to adopt a law consistent with a commitment to expand, rather than restrict, the freedom for civil society organisations to operate," he said.
Last year, donors pledged 1.1 billion dollars in development assistance, around half of Cambodia's budget.
Civil society has condemned the draft NGO law, which requires all NGOs and associations to register with the government, as woolly, lacking definition and full of ambiguities.
A coalition of around 300 civil society groups said the law would impose onerous administration requirements on the country's crop of 3, 000 NGOs and hundreds of associations, something many lack the capacity to comply with.
NGOs had called on donors to weigh in on the issue.
Prominent human rights group LICADHO said recently the law constituted "the most serious threat to civil society in Cambodia for years."
The government has said it drafted the law to protect NGOs. Last week, spokesman Phay Siphan said the government was prepared to listen to changes suggested by civil society, something critics said it failed to do after two rounds of consultation in recent months.
Phay Siphan's pledge contrasted with public comments by other spokesmen who said the draft would not be amended.
The draft law is expected to head to the Council of Ministers for assessment in the coming weeks before being presented to parliament for approval later this year.
USAID works with more than 100 local organizations in Cambodia in areas such as governance, health and education. The US, the third-largest donor to Cambodia, approved 72 million dollars in aid last year, and is seeking approval from legislators for around 88 million dollars for 2012.
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Laos Faces Pressure to Alter Hydropower Ambitions
Cambodian fishermen move their fishing net from the Mekong River as they catch fish at the out skirt of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 19, 2011
Laos plans to build a hydropower dam on the lower Mekong River, but neighboring countries say more study is needed. Analysts say the high-level opposition puts pressure on Laos to alter its hydropower ambitions.
A controversial proposal by Laos to build the first of 11 hydropower dams planned for the lower Mekong River has angered people who live near the river's banks.
Perceived threat
Prailor Manmoon is an ethnic Lao woman living in Kong Nang, a Thai village on the Mekong River located downstream of the proposed Xayaburi hydropower dam.
On Sunday, as children played in the nearby Mekong River, Manmoon and her neighbors gathered to eat sticky rice and discuss the proposed Xayaburi dam.
Officials in neighboring Laos, an impoverished and land-locked communist state, say the dam would cut poverty and generate revenue.
But Manmoon and her neighbors say Xayaburi and other proposed hydropower dams threaten their village, where fishing is a main source of income.
"If a dam is built, maybe there will be a flood and it could kill us, or maybe the river levels will be really low, and we won't have enough water to use or drink," Manmoon said.
Pushing forward
Across the river in Vientiane, the Lao capital, the Mekong River Commission's Joint Committee was preparing for a highly anticipated meeting on the Lao dam proposal.
At the meeting Tuesday, Laos said the project should move forward, claiming the dam will comply with international standards.
But Laos' lower Mekong neighbors - Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam - issued statements saying more information is needed about the dam's potential trans-boundary environmental impacts.
Vietnam issued the strongest statement, calling for a 10-year moratorium on new Mekong dams.
No agreement
The four lower Mekong countries failed to make a joint decision on the dam, but agreed to hold ministerial-level talks later this year.
Analysts say government statements and the decision to elevate MRC talks to the ministerial level raises the political stakes of the Xayaburi controversy.
Philip Hirsch is a professor of human ecology at the University of Sydney. He says that while the Mekong River Commission cannot stop Laos from building dams on the Mekong's main stream, the Mekong River Commission's protocols have allowed neighboring countries to put diplomatic pressure on Laos.
"If Laos was to go it alone [by building the Xayaburi dam] and not listen to the other countries, it would be doing so now against the express wishes of the other countries, and particularly against the express wishes of Vietnam, with which Laos has a very close relationship," noted Hirsch.
Face-off expected
Hirsch predicts there will be a face-off between ministers from Laos and neighboring Vietnam, which are both one-party communist states.
If the Xayaburi is built, Hirsch adds, it will be easier for other lower Mekong countries, particularly Cambodia, to build dams on the Mekong's main stream.
Laos "cannot ignore" critical statements from its lower Mekong neighbors, according to a Vietnamese environmentalist who requested anonymity.
If Laos builds the dam over high-level opposition, the country may jeopardize its reputation in the international community, the environmentalist said.
Under MRC protocol, the four lower Mekong countries are required to notify their neighbors if they plan to build dams on the river's main stream, but they do not need each other's permission to proceed with dam projects.
China, which borders Laos, already operates four dams on the Mekong's upstream reaches.
Environmental impact
Civil society groups and non-governmental organizations across the region have warned that building dams on the lower Mekong will hurt the environment and threaten food security and rural livelihoods.
Stuart Chapman is conservation director for the World Wildlife Fund's Greater Mekong Program. He says the Xayaburi dam would have adverse effects on sediment flows and fish migration.
"The Mekong River is unique, both in terms of diversity of the fish and the volume of fish that travel up and down it," Chapman explained. "So essentially any dam that is built across the Mekong is going to be a blockage to many fish species as they try and migrate. If they can't migrate, they don't breed, and this will lead to a collapse of the fishery."
Chapman says some North American dams have installed "fish ladders" and other devices that help fish pass through dams. But the technologies would not help many species of Mekong fish survive, he says.
A recent World Wildflie Fund (WWF) study claimed the environmental impact assessment conducted for the proposed Xayaburi dam does not meet international standards.
95 percent of the dam's 1,260 megawatts of electricity would be sold to Thailand, and a Thai company would operate the $3.5 billion dollar project.
Preliminary work on the dam has already begun, according to Thai media reports.
Renewable energy
Carl Middleton, Southeast Asia program director for the environmental group International Rivers, said that instead of sourcing power from Mekong dams, Thailand should focus on improving energy efficiency and developing sources of renewable energy.
"I think what needs to be taken into account is a more holistic decision-making process that actually recognizes the implications for livelihoods and food security if mainstream dams are built [on the Mekong River]," Middleton said.
An independent study commissioned by the MRC warned in October that Mekong hydropower dams would exacerbate food insecurity and cause "serious and irreversible" environmental effects.
Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Jim Webb warned in a statement that building dams on the Mekong's mainstream would jeopardize fishing and rice farming in the Mekong River Delta.
Approximately 60 million people depend on the Mekong River for their livelihoods.
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