Thai-Cambodian dispute must be separated from politics

BANGKOK, 27 January 2011 (NNT) – Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya has asserted his disagreement with the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)’s demand for the revocation of the 2000 MoU, saying the border dispute must not be used as a political tool.

Mr Kasit made the statement via Twitter regarding the PAD’s call for the government to cancel the 2000 MoU on border demarcation signed between Thailand and Cambodia. He advised the group not to raise the border controversy as a political agenda nor base their actions solely on temper as it could cause social division in the country.

The Minister then criticized the PAD for staging demonstrations to close off the border, saying the move deprived merchants and tourists of access to the area and was deemed dishonorable. Although he used to take part in the PAD’s activities, he claimed it did not mean he would always share the same view, explaining that the group’s demands to have the 2000 MoU scrapped as well as Thailand withdrawn from the World Heritage Committee would only hurt the country in return.

Mr Kasit gave the PAD his word that as long as negotiations on the border issue have not been settled between the two nations, Thailand would not lose any territory as feared.