Thai Army rebuts Cambodian protest over law enforcement in disputed border zone
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Major General Winthai Suwaree of the Royal Thai Army says Bangkok has the right and duty to enforce domestic laws on individuals within Thai territory.
PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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BANGKOK – The Royal Thai Army has rejected Cambodia’s accusation that Thailand was unlawfully applying domestic law to Cambodian nationals in disputed territory.
The response followed a statement issued by Cambodia on Sept 20, which claimed Thailand asserted the right to prosecute Cambodian citizens in the villages of Chouk Chey and Prey Chan, in O Bei Chorn commune, O Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province.
Phnom Penh argued that such actions violated the UN Charter, breached a 2000 memorandum of understanding (MOU) on land boundary demarcation, and undermined the mandate of a Joint Boundary Commission.
Cambodia urged Thailand to halt activities it said were escalating tensions in violation of a ceasefire agreement.
Major General Winthai Suwaree, the army’s spokesperson, dismissed the allegations, adding that Thailand has the right and duty to enforce domestic laws on individuals within Thai territory.
“This is a universally recognised principle,” he said, stressing that the area in question lies entirely within Thailand’s sovereignty and is not subject to overlapping claims as Cambodia has suggested.
He added that the enforcement of Thai law in the area is legitimate and consistent with the state’s sovereign authority.
He said Cambodia has repeatedly violated the very principles it accuses Thailand of breaching under the UN Charter.
He noted that Article 2(3), which obliges member states to settle disputes peacefully to safeguard international peace and security, has been disregarded by Cambodia through actions such as incitement, staging incidents and using civilians to provoke violence.
He added that Cambodia has breached Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of another state.
“It is Cambodia that has violated this principle by deploying armed troops on Thai sovereign soil and secretly planting PMN-2 anti-personnel mines inside Thai territory, even after the ceasefire agreement was in place,” he stated.
On the claim that Thailand violated the 2000 MOU on land boundary demarcation and the mandate of the Joint Boundary Commission, he argued that it was Cambodia that breached the MOU.
He cited decades of neglect and insincerity, pointing out that the Cambodian authorities allowed the construction of buildings, facilities and even residential communities in areas under dispute as well as inside Thailand’s sovereign territory. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
