Thailand puts faith in ICJ

Kasit: Confidence in judges’ qualifications

Kasit predicts reduced backing for Cambodia

Published: 1/06/2011
Bangkok Post

Thailand is confident in the professionalism of the International Court of Justice in ruling on the country's dispute with Cambodia, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday.

Mr Kasit, who attended the oral hearing on the case in The Hague, said he did not think powerful countries would support Cambodia as they had when the country adjusted to independence from France and took issue with Thailand over Preah Vihear temple in 1962.

"I'm confident in the professionalism of the ICJ since it comprises highly qualified judges from developed and developing nations," he said.

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Thailand and Cambodia presented closing statements to the ICJ in The Hague Tuesday.

Phnom Penh has asked the UN's highest court to interpret its ruling in 1962 which says Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia and has demanded the court to order Thailand to withdraw troops and cease all military activity in areas around the temple.

Both countries have claimed ownership of the land around the temple.

The minister said he also believed that the two ad hoc judges, which Thailand and Cambodia each have appointed, would help provide the right information to the ICJ.

He insisted Cambodia's requests for the interpretation of the court verdict and its demand for troop withdrawal were outside the ICJ's jurisdiction and, according to Article 60 of the ICJ charter, it should not consider them.

Thailand has followed all obligations in accordance with the 1962 verdict by acknowledging Preah Vihear temple is situated on Cambodian soil. The court did not rule on the matter of the border and the 1:200,000 map was the only document to support the ruling at that time, said Mr Kasit.

On the last day of the hearing yesterday, Cambodia tried to give a more detailed explanation of the documents it submitted to the ICJ and reiterated its demand for Thai troops to withdraw from the 4.6 square kilometres of disputed land, citing the 1:200,000 map.

"If Cambodia wants to argue about the map made by France 100 years ago, it should file another case," he said.

However, during the testimony by the Thai side on Monday, Mr Kasit said Thailand had shown the ICJ pictures of the fences which signified the boundary of Preah Vihear temple's compound erected on a resolution of the Thai cabinet on July 10, 1962.

"The pictures we showed were clear that the areas behind the fences around the temple were the areas accepted by Cambodia, said Mr Kasit.

"Although the fences might have been damaged during the Khmer Rouge era, we could examine them."

If the ICJ ordered Thailand to withdraw the troops, it should order Cambodia to do the same because the ICJ must be fair, said the minister.

Three foreign lawyers for Thailand and Thai Ambassador to The Hague Veerachai Plasai made their closing statements last night.

The ICJ was expected to issue a verdict in about four weeks, around the end of June, he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva lambasted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for his remark that Thailand initiated the border dispute by intruding on Cambodian soil.

Thaksin claimed during a recent interview with a newspaper in Singapore that Thailand had instigated the fighting and caused the border tension to escalate.

Mr Abhisit said he could not believe such a statement would come from a former Thai prime minister.

Mr Kasit also joined Mr Abhisit in criticising Thaksin.

"I don't know if Thaksin is still an adviser to Cambodia, but he seems to take sides with Cambodia every time he gives an interview," he said.

"Thaksin always says something bad about Thailand. He should take back his words and say sorry to the Thai people."