Thai Prime Minister Abhisit will represent ASEAN next week at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh.
It doesn't look good that his government sanctioned protest went so out of hand as the Thai PM prepares to carry a message of ASEAN unity onto the world stage. AFP reports:
Authorities were to allow them near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple on Sunday to read a statement urging Thailand to push Cambodian troops from the area, where there have been several cross-border battles in the past year.UPDATE
"We will reaffirm Thailand's sovereignty in the five square kilometres (two square miles) around the temple and ask Cambodia to leave our territory," said Veera Somkwamkid, one of the Yellow Shirt leaders
Ownership of the temple was awarded by the World Court in 1962 to Cambodia, but a dispute over the surrounding land was reignited after the crumbling ruins were awarded UNESCO world heritage status last year.
Oxford-educated Abhisit apologised for the temple incident.
"I am sorry that there was a clash and injuries to people," Abhisit said in his weekly television programme, adding that his government was not conceding territory to Cambodia.
"The government is not ignoring this problem, we are working on it. What we are doing is not causing the country to lose territory or sovereignty," he said.
A comprehensive analysis of recent events is now posted at Jotman.com.
0 comments:
Post a Comment