KORN CHATIKAVANIJ
Bangkok Post
Excerpt:
Politics was heading to a dead-end we Thais have become all too familiar with - and we were hoping that bringing the conflict into Parliament would help ease tensions.
We also felt that the government was veering dangerously towards the wrong direction and hopefully the debate would lead to changes that would allow for some semblance of order.
Up to the point of Khun Abhisit's telephone call we, and the Senators who had filed a separate motion, were being shunned by the government and hence feeling increasingly frustrated. Whilst the change of heart on the part of the government was a surprise, it was also welcome.
This debate was always going to be different. Previous no-confidence debates were ones that involved exposure of specific cases of corruption. Our lack of confidence in this government, however, had more to do with their complete neglect in the management of the economy. Crucially, we were also specifically worried about the cabinet resolution approving the agreement the Foreign Ministry had signed together with Cambodia regarding the request by the Cambodian government to file Khao Phra Viharn as a World Heritage Site.
The way the approval was requested has probable implications to our territorial and sovereignty claims over the temple and surrounding area. Furthermore, there were at least circumstantial reasons for us to believe that the Foreign Minister's decision-making could have had something to do with his previous role in serving Thaksin Shinawatra's personal interests.
Mr Thaksin is openly seeking business opportunities in Cambodia and the inexplicable position the Thai government has taken can only be understood in the context of collusion or utter incompetence.
The key now is how to backtrack away from the joint communique signed by Noppadon Pattama and supported by a cabinet resolution. We are in the process of seeking legal recourse, which hopefully will lead to the prevention of a possible loss of sovereignty.
It is a strange feeling for a public servant to actually be in defence of national territory - it all seems surreal and yet the implication of the government's action is real enough and, personally, I believe that if they remain intransigent, they will not be able to survive.
The Democrats just can't resist spouting right-wing lies and propaganda. Thailand is not losing any territory or sovereignty because of the joint communique. Neither the temple nor the territory belongs to Thailand.
And what does Thaksin's business interests have to do with a temple that already belongs to Cambodia and will always belong to Cambodia? Nothing.
The fact that the Democrats have to resort to such outlandish propaganda really demonstrates their weakness as a party. Their party motto should be: When all else fails, wrap yourself in the flag and beat the drums of Bang Rajan.
It will replace their former party motto: Support military coups when you can't win elections party.
1 comment:
All well and good, but one critical question still remains: Why was it so necessary, when this issue has been going on for such a long time, for this newby government to suddenly rush into accepting Cambodia's application? You can kick this issue back and forth all you like, but the finger of suspicion (read: self-interest) remains. A new government and a serious doubt about its survival stinks of a need to milk the cash-cow as rapidly as possible (it's business as usual, folks) before the next change of guard. Christ, I'm suffering a deja vu overdose with Thai conniving. Blackjack anyone?
Witawat
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