May 02, 2011 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX) --
[Interview with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya by Mustaqim Adamrah: "Thai-Cambodian Border Clash an 'Embarrassment for ASEAN'"]
Thai and Cambodian military forces continue to exchange fire in their border area as both countries lay claim to the Preah Vihear Temple and its surrounding area although they have committed to a cease-fire a number of times. Indonesian and Cambodian journalists, including The Jakarta Post's Mustaqim Adamrah, had a chance to interview Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya during his visit to Jakarta last week. Below are excerpts of the interview.
Question: Thailand and Cambodia have repeatedly pledged to maintain a cease-fire in February and last Thursday. So why did clashes occur again two weeks ago, with the latest last Friday?
Answer: To reaffirm for the record, we never started the clashes. We have no reason to be unfriendly to Cambodia.
First, we are major exporters to Cambodia. Our exports to Cambodia make up 90 per cent of bilateral trade [between Thailand and Cambodia]. So, it's on our interest to keep trading with and exporting to Cambodia.
Second, we are becoming major investors in [Cambodia] in many fields: electricity generation, [manufacturing] industry, tourism, healthcare and construction.
Third, we welcome 150,000 Cambodian workers to Thailand under a bilateral memorandum of understanding.
Fourth, we are becoming a major donor to Cambodian development, education, social, health and infrastructure development.
Fifth, there's a growth in Thai tourism to Cambodia and at the same time, we are a transit point as international airlines come to Thailand and visitors take regional airlines to Cambodia. So Thailand is an entry point for Cambodian tourism.
Sixth, we started and initiated the ASEAN master plan of connectivity: physical infrastructure, roads, railways, ICT [information and communication technology], electricity and other things, inclusive of the Mekong River development, as well as people-to-people contact.
We and Cambodia are two kingdoms, one destination. Two months ago, we had an agreement with Cambodia for Cambodians to enter Thailand without the need for visas.
The Thai side of the border is heavily populated. Why should we fight when the munitions fall on Thai villages? The Cambodian side is sparsely populated.
It would be silly for us to keep shooting when we know very well that artillery from Cambodia will fall on villages, temples and schools as has been shown on television.
Last time we had to evacuate about 20,000 people. We had to build houses, repair temples and schools, and we had to build more bunkers.
According to investors
[Interview with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya by Mustaqim Adamrah: "Thai-Cambodian Border Clash an 'Embarrassment for ASEAN'"]
Thai and Cambodian military forces continue to exchange fire in their border area as both countries lay claim to the Preah Vihear Temple and its surrounding area although they have committed to a cease-fire a number of times. Indonesian and Cambodian journalists, including The Jakarta Post's Mustaqim Adamrah, had a chance to interview Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya during his visit to Jakarta last week. Below are excerpts of the interview.
Question: Thailand and Cambodia have repeatedly pledged to maintain a cease-fire in February and last Thursday. So why did clashes occur again two weeks ago, with the latest last Friday?
Answer: To reaffirm for the record, we never started the clashes. We have no reason to be unfriendly to Cambodia.
First, we are major exporters to Cambodia. Our exports to Cambodia make up 90 per cent of bilateral trade [between Thailand and Cambodia]. So, it's on our interest to keep trading with and exporting to Cambodia.
Second, we are becoming major investors in [Cambodia] in many fields: electricity generation, [manufacturing] industry, tourism, healthcare and construction.
Third, we welcome 150,000 Cambodian workers to Thailand under a bilateral memorandum of understanding.
Fourth, we are becoming a major donor to Cambodian development, education, social, health and infrastructure development.
Fifth, there's a growth in Thai tourism to Cambodia and at the same time, we are a transit point as international airlines come to Thailand and visitors take regional airlines to Cambodia. So Thailand is an entry point for Cambodian tourism.
Sixth, we started and initiated the ASEAN master plan of connectivity: physical infrastructure, roads, railways, ICT [information and communication technology], electricity and other things, inclusive of the Mekong River development, as well as people-to-people contact.
We and Cambodia are two kingdoms, one destination. Two months ago, we had an agreement with Cambodia for Cambodians to enter Thailand without the need for visas.
The Thai side of the border is heavily populated. Why should we fight when the munitions fall on Thai villages? The Cambodian side is sparsely populated.
It would be silly for us to keep shooting when we know very well that artillery from Cambodia will fall on villages, temples and schools as has been shown on television.
Last time we had to evacuate about 20,000 people. We had to build houses, repair temples and schools, and we had to build more bunkers.
According to investors
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