Cambodia threatens to ban Thai fruit and vegetables over border row
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Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen threatened to ban all fruit and vegetables from Thailand unless Bangkok lifted all border crossing curbs within 24 hours.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Phnom Penh – Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen on June 16 issued an ultimatum to Thailand to lift border crossing restrictions or his country will ban all imports of Thai fruit and vegetables in the latest round of the border spat between the two countries.
One Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28
The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence.
Thailand has tightened border controls with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia ordered troops on June 13 to stay on “full alert”, banned Thai dramas
In an address to the nation, Mr Hun Sen – the father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet – threatened to ban all fruit and vegetables from Thailand unless Bangkok lifted all border crossing restrictions within 24 hours.
“If the Thai side does not open border crossings to normalcy today, tomorrow we will implement throughout the border banning the imports of fruit and vegetables to Cambodia,” Mr Hun Sen said.
The two sides held talks on June 14 aimed at defusing the row, which Thailand said had made progress.
But after Mr Hun Sen’s remarks on June 16, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said her country would not be bullied or threatened, and warned that “unofficial” communication would harm diplomatic efforts.
“Messages via unofficial channels do not bring good results for both countries,” she said after meeting Thai military commanders and defence and foreign ministry officials.
Cambodia on June 15 formally asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to help resolve the border dispute in four areas – the site of May’s clash and three ancient temples.
Mr Hun Sen also said his country had to go to the ICJ because Cambodia wanted “peace”, as the two countries would never reach an agreement in the four areas.
Cambodia has repeatedly asked Thailand to jointly bring the case to the ICJ.
“Only a thief is afraid of a court,” Mr Hun Sen said.
He said Cambodia would not back off and would respect the ICJ’s ruling.
Mr Hun Sen also called on tens of thousands of Cambodian migrants working in Thailand to return home, saying they would face increasing discrimination as the border spat drags on.
“(You) must come back home, and it is the suitable time.
“The border dispute will not end easily, so insults happen at times, and this time is more serious,” he added.
The row dates back to the drawing of the countries’ 800km frontier in the early 20th century, during the French occupation of Indochina.
Cambodia has previously sought help from the ICJ in a territorial dispute over a border temple.
In 1962, the court ruled that the disputed Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, and in 2013, the ICJ also awarded an area next to the temple to Cambodia.
Thailand said it did not accept the court’s jurisdiction.
Violence sparked by the dispute has led to 28 deaths in the region since 2008. AFP
